The document discusses greening Icelandic industries through more environmentally friendly practices. It analyzes how Icelandic industry and municipalities can be made more sustainable, such as improving energy efficiency and reducing waste. Specific greening actions proposed include using renewable energy to power hydrogen production and developing carbon capture and storage technologies. The goal is for Iceland to become a fully renewable energy economy in the near future.

1. The Greening
of Icelandic Industries
Prof. Thorsteinn I. Sigfusson, Director General
Lighthouse Day in Reykjavik, 24 May 2012
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2. The Lighthouse in Eyjafjördur
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3. Greening: Definition
• Greening is the process of transforming
artifacts such as a space, a lifestyle, process
or a brand image into a more environmentally
friendly version (i.e. 'greening your home' or
'greening your company').
• The act of greening involves incorporating
"green" products and processes into one's
environment, such as the home, work place,
and general lifestyle.
• Wikipedia
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4. Mr. Brown and Dr. Green
(Alias Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde)!
• Much of Icelandic industry can be characterised as brown
• Waste treatment in municipalities is weakly founded
• We have perhaps the cleanest aluminium industry in the world –
but its carbon footprints are very visible
• We are producing lots and lots of excess heat in our geothermal
systems – efficiency of use must be improved
• We have a relatively efficient fishing-quota system but the way
we catch fish and spend fossil energy doing that – can be
improved considerably
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5. The sought-after green qualities
• reduced toxicity
• re-usability
• energy efficiency
• responsible packaging and labelling
• recycled content
• intelligent design
• responsible manufacturing techniques
• reduction of personal environmental hazards
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6. The Waste Hierarchy
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7. 82 % of Energy Use from
Renewable CO2 Free Sources
200
100%
175 Coal
80% Coal
150 Oil
60%
125
Peat Geo
40%
PJ
100
20%
75 Oil
Hydro
0%
50 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Geo
25
Hydro
0
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Year

8. Possible decarbonization
actions
• Hydrogen from renewable energy replacing
imported fossil fuels: pure hydrogen and/or
Artificial Liquid fuels made from hydrogen and
CO(2)
• Capture of CO2 through vegetation and soil
• Capture and storage of CO2 by geological
methods

9. CO2 can be fixed
in solid basalt
Reykjavik Energy Corporation and University of Iceland 9

10. A new green methanol plant
was opened in Iceland last month
• One of the ideas we are
working on concerns
making methanol from
CO2 emitted from
geothermal gas.
• We use hydrogen from
water electrolysis to
create green methanol
to be blended into
gasoline.....
Carbon Recycling International
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11. Inert
Carbon electrodes
electrodes
Optical
Trawls Fishing
nets
Fossil fuels Designer
fuels with
green
hydrogen
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12. Eco-Ethical
• The Innovation Center is urging industry to
carry out a twofold agenda concerning the
greening:
• On one hand ECOLOGICAL approach
involving selecting the greenest technologies
• On the other hand to be open and
transparent in their dealing with the public –
reporting on mishaps and informing about
troubles: ETHICAL
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13. 2012 marks the five year anniversary
of Innovation Center Iceland – the
year will be marked as:
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14. We have an exciting common
goal and a beautiful innovation
target:
• To make Iceland 100% renewable energy
economy before not so long!
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15. this@nmi.is
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