see:
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/12/16/134429/54
Well now...
I didn't know much about the geothermal properties of Iceland before...
Some googling has enlightened me greatly, and here's the basics of what I found.
Large scale geothermal exploitation in Iceland is relatively new. The processes of extracting useable heat energy involves some chemistry to prevent scaling and corrosion of pipework and heat exchangers... a lot of heat is lost in these processes.
Wells have been sunk to extract geothermal heat. There are 52 wells around Reykjavik serving the 150,000 inhabitants of the area and the distribution system carries an annual flow of 55 million cubic meters of water.
Geothermal water is used through heat exchangers to heat fresh water, making steam which in turn runs turbines to provide electricity.
The 3 low temperature geothermal fields around Reykjavik have already been fully exploited and production capacity is declining by 4% annually. So far no new useable geothermal fields have been found, and new oil fired boilers have been installed to meet the increasing demand.
A new geothermal power plant has been established near Nesjavellir, some 27 km (~17 miles) from Rykjavik. Low temperature water is piped to Reykjavik. This newer resource is expected to last around 30 years.
The above information was found @ http://www.energy.rochester.edu/is/reyk/
More information can be found @ The Icleandic Energy Authority's website http://www.os.is/ (mostly Icelandic)
Icelandic energy authorities have plans to deep drill, up to 5km, to exploit 400-500 deg C geothermal regions.
Exerpt from BBC Newsnight Archives 12/21/2002
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/archive/2208013.stm
'...Only 5% of geothermal power has been tapped so far....'
And another news report estimating 16% of geothermal enrgy tapped so far..
Will Fuel Cells Make Iceland the 'Kuwait of the North?' - 2/15/2002 - http://www.worldpress.org/Europe/436.cfm
Meaning that there's loads more geothermal energy to be had yet... but how much and how long will it last.
Exerpt from BBC News - 'Is hydrogen the fuel of the future?' 3/27/2003
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2880975.stm
...'The only emission is water vapour - although the air pollution is only moved up the supply chain, and occurs when hydrogen is produced using oil or gas.'
I assume that this would not apply to Iceland as the energy source would be geothermal. Iceland already has one of the highest greenhouse gas emmisions per capita.
Taken from http://www.shell.is/category.aspx?catID=275
What will be happening in Iceland?
2003 - The first hydrogen buses begin experimental operation and evaluation.
2005 - Testing completed and the project reviewed.
2006 - New passenger vehicles demonstraded and tested.
2006 - Several seagoing test vessels launched.
2010 - Hydrogen vehicles made commercially available.
Exerpts from http://www.h2net.org.uk/PDFs/RN_1/Iceland_presentation.pdf
Icelandic New Energy Ltd.
Is a joint-venture company owned by:
VistOrka hf (EcoEnergy)
DaimlerChrysler AG --- Currently oil dependant to sell their products
Norsk Hydro ASA
Shell Hydrogen B.V. --- Currently a major world oil producer
'...In this way transformation of
Iceland into a hydrogen
economy/society could
possibly be completed in the
years 2030-2040...'
Just about when all the oil in the world is going to be so expensive that it will make sense for the world to copy Iceland's example???
Most of the news articles I found were 1,2 or more years old...
So what is happening today with Iceland's Hydrogen Economy....
A picture of 1 out of Iceland's 3 H2 busses is about 3/4 way down this page.
http://www.unc.edu/~lagace/Summer2004/iceland.htm
Oil Distributors Fined $40 million for Anti-Trust Violations
http://www.buyusa.gov/iceland/en/101.html
Shell, ESSO, OLIS, and Orkan, were found guilty of price fixing and bid rigging... ho hum...
I didn't find any real information about how things are progressing
Estimates for Iceland becoming a Hydrogen Economy range from 2030 to 2050.
As far as I can figure out most of the geothermal energy taken from the ground is lost.
Aluminium production in Icleand has pushed the CO2 emissions way above European limits.
There is a Hydrogen filling station in Iceland and 3 hydrogen powered fuel cell busses.
Washington DC also boasts a Hydrogen filling station and 6 h2 cars... the cars cost over $1,000,000 each!
Conclusion (none really)
Hydrogen economy may become a reality for some societies, but at what cost to the environment and our planet?
-------
more reading...
BBC News 4/24/2003 - Iceland's landmark gas station - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2973885.stm
BBC news 12/24/2001 - Iceland launches energy revolution - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1727312.stm
ReykjavikResources.com - The world´s first hydrogen fuel station - 1/20/2003:
http://www.reykjavikresources.com/news2.asp?cat_id=34&module_id=220&element_id=545&nl=tr
ue
The Road from a Fossil to a Sustainable Energy Economy: The Strategy in Iceland - http://www.optimistmag.org/gb/0014/one.php?id=6
BBC Country Profile: Iceland - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1025227.stm
Iceland Review; review of Icelandic News and Life (in English) - http://icelandreview.com/
The UK Hydrogen Energy Network http://www.h2net.org.uk/
Stuff I didn't stop4...
electrolysis efficiency
fuel cell efficiency
hydrogen storage costs
comparison of hydrogen vs battery technology as energy storage mediums.
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Make up you own mind... I still believe hydrogen = hype!