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Reykjavík Energy Proposes Wind Farms Near City Limits
Energy company Reykjavík Energy (Orkuveitan) has proposed constructing two wind farms at Mosfellsheiði pass, between Reykjavík and Hveragerði. The turbines could reach up to 210 metres in height, making them visible from the capital area, RÚV reports. The proposition is currently under…
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Cost Of Living In Iceland Increases
Icelandic consumers can expect up to 30% price hikes on groceries in the coming weeks. In conversation with RÚV, businesspeople of Bonus, Krónan, and Prís cite various reasons. CEO of Bonus Björgvin Víkingsson claims that the hikes are due to increased electricity…
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Emissions From Icelanders Are Twice As Much As Swedes
Iceland’s greenhouse gas emissions were twice as high per capita as Sweden this year, Stundin reports. The greenhouse gas emissions would be five times higher if it wasn’t for renewable energy. This was stated by Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Minister of the Environment…
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Still Ain’t Easy Being Green
Before we started jailing bankers, Iceland’s strongest memetic power was in our energy grid. Our energy consumption may be proportionately higher than that of a lot of countries, but it’s what generates our power that gained us an international reputation as a…
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Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs Have Significantly Reduced Electricity Consumption
Increased use of more energy-efficient light bulbs has reduced power consumption by about 8% in just five years. According to a statement from the Ministry of Industries and Innovation, household electricity consumption went from 4.9MWh in 2009 to 4.5MWh in 2014, marking…
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Court Ruling: Iceland Failed To Implement Five EU Directives
On Wednesday, the EFTA court ruled against the Icelandic state in five separate cases, all concerning Iceland’s “failure to fulfil its obligations” in implementing EU regulation. One case concerned “regulation on textile fibre names and related labelling and marking of the fibre…
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We’ve Got The Power
“We’re here in order to learn how to correct the mistakes our fathers made with oil,” says Máté Osvald, a Hungarian student at Reykjavík University’s Iceland School of Energy (ISE). He is one of 36 international students who have come to Iceland…
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Icelanders Consume Most Electricity
Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden consume the most electricity per person in the world, and Icelanders most of all, reports NASA. Icelanders consume an average of 52,374 kilowatt hours per person per year, Norwegians 23,174 kilowatt hours, Finns 15,738 kilowatt hours, and…
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US Company Wants To Build Solar Silicon Plant
The American company Silicor Materials (SM) hopes to build a plant which could produce thousands of tons of silicon, whilst creating up to 400 jobs. RÚV reports that SM has requested a plot in Grundartangi on which to build the plant. It is estimated that…
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An Army of Us: Magma Energy vs. Iceland (So Far)
By now most of our readers are probably familiar with the ongoing saga of Magma Energy—a Canadian-based energy company—and their troubles getting any sort of even footing in Iceland. On many occasions, it seems that Magma Iceland CEO Ásgeir Margeirsson and artist…
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Magma Hasn’t Yet Paid for HS Orka
Magma Energy has yet to make the final payment for HS Orka, Eyjan reports, pending a decision from the government on the sale’s legality. The payment, which was supposed to have been made at the end of last month, has not been…
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Does Man Own Earth?
There are countless reasons for Magma Energy not being allowed to purchase HS Orka. Those who have no idea why should quit reading this and get their hands on books like Naomi Klein’s ‘The Shock Doctrine’ and documentaries like ‘The Big Sellout’…
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And Magma Responds to Björk
Magma Energy has once again responded to Björk Guðmundsdóttir, this time saying that they are not, in fact, looking at five other locations in Iceland for geothermal exploration but rather two others. As reported, Björk told Morgunblaðið in a recent interview that…
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Reykjanesbæ Mayor Responds to Björk
Árni Sigfússon, the mayor of Reykjanebæ, has recently responded to Björk Guðmundsdóttir and her concerns about Magma Energy. As reported, Magma Energy not only bought a 98% stake in HS Orka – they also received the rights to geothermal exploration in the…
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Geothermal Energy: Still Steaming Ahead
“Icelanders regard plentiful, cheap, guilt-free energy as part of their birthright.” —Daniel Gross, Newsweek, April 2008 A geothermal challenge At present, Iceland is pinning its hopes on its two major resources—fishing and renewable energy—to pull it out of the current economic crisis.…
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Bjork Continues to Take On Magma
Björk Guðmundsdóttir said in an interview over the weekend that she doesn’t believe it’s possible to trust Magma Energy CEO Ross Beaty, and that she wants to see the matter put to a national referendum. She mentions that Magma has shown an…
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Minister of Industry to Submit Power Privatization Bill
In response to the Magma Energy controversy, Minister of Industry Katrín Júlíusdóttir told the television news show Kastljósið last night that she intends to submit a bill to parliament which would change the way municipalities do business with private companies. The bill…
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Thousands Sign Anti-Magma Petition
Over 16,000 Icelanders have signed a petition demanding the government ultimately reject Magma Energy’s purchase of HS Orka. In addition, the petition also calls for a national referendum on laws on the sale natural resources. The petition can be found at orkuaudlindir.is,…
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Reykjavík Energy Accused of Concealing Information
Reykjavík Energy has been accused of withholding information about Magma Energy’s purchase of HS Orka. The matter has been referred to an appeals committee for review. According to a statement to the press, Jón Þórisson and Haraldur Hallgrímsson requested from Reykjavík Energy…
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Björk Corrects Magma
In the continuing saga of Björk Guðmundsdóttir versus Magma Energy, she responds to Magma Energy’s contentions that the artist is misinformed and misinforming others. As has been reported, Ásgeir Margeirsson, the director of Magma in Iceland, told reporters that claims Björk has…
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Meet the Magma Committee; Magma Says Björk Is Wrong
The independent committee that the Prime Minister called for to investigate the legality of Magma Energy’s purchase of HS Orka has finally been assembled. In the wake of news that the government would not confirm the Magma Deal, the Prime Minister also…
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Magma Getting Frustrated
Magma Energy CEO Ross Beaty told the Financial Times that he is considering delaying or even canceling moving forward with the HS Orka purchase, due to “political uncertainty”. As Grapevine reported, the Icelandic government said last week that it would not confirm…
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Grand Old Aunt Björk
ON THAT WHOLE MAGMA ENERGY/ HS ORKA THING -What, in your view, is the Magma deal all about? It is a very important case for Iceland. An international corporation is trying to buy up the exclusive rights to our natural resources. We…