Insulated pipes delivering thermal water to the Capital
Iceland has a long history of geothermal usage going back pretty much to the founding of the country. But it wasn’t until the 1970’s that the country began building power plants, now they are world leaders in this type of energy production.
Currently, Iceland has five geothermal power plants which supplies approximately 27% of the country’s electricity needs. These five are: Nesjavellir, Krafla, Svartsengi, Reykjanes and the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power plant which is the newest. Just as an aside, the most famous of the five has to be Svartsengi which supplies all the warm blue-green water to the Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist bathing resort close to the Keflavik International Airport.
The Hellisheidi geothermal power plant is a combined heat and power plant (CHP) located in South West Iceland, on one of the largest wet geothermal systems (high-enthalpy) in Iceland. The plant’s purpose is to meet increasing demand for electricity and hot water for space heating. Development plans call for incremental or phased expansion from 2006 to 2010 to an estimated maximum output of 300 MWe (mega watts of electricity) and 400 MWth (mega watts of thermal energy, i.e. hot water), eventually making it the largest geothermal combined heat and power plant in Iceland. The plant owner is Reykjavik Energy and the consulting engineering firm was Mannvit Engineering.
The geothermal activity in the Hengill area is connected with three volcanic systems. At least three volcanic eruptions have occurred in the Hengill area in the last 11,000 years, the most recent being 2,000 years ago. The Hengill area is part of the Hengill region, which covers 112 square kilometers and is one of the most extensive geothermal areas in Iceland.
The first phase of this project included two high-pressure 45 MW turbines that went online in October, 2006 and then one low pressure 33 MW turbine went online in Fall, 2008. The next expansion was the addition of two 45 MW turbines in Fall, 2008 and the first stage of the thermal power plant is scheduled for 2010.
Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant details:
Combined heat and power (CHP)
Planned total output: 300MWe & 400MWth
Phase 1: 2 x 45 MWe (90 MW total) went online October, 2006
Phase 2: 33 MWe went online Fall, 2007
Phase 3: 2 x 45 MWe, went online Fall, 2008
Phase 4: First stage thermal power plant scheduled for 2010
Phase 5: 2 x 45 MWe, scheduled for 2010
50 boreholes were drilled, from 1,000-2,200 meters
