New Sources of Energy Befitting the Oldest Parliament

Day 2: Nesjavellir, Irafoss, and Thingvellir

by Amish Shah & Duane Castaldi

We began the day by visiting Irafoss, one of three hydropower plants on the river Sog (remember all the bugs in the air and the dog that smiled at us?). Irafoss Station, built in 1953, uses the power of both the Irafoss and Kistufoss waterfalls. At first, Irafoss used two turbines to generate a maximum of 31 MW of electricity, but was expanded with a third turbine to produce up to 48 MW. Irafoss has a head height of 38 meters, and the three Sog plants have a combined height of 75 meters.

Interestingly enough, winters are so cold in Iceland that sometimes the Sog River freezes over, which can create problems for the plant. However, in contrast to our harsh winter in State College the past winter in Iceland was relatively mild and the river did not freeze. The rate of water entering the plant is another weather factor that affects the plant. At the time of our visit the Sog River was at its normal flow rate. However, at some times much more water will fall over the dam, so much in fact that underneath the plant exactly where we were standing can be waist high in water.

Based on our calculations, Irafoss has an energy efficiency of 85 – 90%, making it a great source of power for energy intensive industries such as aluminum production, which will use up to 70% of Iceland’s electricity in the near future. Hydropower plants like Irafoss produce more than 80% of Iceland’s electricity, making renewable energy virtually the only source of electricity (99%).
Following our tour of the power station, we toured much of the Icelandic countryside. We visited the old parliament and even took the time to step into an old church. However, the main attraction at this site was the beautiful rock formations ranging from a massive outcrop to a small waterfall. Throughout the afternoon we all enjoyed the unique features despite the cold wind but would recommend a coat next time to stay warm.

Amish Shah is a Junior in Materials Science & Engineering and Duane Castaldi is a Senior in Earth Sciences..

CAUSE 2003 Home               Previous Dispatch         Dispatch Home        Next Dispatch

Last updated: Wednesday December 03, 2003