The leading renewable energy capital in the world
Renewable Energy in Reykjavik
Reykjavik is Iceland's capital and its largest city. Reykjavik, Iceland, has pioneered the use of geothermal power for citywide district heating. Reykjavik meets nearly all of its electricity and heating needs from renewable resources (from hydroelectric and geothermal sources).
For electricity, Reykjavik sources about 73% from hydroelectricity and about 27% from geothermal. For heating, Reykjavik sources geothermal energy. A few large geothermal power plants provide most (95%) of the Reykjavik area buildings' heating and hot water needs.
Iceland's renewable energy production has nearly made the country energy independent.
Iceland is the leading nation worldwide in geothermal energy (when based on per capita capacity). For Reykjavik's buildings, about 95% of heating is provided by geothermal district heating.
Much of the reason that Iceland leads the world in renewable energy and geothermal district heating is due to renewable energy sourced from the unique topography of the country.
Iceland has abundant natural geothermal resources such as around 600 hot springs, geysers, and other geothermal hot water sources generated by geothermal heat from (mostly dormant) volcanoes.
Also see: Green City Solutions: Reykjavik, Iceland
The Reykjavik Municipal Plan 2010-2030
Reykjavik has a relatively small population for a European capital city (Iceland itself has ≈ 376,000 people as of 2022). Reykjavik has a population of ≈ 135,000, with ≈ 240,000 total living in the Capital Region of Reykjavik (population numbers as of 2022).
The Capital Region, also known as Greater Reykjavik, refers to the city of Reykjavik and the 6 municipalities around the capital. Greater Reykjavik has over 60% of Iceland's population, even though it's only just over 1% of its total geographic area.
The Reykjavik Municipal Plan 2010-2030 includes a Sustainable Planning Policy, a plan to maintain Reykjavik as an internationally leading green city, details for the Planning of City Districts, a Neighborhood Plan, and an Environmental Impact Assessment.
Geothermal energy and hydroelectricity already run Reykjavik's economy, however, the Icelandic government states in their Municipal Plan that both energy sources have even more productive capacity to tap into.
Reykjavik's Municipal Plan focuses on:
- further development of sustainable public transit systems
- renewable energy
- energy efficiency
- green building
- district heating
- reducing pollution
- preserving green spaces (around 9 out of 10 residents of Reykjavik already live a five-minute walk away from a public green space)
- densifying Reykjavík’s urban environment
Implementation of a climate action plan to reduce GHGs citywide is also in Reykjavik’s Municipal Plan.
Reykjavik has had a net zero by 2040 goal since 2016, and Reykjavik also aims to be completely fossil fuel-free by 2050. The City of Reykjavik is cutting the number of gas stations by 1/2, in an effort to move away from conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and towards electric vehicles.
The Icelandic capital of Reykjavik is aiming to become carbon neutral by 2040 by imposing strict limits on urban sprawl and improving the efficiency of public transport, according to [the Reykjavik City Municipal Plan] unveiled by the city’s mayor.
The plan includes several measures to achieve the target, with promises to mandate the green emphasis in all of the city’s operations. For example, one goal is to ensure all vehicles in the City of Reykjavik are powered by green energy by 2040, including both public and private transportation. [quote from - reuters.com/iceland-capital-carbon/reykjavik-unveils-plan-to-become-carbon-neutral-by-2040]
Reykjavik - a Global Leader in Renewable Energy
Reykjavik has become one of the first cities in the world to use renewable energy for nearly all of the city's heating and electricity.
Iceland is home to glaciers, glacial rivers, volcanoes (mostly dormant, and some active), hot springs, geysers, and other subterranean thermal activity. This region of the mid-Atlantic ridge has frequent active seismic activity to this day. This does present Reykjavik with unique opportunities to create renewable energy from the abundant natural geothermal and hydroelectric resources in Iceland.
Iceland was the first country in the world to propose reaching 100% renewable energy, in 1998. Today, Iceland runs on renewable electricity from domestically produced hydropower and geothermal energy, while about 85% of Iceland's total energy use is from domestically produced renewables. Iceland is also the world's largest producer of electricity per capita, and the world's largest clean energy producer per capita.
Reykjavik is a global center for renewable energy research; as universities, governments, as well as private and public companies, all contribute. Government-sponsored programs help fund new renewable energy projects in Reykjavik.
Additionally, private initiatives like The GREEN Program and Iceland School of Energy at Reykjavik University, provide research, development, and education on renewable energy technologies, and sustainable city practices.
Other cities featured in Green City Times that are also trying to reach 100% renewable energy (100RE) include - San Diego, California, Copenhagen, Denmark, Oslo, Norway, Vancouver, Canada, Freiburg, Germany, and Vaxjo, Sweden.
Click & read: Geothermal district heating in Iceland
and Green City Solutions: Reykjavik, Iceland
GCT Featured Articles
Oslo, Norway – Eco-Capital
Oslo: Net Zero Future | Oslo has fleets of clean mass public transit - trams, electric buses and ferries - powered...
Read PostClimate Solution – Sustainable Agriculture
Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture | Sustainable ag. turns farms into thriving biodiverse lands that produce...
Read PostSustainable City – CHICAGO
Chicago might not be widely known as a green city, however, the city has a Sustainable Action Agenda, a vast network...
Read PostVauban and the Plus-Energy Sun Ship
Vauban is an exemplary sustainable town and a zero-emission district. Most energy for buildings is from rooftop solar...
Read PostRegenerative Agriculture
Regenerative ag. creates carbon sinks; turning farms into healthy ecosystems that sequester carbon with vibrant plant...
Read PostAustin, Texas – A Sustainable City
Eco-friendly Capital | Austin is emerging as a leader in renewable energy, community solar, and LEED building efficiency...
Read Post12 Ways You Can Help the Environment
Lower your carbon footprint, save energy, and help the environment. Here are 12+ actions for sustainable individuals...
Read Post10 Ways to Reduce Food Waste
by Jane Marsh | Significant amounts of food waste originate from cities. Urbanites can use food waste reduction methods...
Read PostModern Sustainable Waste Management Technologies
5 Ways for SMART Cities to Implement Sustainable Waste Management | by Jane Marsh | Cities are implementing zero-waste...
Read Post5 Categories of Change in Climate
Climate change is adversely affecting all parts of the earth. There have been dramatic increases in greenhouse gas emissions...
Read Post10 Ways Smart Cities Improve Worker Safety
10 IoT Technologies for Sustainable Smart Cities | by Jane Marsh | As the conversation around greenhouse gas...
Read PostProfiles in Sustainable Cities – San Diego, California
Sustainable cities, like San Diego, have eco-city designs that prioritize consideration of social, economic, and environmental...
Read PostOffshore Wind Farms in the United States | Block Island Leads the Way
First of many US offshore wind farms | The United States' 1st operational offshore wind farm is the Block Island...
Read PostClean Energy Jobs are UP, and RE cost is down
Clean Energy JOBS | The future of employment in the energy sector is in clean energy, energy efficiency, and renewable...
Read PostKamuthi Solar Project, Bhadla Solar Park; and the largest solar PV farms in India, China, and other countries
Featuring over 2.5 million individual solar PV modules, and on 2,500 acres, in the town of Kamuthi in the Ramanathapuram...
Read PostUsing Technology to Provide Clean Water to Cities
How Technology Can Help Cities Avoid Another Flint Water Crisis | Article by Jane Marsh | The green movement is influencing...
Read PostHow Safe & Clean is Nuclear ☢️ Energy?
When looking at climate solutions for clean energy generation, it is prudent to look at all clean energy sources. Nuclear...
Read PostMicrogrids spread across Africa
Developing Microgrids | As African nations push for rural electrification, many look to microgrids as a sustainable...
Read PostFuture Generations of Batteries
Next generation li-ion batteries | Next-gen lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries can charge quickly, are rechargeable,...
Read PostClean Hydrogen Power
Hydrogen (H2) and the Clean Energy Transition | Hydrogen created with clean energy is one of the most promising...
Read PostNuclear – necessary energy
Both nuclear and renewable energy are needed in the global energy mix to help fight climate change. In order to cut...
Read PostCOP21 – good news for the planet
NDCs and Net Zero Pledges | At COP21, commonly referred to as the Paris Climate Accord, nations sent representatives...
Read PostPlan for the Expansion of Smart Meter Infrastructure
Modern SMART Meters | Many buildings in America today still rely on inefficient energy infrastructure, such as older...
Read PostRecycling – how we are doing as a global community; waste-to-energy
Effective waste management strategies for cities include citywide recycling programs, circular economy strategies, as...
Read PostPermanent ban on new coal mines and other sustainability priorities
Strategies for mitigating climate change | What are the best strategies for mitigating global warming? How is the...
Read Post10 Sustainable Technologies Improving Air Quality in Cities
GREEN Tech for Healthy Air | Article by Jane Marsh | Cities are the heart of every global region. They are headquarters...
Read Post
Please let us here at Green City Times know what you think in a comment; and we’ll try and answer any questions as well.
Please also visit our other blog at https://greencitytimes.blogspot.com
[Dan Braff is the founder of GCT –
Daniel Braff
about.me/gctimes]
Hi
What would you say are the best projects to implement in order to develop sustainability in terms of carbon and air quality, circular economy and conservation for a big sporting event??
This article gives a good summation of exemplary sustainability projects during a big sporting event: https://www.greencitytimes.com/2012-london-summer-olympics/. Using recycled, reclaimed, and low-carbon building materials is one way. Big sporting events also present the opportunity to expand sustainable transit options, as described in the London Olympics article.
Excellent post. I was checking continuously this blog and I am impressed!
Extremely useful info specifically the remaining phase 🙂 I handle
such information a lot. I used to be looking for this particular
info for a long time. Thanks and best of luck.
I have to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website.
I really hope to see the same high-grade content
from you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged
me to get my very own blog now 😉