Bjarni Pálsson, chairman of the geothermal roadmap working group, director of wind and geothermal energy at Landsvirkjun and president of the International Geothermal Association. (source: Government of Iceland)
The Government of Iceland has formed an expert working group to craft policy recommendations to maintain the competitiveness of Iceland as a geothermal country.
The Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate of Iceland has launched a policy development process with the aim of strengthening its competitiveness as a geothermal country. Thus, an expert group has been appointed by Minister Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson to lead this initiative.
Bjarni Pálsson, President of the International Geothermal Association and Managing Director of Wind and Geothermal at Landsvirkjun, will lead the policy development process and chair the expert group. He will be joined by Auður Agla Óladóttir, geologist at ÍSOR , Sigurður H. Markússon, leader of deep utilization at Orkuveitann, Elena Dís Víðisdóttir, project manager at Orkubúir Vestfjarði, Finnur Sveinsson, business manager for sustainability at HS Orka, and María Erla Marelsdóttir, ambassador at the Development Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The group is tasked with formulating proposals to the Minister aimed at, among other things, creating conditions for increased electricity and heat production using geothermal energy, promoting technological development and ensuring that geothermal energy is used systematically as a tool for value creation and equalizing living standards and housing conditions in Iceland.
They will also look at how to promote strong basic research and education in the field of geosciences and geothermal energy utilization, maintain and strengthen Iceland’s leading role in geothermal issues internationally, strengthen cooperation with other geothermal countries, and support the export of knowledge and technology in the field of geothermal energy. The group is tasked with submitting proposals to the Minister by 1 June 2026.
“Nowhere in the world does geothermal energy play such an important role as in Iceland. We have achieved incredible success in the field of geothermal energy utilization, but what has been sorely lacking is a strategy and direction, a clear plan for how we can further strengthen our competitiveness. If we are complacent and stop thinking big like previous generations did, we will lose our edge,” said the Minister.
For this reason, the Icelandic government is vigorously using the Climate and Energy Fund to support the exploration and utilization of geothermal energy. Earlier this year, the government announced a program offering ISK 1 billion (approx. USD 7.5 million) for efforts to explore and utilize geothermal energy in the years 2025-2028.
Source: Government of Iceland