Geothermal Energy Museum in Iceland
At the actual core of Iceland is buried treasure - I’m not talking about Lannister gold. Iceland’s treasure is clean and renewable geothermal energy. Across the island - there are natural attractions that benefit from this natural energy source. Iceland rests over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates overlap. At this boundary, heat from the earth’s core escapes to the surface fueling Iceland’s volcanoes, hot spas, the Geysir field, and the Hellisheiði Power Plant. This geothermal energy plant (run by the ON Power company) utilizes geothermal resources to produce electricity and heat. Their efforts contribute to the fact that 85% of Iceland’s primary energy consumption comes from renewable power sources, including geothermal.
At the Hellisheiði Power Plant, there is an exhibition on Geothermal Energy that is a must see (despite the admittedly high entry fee). A three story exhibit off of the main entry tells an unseen story of industrialization and sustainability beneath Iceland. The exhibit includes timelines, statistics, an interactive storyboard, and a glimpse into the power plant. Although I felt underwhelmed when visiting the museum - specifically wondering if it was worth it’s entry fee - it was one of the MOST memorable points of our visit to Iceland*. Visiting geothermally heated swimming pools in Reykjavík and seeing the Geysir fields were very enjoyable - but they were only a glimpse at the incredible investment Iceland has made into utilizing their natural resources.
The Geothermal Energy Exhibit tells a unique story. The building is well designed and makes a strong statement of stability in a country with such a harsh climate. We visited on our last day - it was the end of August and our week of good weather had ended. We were in the midst of high winds and cold rain which made other hiking and vistas impossible to endure on the Golden Circle (a day-long loop of beautiful landscapes and tourist destinations that can start and end in Reykjavík). The doors of our rental car were nearly blown off as we made our way inside. The three story glass lobby was a calm and quiet reprieve from the elements we had just endured. We paid admission and made our way past the first floor gift shop and cafe to the exhibits on the second and third floor.
The second floor featured a full wall presentation screen of the Hellisheiði Power Plant’s production process. This interactive screen told the full story of heat from the earth’s core filling the water faucets of Reykjavík’s residents. The visuals were engaging and made highly scientific concepts approachable and memorable. There are no images of the interactive screen because of it’s proprietary nature in the exhibit - but the story is well scribed into my memory. It tells of a powerful and renewable resource being harnessed for the benefit of Icelandic residents. The presentation explained how other sources of power (like burning coal or gas) heat water and turn it into steam that can turn turbines to produce energy. Because the source of geothermal energy is already heated water and steam - the energy plant gets to skip the step of burning a non-renewable resource and jump straight into harnessing steam into electricity producing turbines or transferring that heat into clean hot water. Water is very efficient at holding heat. You will see in the slideshow below there is a cross-section of insulated pipe similar to the hot water pipes that run from this plant into Reykjavík. This invisible infrastructure is beautifully designed in its efficiency and sustainability.
The Geothermal Energy Exhibit is very unique and tells a wonderful story of the industrial efforts of Iceland. If you only have time for a short jaunt from the airport or need a rainy day activity - this museum will fill not just a few hours of your day but could turn into a well remembered story of Iceland’s ingenuity and mindful use of resources.
*My husband and I very much enjoyed this exhibit. As an architect, I found the simple modern lobby a beautiful highlight of our trip. My husband, an electrical engineer, was engaged by the industrial systems and clear description of energy production. Our professions aside - this museum shared a piece of Iceland’s industrial story. In my travels, I have never found such a unique expression of economic, industrial, and energy systems combined in one place. This experience captures a story best told in Iceland.
The Icelandic museum just reopened this week (9/15/2020). Find out more on the geothermal exhibition website: https://www.on.is/en/geothermal-exhibition/
Online brochures and informational materials are available at issuu: https://issuu.com/orkanatturunnar/docs/flyer-both and https://issuu.com/orkanatturunnar/docs/einblodungur-flyer-99x210-issuu
