Iceland is one of the windiest places in the world on land. Wind power originates in the sun and its rays, as the sun's rays and the Earth’s atmosphere drive the wind- and the weather system. These systems develop enormous amounts of energy.
Cold air is denser than hot air. While hot air rises, cold air sinks.
Air circulates from warmer regions where atmospheric pressure is higher to colder areas where atmospheric pressure is lower—the more significant the difference between atmospheric pressure, the higher the wind speed. The wind can be utilised to spin the spades on a wind turbine, thus, transforming the wind's kinetic energy into electricity.
Wind energy is a relatively recent energy option in Iceland. It is imperative to analyse the environmental impact of wind energy generation, research the matter diligently, and search for mitigating measures.
Therefore, Landsvirkjun commissioned an analysis of the significant environmental effect of wind energy generation. The report was published in 2023. The report’s main objective was to answer questions raised by Landsvirkjun and increase the knowledge of the environmental effect of wind farms to lessen the negative environmental impact of the planned wind energy generation in Iceland.
Wind Power
Landsvirkjun operates two wind turbines for research purposes. The wind turbines are in a lava field called Hafið, north of Mt. Búrfell. Each turbine has an installed capacity of 0.9 MW.
The research has shown that weather conditions in Iceland are especially advantageous, and the utilisation factor on land is among the highest recorded.
