Facts:

• 100% of Iceland’s energy is from renewable sources:
• 70% from hydropower → 11% of the country has glaciers which melt into rivers
• 30% from geothermal energy
  → Between Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. A constructive/divergent boundary, so there are many volcanoes. The magma heats underground aquifers
  → Steam produced can drive turbines to produce electricity
  → The hot water is piped to 85% of Iceland’s homes for heating

Benefits:

• These sources are renewable and will not run out
• Environmentally friendly (instead of burning fossil fuels)

Costs:

• High investments in high-tech machinery
• If done improperly, geothermal systems can trigger earthquakes

Last updated: Apr 2025