Bigger is not always better – how small-scale projects benefit the energy transition

What can be learned from Iceland, the world leader in renewable energy? A whole lot, especially about how to unlock the potential of geothermal energy.

Geothermal energy is a key technology to utilize locally available energy resources and decarbonize energy production. Geothermal projects, however large or small, can contribute greatly to the overall goal of increasing renewables and energy security at the same time.

Marta Rós Karlsdóttir, PhD, Managing Director of Baseload Power Iceland, is a speaker at the upcoming Iceland Geothermal Conference on this theme. The title of her speech is “Unlocking Underutilized Geothermal Potential with Small-Scale Combined Heat and Power Plants through Low-Medium Enthalpy Geothermal Resources: A Success Story from Baseload Power Iceland”.

Marta Rós Karlsdóttir will showcase Baseload Power Iceland’s pioneering approach to exploring low and medium-temperature resources, revisiting old datasets and underutilized wells with the aim of optimizing energy efficiency and supporting local energy grids by producing both electricity and heat in small- and medium-scale projects.

The Iceland Geothermal Conference, one of the most well attended events in the geothermal world, will take place on May 28-30 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The themes of the event include geothermal energy as a catalyst for change, cutting-edge innovation and geothermal business models.

Marta Rós holds a PhD and a MSc degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iceland. Before joining Baseload, she held management positions at Iceland’s National Energy Authority and the Icelandic Power company ON Power, as well as a leadership position in sustainability consulting at Verkís Consulting Engineers.