Day 4 - Geothermal Exhibit, Akureyri

Our day began at 8:00. We had to pack up all of our things since we were leaving Reykjavik for Akureyri that day. We headed out at around 9 am for the geothermal exhibit.

We arrived at the geothermal exhibit around 10. There our tour guide introduced us to Icelandic geology and how geothermal energy works. We learned how the tectonic plates drifting away from one another leads to increased volcanic activity. He also taught us about hotspots and compared the Icelandic hotspot volcanoes to those in the U.S, like Yellowstone and Hawaii. Volcanic activity produces a rock called basalt, which is what 90% of Icelandic rock is. Basalt rock has many holes, because of the gas bubbles trapped when the rock forms. These holes are what allow the accumulation of groundwater. In fact, around volcanoes there is very little surface water because precipitation gets absorbed into the basalt extremely quickly. The large quantities of groundwater is what allows geothermal energy to run. However, geothermal energy is also reliant on high energy areas, where magma stored underground heats up groundwater. The groundwater above magma chambers is in liquid form due to the pressure of the area. Geothermal energy needs steam, so when they drill a hole into that groundwater, the pressure is lowered so it seeps up above the surface. Various pipes and systems at the plant separate the steam from the mineral rich water (which is reminiscent of Blue Lagoon). The system has two sets of pipes, one which holds fresh water, and the other which holds the mineral water. The two pipes run close to each other, which heats up the fresh water and provides heated water to most Icelandic households and has since the 70s. We then learned about CarbFix. Since geothermal energy production produces carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, it isn't renewable. Hydrogen sulfide can cause acid rain, while carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas. To combat that, CarbFix developed a method where they take gaseous carbon dioxide, dissolve it in water, and inject it into the basalt. This mineralized the liquid. However, this is only a short term solution to combat the climate crisis, as it blocks water stores which would eventually lower groundwater levels. Hopefully though, it can be introduced into the U.S and other countries with basalt to lower carbon emissions. After a bit of time exploring the exhibit, we put on vests and safety helmets and went to the CarbFix igloo-like domes where we could see the inner pipes and mechanics.

Afterward, we went into the gift shop before venturing on our 6 hour bus ride to Akureyri. We had two stops on the way there. One for lunchtime and another just for a break. On the bus people slept, snacked, talked, and played various games, like Uno and Super Smash Bros. Once we arrived on Akureyri, we settled in and were able to go out on our own to get dinner. Some ate sushi, others ate burgers, while other ate lasagna and hot dogs. After dinner, most headed to the community pool to relax before the university tour and whale watching tomorrow. By Chizo Nwokocha