Carbfix and Sulfix in Geothermal Production, and the Blue Lagoon in Iceland: Grindavík Urban Settlement, and Volcanic Activity

Abstract

This article analyses ways to maintain reservoir sustainability in the area surrounding the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, near the urban settlement of Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. The Svartsengi geothermal power plant operations have pioneered the simultaneous production of electricity and hot water from a geothermal reservoir. The Blue Lagoon is a warm geothermal pool using brine from the power plant. This paper reports on the processes and procedures at the Blue Lagoon and the Svartsengi power station, aimed at increasing sustainability of the geothermal resource by injecting the geothermal brine back to ground, to ensure the geothermal resource sustainability in the area. This paper also discusses and explains in details the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from geothermal plant operations in Iceland. When the steam from a geothermal reservoir emerges from the ground, it comes up with enough energy to drive turbine generators for electricity production. However, this involves releasing several greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, including hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2). This research spotlights a geothermal power plant in Hellisheiði, Iceland, and the use of the CarbFix procedure of capturing and storing carbon dioxide, reducing CO2 emissions from the harnessing of geothermal resources for electricity. CarbFix is a carbon capture and storage (CCS) or carbon mineralization procedure aimed at binding CO2 to rock. This procedure has been used at Hellisheiði power plant for the past decade in Iceland. Scientists have also developed the SulFix procedure, to capture sulphate H2S in ground. These procedures, SulFix and CarbFix, reduce outlet of greenhouse gases by storing them in basalt rock – also referred to as mineral carbonation or carbon capture and storage. This involves dissolving the greenhouse gases in water, and re-injecting them back into the ground through boreholes, in Hellisheiði. This current research also shows the geology in these areas and reports on calculations that have found re-injection of greenhouse gasses to ground to be economically feasible. The paper covers several scenarios that have already been tested to determine the financial feasibility of capture and storage. These have involved calculating the estimated internal rate of return (IRR), the return on investment (ROI) and the present value (NPV). Economic calculations have been made, showing the CarbFix project to be a feasible option contributing to decreased greenhouse gas emissions.

Techno-socio-economic analysis of geological carbon sequestration opportunities

“…27 Current estimated costs for the CarbFix method range between $20-$30 per tonne of CO 2 ; it is expected that CO 2 mineralisation in basalt will most likely be successful in regions with volcanic activity. 27 Although more experience through pilot studies is required to mitigate the risks associated with this carbon sequestration strategy, 28 recent developments suggest a possibility of using seawater for achieving CO 2 mineralisation. 29 In summary (see Table 1), the above analysis suggests that, at present, the most attractive geological storage method for CO 2 sequestration is using depleted hydrocarbon elds.…”

“…15 During part of the CarbFix project, 10-20 ktonnes per year of CO 2 has been injected, exhibiting the rapid carbon mineralization rates. 27 Current estimated costs for the CarbFix method range between $20-$30 per tonne of CO 2 ; it is expected that CO 2 mineralisation in basalt will most likely be successful in regions with volcanic activity. 27 Although more experience through pilot studies is required to mitigate the risks associated with this carbon sequestration strategy, 28 recent developments suggest a possibility of using seawater for achieving CO 2 mineralisation.…”

A Conceptual Exploration of How the Pursuit of Sustainable Energy Development Is Implicit in the Genuine Progress Indicator

“…Pursuit of the social benefits theme in SED entails the delivery of long-run benefits in terms of community development, including employment opportunities. Thus, this could translate in the GPI into increased government expenditure on local energy initiatives or economic projects that depend on the construction of new energy infrastructure, for example, projects such as CarbFix [68], Carbon Recycling International [35] and the Blue Lagoon [69]. In the Icelandic GPI, this benefit is not disaggregated and was in the range of ISK 357 to 635 million in the period 2000 to 2019 [34].…”

“…Additionally, this cost component relates to energy security, which also focuses on reducing the environmental impacts of the Icelandic energy system. The SulFix project at the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant in Iceland reduces the potentially damaging health impacts of around 70% of hydrogen sulfide emissions by dissolving the gas in water and injecting it into bedrock [68,75].…”

“…This is much less than would be the case if a fossil fuel plant was used for this purpose, however, the aim of the sustainable energy production theme is to further reduce the environmental impacts of production. Novel approaches to the carbon capture of greenhouse gas emissions from geothermal power plants are currently being piloted and advanced in Iceland, foremostly via the CarbFix project at the Hellisheiði Power Plant [68,77,78]. Reducing consumption of fossil fuels and greater reliance on domestic production of alternatives, such as synfuels and e-fuels, will boost the sustainability of energy consumption, aid energy security and assist in fulfilling nature conservation objectives.…”