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grapevine

Developing wind power in Iceland is a “realistic option”, concludes a research committee established by national power company Landsvirkjun.
As has been reported with regards to Magma Energy, geothermal power is not eternal. Many geologists have pointed out that it is being used faster than it can be renewed, and only has a few decades left to give us. Geothermal energy accounts for 25% of Iceland’s electrical power, and for almost 100% of its heating.
However, as most who live here or have visited here can attest, wind is in great abundance in Iceland. A research group assembled by Landsvirkjun, working in conjunction with Icewind – a pan-Scandinavian team looking to develop wind power in the Nordic countries, has concluded that wind power is a very realistic option for Iceland. They believe that building wind turbines in the southwest would be the best option.
Úlfar Linnet, an energy expert at Landsvirkjun, told Fréttablaðið that the matter should be explored seriously. “The goal is to have Iceland in step with the other Nordic countries,” he said in part. “We’re starting at zero, as a windmill has never been raised in Iceland. But we’re making progress.”
A report from the Ministry of Industry states that the advantages to wind power is that wind is abundant, free, and clean. The downsides, it says, is that wind is unstable and windmills themselves are unsightly. However, each wind turbine could be capable of generating anywhere from 1 to 7 megawatts of power.
As it is now, 75% of Iceland’s power needs come from hydropower. The remaining 25% of electricity, not to mention Iceland’s heat source, has to come from somewhere before the geothermal power runs out.