Report on Landsvirkjun's climate book-keeping 2008

21.9.2009

This is the second year that Landsvirkjun has published climate book-keeping for its operations, and by doing so it aims at setting an example for those who wish to maintain book-keeping for their carbon emissions.

Landsvirkjun's policy is to make its operations carbon-neutral.

Special attention is drawn to the following points in the report:

• The total emissions caused by Landsvirkjun's operations are equivalent to about 76,000 tons of CO2. This includes both emissions due to fossil fuel burning, emissions from the reservoirs of hydroelectric power plants and effluence from steam power plants, but part of that effluence is natural effluence from a geothermal area. Landsvirkjun's total emissions are approximately 1.3% of Iceland's total emissions, as recorded in the country's emission book-keeping. This is noteworthy considering that Landsvirkjun produces more than 70% of the country's electricity.
• Emissions due to the burning of fossil fuels by Landsvirkjun are the equivalent of close to 1,400 tons of CO2. This includes all emissions by the company's vehicles and machines, as well as emission due to air travel by employees.
• Electricity generation in Landsvirkjun's hydroelectric power plants emits between 450 and 900 times less greenhouse gases per energy unit than coal power plants. For Landsvirkjun's geothermal power plants, this figure is 9 times lower than for a coal power plant (see pp. 9 and 17 of the report).
• With the advent of Hálslón, reservoir emissions have increased by 90%, but at the same time studies show that emission of greenhouse gases from company's reservoirs is only about 30% of the amount envisaged by international standards (see pp. 10 and 11 of the report).
• It is also noted that studies show that cultivation and re-vegetation undertaken by Landsvirkjun in recent years binds about 68% of the carbon which is emitted due to electricity generation in the company's hydroelectric power stations (see pp. 16 and 17).

Landsvirkjun has a certified environmental management system according to ISO 14001 and maintains green book-keeping.  The report is also published in English.

Attachment:
Landsvirkjun's Carbon Footprint 2008