Geothermal wells and pipes in Krafla geothermal power station, in northern Iceland. Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source with a low environmental impact compared to fossil fuel power plants. The exploitation of geothermal resources may lead to greenhouse gases emission, but all carbon emissions from the Krafla Power Station are substantially reduced by reinjecting back into the geothermal wells or reutilising the carbon dioxide emitted from geothermal gas to ensure the least impact on the environment. In 2020 about 50,000 tonnes of CO2 were injected back into the geothermal reservoir. The gases react with basaltic subsurface rocks to form stable minerals for safe, long-term storage of the injected gases.

Kristinn Haflidason, CEO of Algaennovation, monitors one of their photobioreactors in the micro-algae production facility, at ON’s Geothermal Park in Hellisheidi. Algaennovation uses water and electricity from the nearby Hellisheidi geothermal power plant and transforms carbon dioxide emissions in a process that turns waste to value in a sustainable manner. Their proprietary technology for micro-algae cultivation enables Algaennovation to have negative carbon footprints and use less than 1% of freshwater and land areas used by conventional small-scale algae companies.

A photobioreactor at Algalif facilities in Reykjanesbaer, Iceland. Algalif plant produces sustainable astaxanthin from micro-algae using 100% clean geothermal energy. In the Starvation Phase, the algae culture is exposed to UV light to cause stress conditions and induce astaxanthin synthesis. The proprietary lighting system enables Algalif to reduce overall energy consumption by 50%, in addition to providing for optimal microalgae growth, productivity and yield. The production methods allow for 0% water evaporation, while some manufacturers lose up to 20% of water per day. Algalif doesn’t have to cool, heat, or move water during our production process, allowing us to conserve water.

Elisabet controls barley seedlings at Bioeffect carbon-negative greenhouse, in Reykjanes Peninsula. The scientists of Bioeffect have developed a method to genetically engineer barley and produce Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF). This is a protein that stimulates cell growth and is used in luxury cosmetics to rejuvenate skin. This greenhouse holds up to 130,000 barley plants growing in inert volcanic pumice. The greenhouse is powered by clean geothermal energy and heat supplied by the neighbouring Svartsengi Power Station. A single gram of pure EGF has a market value of 10k$.

The 2,000 m2 ecologically-engineered greenhouse where Bioeffect grows barleys to produce the precious Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF). The greenhouse is located in the lava fields of Reykjanes Peninsula and it can nurture up to 130.000 barely plants at a time. The greenhouse is powered by clean geothermal energy and heat supplied by the neighbouring Svartsengi Power Station.

Kjartan, a researcher at the Icelandic Agricultural University, in the banana plantation in Hveragerði. This greenhouse has been growing bananas for research purposes since the 1950s and it is one of Europe‘s largest plantations. Hveragerði means hot springs garden. In this area, geothermal energy has been used for decades to heat the greenhouses and to provide illumination during the darkest months.

A lava field on the slopes of Mount Hekla, in the highly active volcanic zone along the south shore. Hekla is the most active volcano in Iceland. The area around Hekla was once forested, but the combined effect of human habitation and the volcanic activity has left an unstable surface very susceptible to erosion. The Hekluskógar reforestation project plans to restore the previously present birch and willow woodland to the slopes of the mountain.

Aslaug (Asa), co-founder of Pure North Recycling, in front of disposed plastic ready to be recycled. “This is our money”, Asa said in front of this plastic garbage. The company implements a process that allows recycling plastic completely without using any chemicals, but only steam, water, and electricity provided by the geothermal plant. Plastic processed by their facility is turned into a raw material that is then sold to companies that make new products from it.

A borehole at Hellisheiði Geothermal plant, in Hengill. Hot fluid is extracted through 30 wells at a depth of 2,000m to 3,000m. Geodesic domes over each borehole help reduce the visual blot on the landscape.

Ólöf Snæhólm Baldursdóttir, at the injection well of Carbfix in Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. Fighting climate change also means to achieve negative emissions by removing billions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year. Carbfix process sends brine water mixed with carbon dioxide pulled from the air into deep bedrock at a depth of about 500m, where the CO2 can turn rapidly into minerals. The method can be used near emission sources also in other parts of the world.
By January 2020 this plant had fixed over 50,000 tonnes of CO2.

Jasper Van Beek, during a daily check at Vaxa’s facilities, the only vertical farm in Iceland. The company was founded 2 years ago by a team of young entrepreneurs to grow fresh sustainable vegetables close to Reykjavik center. This cuts down distance traveled in the supply chain and reduces farming’s impact on the environment.

Lettuce seedlings at Vaxa vertical farm, in Reykjavik. By cultivating on many floors, the need for land is reduced. The control system optimises energy and water utilization. Cultivation is completely independent of external factors, such as seasons, weather, insect or plant diseases. Vaxa’s produce can be reliably grown 24/7 without any pesticide.

A land-based aquaculture plant operated by the innovative start-up Matorka, in Grindavik. Matorka’s fish farm implements unique design elements that enhance energy efficiency and environmental performance. The facility is designed as a modular system, with each module consisting of a raceway at the top, linked to three grow-out tanks. Each tank sits 1.2 metres below the one above, allowing water to flow from one tank to the next using only the power of gravity.

A fish tank in Matorka land-based aquaculture plant, in Grindavik. Rampant over-fishing and a world population that is increasing by 80-90 million people every year has made sustainable aquaculture an urgent necessity. The unique aquaculture system designed by Matorka allows them to raise healthy fish in spacious, clean water and simultaneously protect the oceans. Geothermal waters are used to sustainably regulate temperature in the fish tanks.

Water pipes in Hellisheidi geothermal area. The area covers about 112 km2 and constitutes one of the most extensive geothermal areas in Iceland. After the energy production processes, any excess steam is cleaned from CO2 and H2S while the emissions caused by the volcanoes are harnessed. These chemicals are then remineralised or used industrially to ensure the least impact on the environment as possible.

George Olah renewable methanol plant commissioned by Carbon Recycling International in Grindavik. The plant is a cutting-edge innovation in the field of carbon capture and utilization as it was the first industrial scale production facility ever built which utilizes carbon dioxide waste gas as a resource for methanol production. The plant uses gases and water waste coming from the neighboring Svartsengi geothermal power plant and releases no toxic by-products.
Methanol is an efficient fuel source for cars, which reduces CO2 emissions by 90% compared to gasoline or diesel.

The data center of Genesis Mining, in Keflavik. Iceland’s switch to renewable energy became a magnet when cryptocurrency miners figured out that the place is very cold and that electricity costs much less than in most other places. Currently, the power consumption used for mining exceeds the power to heat all of Iceland’s homes.

Ivar Smári Magnússon, divisional manager, in Genesis Mining data center in Keflavík.
Here, tens of thousands of GPUs perform the complex calculations needed to validate cryptocurrency transactions and add them to the blockchain digital ledger. Genesis Mining is one of the leading hashpower providers in the world, offering cryptocurrency mining as a service and allowing users to mine cryptocurrencies without their own hardware.

The data center of Genesis Mining, in Keflavik. Green electricity supplied by Svartsengi geothermal power station is used for this energy-intensive mining process at Genesis Mining facilities. The chips produce huge amounts of heat when run at their maximum capacities, but the cool arctic air efficiently dissipates the heat and eliminates the need to invest in expensive air-conditioning for the server rooms.

Fish leather made by a family-owned company called Atlantic Leather, based in the north coast of Iceland. The company gets discarded salmon, cod, wolffish, and perch skins from sustainable stocks, via Icelandic, Norwegian and Faroe Islands fishing fleets. The tanning process is environmentally friendly as it uses only natural, non-polluting dyes.

Halldóra Eydís, in her showroom in Reykjavik. Halldora created a fashion brand focused on making comfortable and fashionable shoes that uses sustainable raw materials, like Icelandic fish skin and horse hairs.

The dairy stalla at Flatey Farm. A large timber-framed building hosts the dairy farming operations. The carbon emissions associated with the timber, including transport, are 93,000kg CO2, which is significantly less than for a building of this size constructed from concrete and steel. The wooden structure has created a more healthy environment for both animals and workers, as well as reducing the maintenance costs over the lifetime of the building.

Flatey farm houses over 200 cows in one of Iceland’s largest dairy farms. Cows are milked by a robotic milking system which helps improving the animal health management.

ICE+FRIES restaurant in Reykjavik. In this pandemic era, robotics and technology can safely bring people together by guaranteeing social distancing and ensuring high levels of sanitation. ICE+FRIES, opened in March 2020, is Glacierfire’s first bionic food and drink bars. The design took inspiration from Icelandic nature: icebergs on the walls and chairs; black floors that mimic the black sands; natural volcanic green moss on the walls. Projection lightshow on the icebergs takes inspiration from natural events, such as the murmurations of puffins, schools of fish, pods of whales, lava eruptions and the magical Aurora Borealis. This place gives a glimpse into the future of the hospitality industry after the pandemic.

Makr Shakr’s robotic cocktail maker, Toni, in the ICE+FRIES restaurant in Reykjavik. Makr Shakr’s robot, designed by the Italian firm CRA - Carlo Ratti Associati, can concoct and serve endless combinations of drinks The robot’s two mechanical arms can perform a range of motions such as shaking, stirring and muddling, so as to prepare and serve drinks while complying with all the rules of sanitization and social distancing.

The tomato greenhouse of Friðheimar, in Reykholt. The tomatoes are grown all year, using green energy and biological pest controls. Photosynthesis is enhanced by using carbon dioxide produced from natural geothermal steam. Each greenhouse is equipped with a state-of-the-art climate-control computer system for temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and lighting. The controlled environment avoids use of any agrochemicals or pesticides.

Germàn and Adriana harvest tomatoes in Friðheimar greenhouse, Reykholt. Iceland has dramatically reduced the importation of fresh vegetables, cutting down on the environmental and financial costs of transportation and preservation. Over 75% of tomatoes, 90% of cucumbers and large proportions of peppers are produced on the island.

Micro-algae production facility of Algaennovation, in Hengill. Algaennovation is a Israeli start-up that in September 2019 established a new facility in ON’s Geothermal Park to buy hot and cold water, electricity and carbon dioxide from Hellisheidi Power Plant. Growth and performance of each alga strain are continuously optimised using machine learning and data analytics techniques.

Microalgae samples at a quality control checkpoint performed at Algalif laboratory, in Keflavik. Water, air and the algae cultures are carefully screened to confirm the absence of contaminating microorganisms.

The Photobioreactor of Algaennovation for the cultivation of Omega-3 rich micro-algae. The final products range from feed for aquaculture and hatcheries, colourants, proteins up to Omega-3 human supplements. Micro-algae cultivation is sustainable as it reduces the environmental pressures of the livestock sector on natural resources.

Analytical characterisation of micro-algae samples at Algalif laboratory, in Keflavik.
Liquid micro-algae samples are tested to ensure the culture is free from contaminating microorganisms. Algalif process produces astaxanthin by cracking algal cells and processing them by solvent-free supercritical CO2 extraction. Astaxantin is a naturally-occurring carotenoid with antioxidant power which has many health benefits.

The fish farm of Ice Fish Farm in Faskrudsfjordur. There is a great attention to sustainable and responsible fish farming, achieved through eco-friendly operation that nurtures both the environment and workers. Fish farming in the Atlantic fiords has zero bycatch, as no other species are unintentionally caught or harmed by fishing lines or nets. There is no need to use antibiotics, chemicals or delousing and no anti foiling on nets. Fish are fed with non-GMO feed ensuring an GMO free operation.

Matorka processing facilities in Grindavik. Once the fishes reach optimal size, they are harvested and transported to the processing facility, located a few kilometers away from the fish farm. Here, the fishes are processed, filleted, quickly chilled and shipped to the market.

A fish tank in Matorka land-based aquaculture plant, in Grindavik. Arctic chars and rainbow trouts are raised in a controlled environment without antibiotics, chemicals, or hormones. One single mixing tank is used both to mix the water from the wells and purge the fish prior to harvest. Only 20% of the water is released to clean out waste, while 80% is re-circulated.

The Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland's most important tourist attractions. Geothermal water that has already generated electricity at the Svartsengi Power Station and has passed through a heat exchanger to provide heat for a municipal water heating system is finally fed into the lagoon. The water’s high silica content keeps it from leaching into the lava field and gives it an appealing aqua tint.

One of the largest geothermal field in Iceland, Námafjall/Hverir. The area is covered with smoking fumaroles and boiling mud pots, surrounded by sulphur crystals of many different colours.

Gardener planting barley seeds in inert volcanic pumice at Bioeffect greenhouse. The company has developed an innovative expression system which uses barley grain as a vehicle for production of recombinant human and animal growth factors, which are used in luxury anti-ageing cosmetic products.

Bioeffect greenhouse located in the lava fields of Reykjanes Peninsula. This high-tech carbon-negative greenhouse uses energy and heat from the neighbouring Svartsengi Blue Lagoon Power Station.

The pilot plant of Climeworks in Hellisheidi geothermal area. This Swiss company has developed a technology that captures carbon dioxide directly from the air. The air-captured carbon dioxide can either be recycled and used as a raw material, or completely removed from the air by safely storing it. Climeworks direct air capture machines are powered solely by renewable energy or energy-from-waste. The current yield is 90%, meaning that out of 100 tons of carbon dioxide captured from the air, at least 90 tons are permanently removed. Leading scientific studies indicate that by mid-century 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide will need to be removed from the air every year. Direct air capture is one solution that can help achieve this goal.

An operator in Hellisheiði Power Station in Hengill, Iceland ’s largest geothermal plant and the world’s third largest. The power station is a flash steam combined heat and power plant generating 303MW of electricity and 400MW of thermal energy. Approximately 87% of hot water for households and for heating in Iceland comes from geothermal energy. Between 1990 and 2014, Iceland’s geothermal electricity production increased 1,700%

Strokkur geyser, in the highly active Geysir Hot Spring Area. Stokkur spouts water 30 metres into the air every few minutes. The geothermal field has a surface area of approximately 3 km², most of the springs are aligned along a 100m wide strip of land running in the same direction as the tectonic lines in the area, from south to southwest.

Erla collects eider down in her farm in the Westfjord. Eider down harvesting is based on a sustainable relationship between the farmers and the eiders. Eider is a fat seabird that spends most of its lives in the Arctic Circle. In late May, eiders arrive from the sea and nest close to human settlements to seek shelter and protection.
Eiders use their down to create a nest for their eggs. During the egg incubation, the farmers guard the flock of eiders from their predators, and only when eiders waddle back to the sea, the farmers collect their down.

Eider down processing facilities managed by Erla’s family in Stykkisholmur. The last step consists of manually removing grass, feathers or seaweed and other impurities. It takes 4 to 5 hours to clean 1 kg of eider down.
Eider down is traded at around 2,000€/kg, primarily to the Asian and European markets and used for duvets, pillows, and coats. About 70% of the world down production comes from Iceland

Aerial view of Leirhnjukur geothermal area, in North Iceland. Leirhnjukur lava field is still steaming 30 years after the last volcanic event. Geologically, Iceland is relatively young. The country is a volcanic island, located on a hotspot on the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian plates meet. Geothermal heat is considerable in most parts of the country, and in many places hot water from just below the surface is used to heat homes and for energy production. The total installed capacity of geothermal energy in Iceland is 575 MW.

Larch and birch seedling at Torfastadir farm, near Hvammstangi. The farm is owned by Hrefna, a volunteer of the Icelandic forest service.
Afforestation has been named as part of Iceland´s climate strategy, as forests allow to capture a significant part of carbon emission.

Hrefna, a volunteer of the Icelandic forest service (IFS). A century ago, most Icelanders had never even seen a tree. Sixty years ago, few Icelanders started planting trees even if many thought that trees could not grow in Iceland due to the harsh climate. Today, reforestation and afforestation are being carried out by thousands of people all over Iceland. Volunteers assist the forest associations by planting seedlings and by fertilising young trees. The country has a goal to create a 5% forest cover in the next 50 years.

The country lost most of its trees more than a thousand years ago, when Vikings settlers harvested the forests to build their homes and boats and as fuel.
As climate change has become a greater concern, Iceland’s leaders have viewed reforestation as a way to help the country meet its climate goals. Reforesting the Icelandic countryside has benefits for farmers and counteract erosion and sandstorms. Thanks to the reforestation initiatives three million or more trees were planted in recent years.