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Geothermal key reason for happiness and better living standards in Iceland

Geothermal key reason for happiness and better living standards in Iceland Krossnes swimming pool, Iceland (source: flickr/ Ulrich Latzenhofer, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 12 May 2016

Geothermal energy plays an important role in generating higher living standards for Icelanders, mostly due to heating, while geothermally heated pools are a key reason fir Icelandic happiness and well-being.

In a recent article in Iceland Magazine by Visir in Iceland, it is looked at the impact geothermal energy has to the population in Iceland.

Geothermal energy undoubtedly plays an important role in Iceland, and while the author talks about geothermal power (meaning geothermal energy in general), it is the mix of electricity and heating from geothermal that makes it so impactful.

So while only around 29% of electricity in Iceland is generated by geothermal power plants, the more impactful role geothermal energy plays for heating.

It helps Icelanders to have one of the lowest energy bills, with the cost of heating at around one third of what it would be if people were to heat with oil. “The price of heat in Reykjavík is by far the lowest in the Nordic countries, one fourth of the price paid by Danes, and a little less than half of what Finns pay for heating their homes. The average annual savings for a Reykjavík family have been estimated to be at least 80,000 ISK (640 USD/570 EUR).”

With warmer homes, the author also argues comes improved health and better living standards.

There is also an impact in air quality and less CO emissions. While people used to heat with coal, geothermal has cleaned up those emissions.

In a recent article in the New York Times, it is written about the “120+ geothermally heated public pools are a key reason for Icelandic happiness and well-being.”

The pools are of course a place where people can swim, but they also offer a shared public space where people gather to meet others and discuss current affairs or spend time in introspective relaxation, so the author of the NYT article. If you really want to get a sense of how great the pools are, check out the article which features a series of fantastic photographs of  geothermally heated pools around Iceland.

To read more see link below.

Source: Iceland Magazine