From BenEATH the EARTH century , geothermal in vely for bathing , laundry , ger exclusive , those ered by geothermal ainable manner ’
Iceland is rich with landscapes such as this , where geothermal pools bubble up through the earth underground . Now , they have been able to convert the lava to energy .
Professor emeritus of geology at University of California , Riverside , told The Conversation that this could be a major breakthrough for Iceland , noting that “ drilling into magma is a very rare occurrence , and this is only the second known instance anywhere in the world .”
“ Essentially , IDDP-1 is the world ’ s first magma-enhanced geothermal system , the first to supply heat directly from molten magma ,” Elders continued . “ This could lead to a revolution in the energy efficiency of high-temperature geothermal projects in the future .”
Not all are thrilled , however . As Iceland begins to export geothermal energy and both Canadian- and U . K- based companies begin to move in , the locals are divided on whether to keep the power homegrown , or foster international growth . As more focus is being placed on the geothermal industry in Iceland , keeping foreign investors out may be a difficult task .
Already , it would seem , the day has come where geothermal isn ’ t the “ forgotten renewable ” after all — both in Iceland and beyond .
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