How can a country that produces 100% of its electricity from renewables still be dependent on fossil fuels? Iceland’s reputation as a climate utopia isn’t exactly what it seems.
Iceland’s renewable electricity miracle masks an uncomfortable truth: fossil fuels still power their cars, planes and vital fishing industry.
Sure, they’ve nailed the electricity part – geothermal and hydropower provide all of it, with hydro making up about 20% of the mix. Homes and businesses stay toasty thanks to geothermal heating. Pretty impressive stuff.
But here’s the awkward truth. While 79.5% of Iceland’s energy consumption came from renewables in 2023, the remaining slice? Fossil fuels. Yep, they still burn the ancient dinosaur juice. According to official data, Iceland’s renewable energy consumption stood at 82.4% in 2021.
Cars, trucks, planes, and those fishing vessels that help power the economy? Still guzzling oil.
Their volcanic playground and rushing rivers made the switch to renewable electricity a no-brainer. Lucky geography, really. Since 2000, they’ve ramped up renewable usage dramatically, hitting that sweet 99.99% for electricity production. Must be nice.
Meanwhile, heavy industries and transportation remain stubbornly attached to fossil fuels. Can’t exactly plug a cargo ship into a volcano, can you? Not yet, anyway.
The government talks a good game. Carbon-neutral by 2040! Electric vehicle subsidies! Hydrogen research! Free charging stations in Reykjavik!
But talk is cheap when your fishing fleet still runs on diesel. Iceland is exploring hydrogen-powered vessels as a solution for its fishing industry to reduce fossil fuel dependence.
Iceland’s industrial success story – especially aluminum smelting – relies on dirt-cheap renewable electricity. Proper resource management requires balancing the country’s abundant geothermal and hydropower usage with their natural regeneration rates. Global companies love setting up shop there. Green power, competitive prices. Win-win.
The international community fawns over Iceland’s green credentials. “Climate paradise,” they call it. Convenient storytelling that ignores those pesky transport emissions.
Their per capita energy use is massive – heating those cozy homes and powering industrial exports takes juice.
References
- https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/power-and-energy/iceland-and-renewable-energy
- https://tradingeconomics.com/iceland/renewable-energy-consumption-wb-data.html
- https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/isl/iceland/renewable-energy-statistics
- https://www.nordicstatistics.org/news/the-5-large-nordic-countries-all-met-the-eus-2030-renewable-energy-target-in-2023/
- https://ourworldindata.org/energy/country/iceland
