Energy and Water in Iceland

I was in an Internet café and met a British grad student who was studying Hydrology and was working at an Iceland power plant during a year-long exchange program. He explained to me that Iceland has both water and electricity in abundance. 90% of their energy comes from thermal wells drilled 1,000 to 2,000 feet deep that bring super heated water to the surface. As the water comes to the surface, the pressure is reduced and the water turns to steam that drives turbines that generate electricity. Because of the high sulfur (and other chemicals) content, you cannot drink the excess water created by this process but they do use it in a heat-exchange process in other industrial applications.

Drinking water is extracted from shallower wells (generally 200 ft deep) that tap into the predominantly basalt rock – which is very porous and efficiently traps the 90+ inches of annual rain in much of the country.

This guy also explained that there was a complete lack of effort to conserve water or electricity. Everywhere you go, there are electric wall heaters going full blast, even in unoccupied rooms, buildings, etc.  Lights are on all night where they are not needed. Every small town has an outdoor heated swimming pool and hot tubs going full blast 24/7.

 
In contrast, solid waste recycling bins are located everywhere, are free and more widely used than in the USA.

I've included several photos of power generating stations located in the southwest part of Iceland where the two diverging tectonic plates are the thinnest and they don't have to drill so deep to get the hot water.

(Stay tuned for the lesson on "diverging tectonic plates")