Geothermal District Heating in Iceland

It is a little overdue but more and more countries are now looking to tap the energy and heat right underneath their feet.  This list of nations includes China, Germany, Hungary, Philippines, Indonesia, USA, New Zealand and many others. 

The reason that many nations are looking to Iceland is simple: experience.  The capital city, Reykjavik, boasts that largest, most sophisticated geothermal district heating system in the world.  And, over 90% of all homes and buildings in Iceland use thermal water for space heating.  The nation also uses geothermal heating for a multitude of other purposes including snow melting, fish farming, spas and pools as well as a host of industrial purposes.

The effects of this are a much cleaner environment, much lower total costs for consumers and industry and a strong positive image for the nation.  I saw an old black and white picture of Reykjavik before the district heating and the air was black with soot from all the diesel fuel being burned.  The air quality must have been pretty bad, kind of like Los Angeles in the early 1980s.  But if you look at a picture of Reykjavik today, the difference is quite astounding.  In fact, Reykjavik has some of the best air quality of any capital in the world.

Icelanders have been using this abundant source of heat pretty much since the country was settled.  Iceland is a unique example though, as the country has few other natural resources.  It wasn’t until the 1930s that the government really started capitalizing on geothermal district heating as their main source for space heating.  But, once they began, they never looked back. 

Over that time, the various entities involved with geothermal power and heating have gained much experience and expertise.  So, it is natural that other countries, looking to tap their own geothermal fields, would look to Iceland

I am heartened to read about the new development projects happening around the world in the area of geothermal energy development.  I realize that for most countries, the investment is considerable.  And, unfortunately, with the recent massive drop in oil costs, many nations may be rethinking this investment.  I hope they are not fooled by this; we have been here before: oil prices rise and people and governments start panicking, then they get active.  Then oil prices drop and everyone seems to get lulled back into apathy and gluttony.  Hopefully the third time is the charm.

I am no expert here, just a person who strongly believes in the need to move toward all available renewable and green energy technologies.  And, having lived and worked in Iceland, I have seen and experienced first hand a strong working model of what can be accomplished.  Iceland receives approximately 72% of all its energy from renewable resources, chiefly hydropower and geothermal.  That is not to say that geothermal district heating is right for every country.  But, the prevalence of geothermal hot water is more common than you would imagine.  Nonetheless more countries, cities and municipalities should follow Iceland’s lead and utilize whatever renewable resources they can.  It is a win-win for our planet, for our global economy and for our children’s future.

Geothermal district heating is derived from several main geothermal power plants in Iceland that produce electricity and thermal water (cogeneration) for a large percentage of the population.   Iceland plans to harness more geothermal energy for their growing population. - David Brooks