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Houston Geological Society Bulletin
Abstract
Abstract: Iceland is the World’s Leader in Geothermal Resource
Iceland, sitting atop of the mid-Atlantic Ridge, is the world’s leader in geothermal resource, most of which is used for heating. Electricity generation is the second largest use with 665 MW generation capacity, comprising 29% of the country’s total electricity production, mostly consumed by aluminum manufacturing plants (Figure 1). Hydroelectric provides most of Iceland’s electrical power (72%) with most of the water supplied by glacial meltwater.
Figure 1. Location of geothermal power plants in Iceland. Source: Orkustofnun National Energy Authority, https://nea.is/geothremal/.
An interesting use of geothermal is to melt snow and ice during the winter in downtown Reykjavik where an extensive network of underground piping has been installed below streets, sidewalks and parking lots.
The Krafla geothermal power plant is supplied by several wells drilled on the flank of the active Krafla volcano (Figure 2) overlooking Lake Myvatn in northern Iceland. Construction of the power plant began in 1974 and was interrupted several times until earthquakes and volcanic activity declined in 1984. Steaming fumaroles and burping mud pits can still be observed today.
Figure 2. Krafla 60 MW geothermal powerplant located in northern Iceland showing insulated well heads and above ground pipelines on the north flank of an active volcano.
Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP)
A consortium of Icelandic power companies and the Icelandic government are drilling a series of boreholes below existing geothermal fields to test the geothermal potential of deep hydrothermal fluids at depths of 5 km (16,400 ft) with expected temperatures ranging from 450°C to 600°C (840°F-1100°F). This deeper heat source is expected to produce 10 times the electric power of a typical 5MW well drilled to 2.5 km (8,200 ft). Figure 3 shows the IDDP drilling rig at Svartsengi geothermal field in southern Iceland.
Figure 3. Deep Drilling Project well located at Svartsengi geothermal field in southern Iceland.
The Blue Lagoon (Figure 4) is a popular tourist destination that is supplied from water discharged from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant. The blue color of the water is from suspended fine silica particles, which settles on the bottom of the man-made pool. Bathers apply this soft mud to their skin and soak in the 100°F water is thought by some to have natural healing powers.
Figure 4. Blue Lagoon popular tourist destination. Bathers soak in the 100oF discharge water from the Svartsengi geothermal power plant.
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