Monday 31 August 2009
Iceland's geothermal know-how to warm others ☀
Fifty-mile-deep wells or boreholes have been drilled into these ancient lava fields east of the capital, Reykjavik, tapping enormous quantities of steam that are piped into the plant and forced through turbines to generate 213 megawatts of power, enough to power 175,000 typical U.S. homes. After passing through turbines, the steam is harnessed to provide heat to Reykjavik’s homes and businesses, fill its steam baths and heat its swimming pools, and even keep streets and sidewalks warm and ice-free through the sub-Arctic winter.
