ENERGY IN ICELAND - Orkustofnun

Foreword by the Ministerof Industry and CommerceDuring the last century, Iceland proceeded from being one ofthe poorest nations in the western world to enjoying one of thehighest living standards in the world. There are of course, manyreasons for this development, but our renewable energy resources– used in a sustainable manner – have played an importantrole. As a result electricity generation in Iceland is entirely fromdomestic energy resources, and nearly all buildings are heatedwith domestic energy, mainly geothermal heat.Today, approximately 71% of the country’s total primary energy is renewable energy,which is unique in the world. Nevertheless, the aim is to improve on this figure with thelong-term goal of Iceland becoming self-sufficient for all its energy needs, using its ownrenewable resources.Three years ago, the Ministries of Industry and Commerce and the National Energy Authority(Orkustofnun) first published the booklet Energy in Iceland. The booklet immediatelyproved to be a valuable reference on Iceland’s energy resources.In the foreword to the first publication, my predecessor expressed the intention of presentingsimilar reviews at two to three-year intervals. Due to the keen interest fromabroad in energy affairs in Iceland, as well as the warm welcome this information booklethas received, it was obvious that the second edition was due.This edition is similar to the previous one. It contains a historical summary of energy affairsin Iceland, as well as sections on the country’s energy resources, energy use, regulatorystructure, energy efficiency and prospects for the future.I hope you will find Energy in Iceland both informative and enjoyable to read.Jón SigurðssonMinister of Industry and Commerce