Committed to sustainability

Iceland Geothermal Conference
Reykjavik– Harpa
28th – 30th May, 2024

Gepthermal pool in Iceland.

EFLA at Iceland Geothermal Conference

EFLA's specialists will attend the Iceland Geothermal Conference at the Harpa Conference Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland. Now in its fifth year, this internationally recognised event brings together industry and policy leaders worldwide.

Experts at the conference will explore how geothermal solutions transform urban landscapes and achieve zero carbon footprints. This year's highlights include discussions on profitability in a green economy, climate resilience, innovation for sustainability, sustainable society building, and diversity in geothermal.

Three speakers represent EFLA at the conference: Aron Óttarsson, Alexandra Kjeld, and Reynir Sævarsson. Additionally, two of our experts, Birta Kristín Helgadóttir and Hulda Kristín Helgadóttir, will serve as moderators. EFLA will also have a booth in the exhibition area at the conference.

A blue lagoon in the foreground, an L-shaped concrete and wooden building on the right and in the center of the picture at the back, lava and moss on the bank on the right

Geothermal lagoon

Aron Óttarsson

Zero Waste Geothermal - Circular Economy
Thursday, May 30th, 2024 | 8:30 - 10:00 | Silfurberg B

Swimming pools, spas and natural lagoons have been an integral part of many cultures for thousands of years with research showing that bathing in natural mineral water can improve both mental and physical health. The criteria for these facilities have increased significantly throughout the years with man-made pools, spas and lagoons requiring significant energy to maintain the water quality and provide a comfortable water temperature. In Iceland the main energy source is geothermal energy with pools, lagoons and spas being able to operate with low-grade heat.

Two lagoons in Iceland, The Blue Lagoon and Mývatn Nature Baths utilize waste geothermal brine from a nearby geothermal power plant directly as an energy source allowing for better thermal energy utilization as well as value generation of an otherwise wasted stream. The geothermal brine is rich in minerals which provide guests with a unique bathing experience and health benefits, however these minerals also provide unique challenges to the process design of these facilities. In this talk some of the key design criteria such as the energy requirements and water quality maintenance will be addessed along with some of the main design challenges associated with the high mineral concentrations and their solutions.

Lava erupting and flowing from a volcano crater

Actions and plans to increase energy security in the Suðurnes region due to volcanic activity


Reynir Sævarsson

Resilience - Natural Disasters
Thursday, May 30th, 2024 | 13:00 - 14:30 | Silfurberg A

This presentation discusses strategies to enhance energy security in the Suðurnes region in response to seismic activities. It outlines how communities maintained heating during the Njarðvík main conduit outage and the contingency plans for rapid repairs or alternative solutions if major production facilities fail.

Emergency measures include electric heating and transporting hot water via tanker trucks and ships, supplemented later by oil/electric boilers. Long-term strategies involve securing additional geothermal resources close to settlements, enhancing the electrical grid with the SN2 project, and potentially installing a transmission pipeline from the capital area.

The session will conclude with future visions for the region and opportunities related to a new transmission pipeline.

Hot steam coming from geothermal water

Geothermal utilisation in Iceland


Alexandra Kjeld

Food Security
Thursday, May 30th, 2024 | 10:30 - 12:00 | Silfurberg A

Low carbon renewable energy sources have provided the population of Iceland with electricity and district heating for almost a century. Aside from providing both electricity and hot water to communities and businesses, the geothermal energy source has been utilised in a much wider context and is now considered as one of the key factors in climate mitigation, circularity and the provision of food security, „Cradle to grave“ life cycle assessments of not only Icelandic geothermal stations but also of various products and systems in Iceland have revealed the advantages of geothermal utilisation vs other resources and have furthermore demonstrated the potential for further utilisation to support sustainability in all sectors.