Iceland’s first wind farm commences operations

Iceland’s first wind farm, Vaðalda Wind Farm, was commissioned today at a formal ceremony. Landsvirkjun employees, contractors, members of the local community and other guests celebrated as Daði Már Kristófersson, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, declared outside Landsvirkjun’s new control centre that the wind farm was ready for operation. The blades began to turn and electricity started flowing into Landsnet’s transmission system.

Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson, Minister for the Environment, Energy and Climate, speaking at Vaðalda Wind Farm.

Ásbjörg Kristinsdóttir, Executive Vice President of Planning and Construction, welcomed guests. Addresses were also given by Brynja Baldursdóttir, Chairman of the Board of Landsvirkjun; Hörður Arnarson, CEO; Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson, Minister for Energy, the Environment and Climate; and Sigurgeir Björn Geirsson, Senior Project Manager for Vaðalda Wind Farm. The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs then took the stage and established radio contact with Landsvirkjun’s new control centre.

Fourteen wind turbines have now been erected at Vaðalda Wind Farm, with a further 14 to be installed next year. The entire wind farm is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2027.

Vaðalda Wind Farm is located in Landsvirkjun’s largest generation area, the Þjórsá and Tungnaá area. Landsvirkjun, the national power company of Iceland, operates seven hydropower stations in the area, with an eighth to be added when Hvammur Hydropower Station comes online. Construction of Hvammur is already under way.

Hörður Arnarson, CEO of Landsvirkjun, speaking at the commissioning ceremony.

Vaðalda Wind Farm is situated on a lava and sand plain east of the Þjórsá River, south of Sultartangi Dam. Wind power is particularly well suited to operating alongside hydropower. Iceland’s winds are strongest during the winter, when inflow into hydropower reservoirs is at its lowest. This allows us to conserve water in what could be described as our large batteries. In summer, when winds tend to be lighter, reservoir levels are better able to support electricity generation.

Vaðalda Wind Farm is the first wind farm to go through the Icelandic Government’s Master Plan for Nature Protection and Energy Utilisation. Its location is particularly favourable because much of the necessary infrastructure is already in place, including transmission lines, roads and other structures.

A large crowd attended the commissioning ceremony.

Even so, construction of the wind farm has involved extensive works. The foundation of each wind turbine required around 70 tonnes of steel and more than 400 cubic metres of concrete. The foundations for the 14 turbines erected so far therefore contain approximately 980 tonnes of steel and 5,600 cubic metres of concrete. A concrete batching plant was set up on site, as otherwise close to 700 conventional concrete-truck loads would have been required.

Each wind turbine weighs approximately 582 tonnes. With a blade at its highest point, a turbine stands around 150 metres tall. Cables running between the turbines and the substation have a combined length of 80 kilometres. Within the construction area itself, 20 kilometres of roads had to be built and 20 kilometres of trenches excavated.

Construction of the wind farm required an extensive transport operation when the turbine components were shipped to Iceland. The first load was transported in early May and the final one in late July. Transport took place on an average of six nights each week.

Roads along the approximately 130-kilometre route from the port of Þorlákshöfn to Vaðalda Wind Farm were reinforced, road bends were modified, streetlights and traffic signs were temporarily removed, and traffic had to be carefully managed to ensure that everyone could travel safely.

To connect Vaðalda Wind Farm to the transmission system, Landsnet has commissioned a new 220 kV substation at Ferjufit. The substation is housed indoors, providing equipment with better protection from weather and other environmental conditions. Its design also allows for possible future expansion.

The substation is connected to the Sigalda 3 transmission line, which is now known as Ferjufit 1 west of the substation. Part of the overhead line had to be relocated as part of the project. Eleven new transmission towers and three terminal structures were erected, while nine older towers on the Sigalda 3 line were removed.