Harnessing the Power of Green Trends and Climate-Friendly Policies, Part 4 of a Multi-part Series

Iceland is a world-class pioneer, with nearly 100% of its electricity and heating derived from hydroelectric and geothermal sources. Hydroelectric power is harnessed from the country’s abundant rivers and waterfalls, while geothermal energy is tapped from the heat beneath the Earth’s surface, a byproduct of Iceland’s volcanic activity. Furthermore, Iceland plans to decrease its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. This bold objective underscores Iceland’s dedication to lessening its environmental impact and contributing to global climate efforts.

In a further breakthrough, Climeworks is developing a new plant, Mammoth, which is expected to have about 10 times the capacity of Orca, potentially capturing up to 36,000 metric tons of carbon emissions annually once completed. Using this innovative method, known as CarbFix, 95% of injected CO2 can be turned into stone within two years.

Likewise, Iceland is employing its land use and forestry sectors to combat climate change through afforestation and revegetation. Last but not least, Iceland is leading the Greenhouse Revolution in agriculture. Icelandic vegetable farmers primarily cultivate lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers, herbs, strawberries, and mushrooms. They have adopted innovative farming techniques such as hydroponics, which involves cultivating plants in nutrient-rich water rather than soil, and vertical farming, where crops are stacked in layers to maximize production within in a limited space.

Germany is advancing quickly in the realm of renewable energy through several ongoing projects. One notable example is the construction of a 100-megawatt renewable hydrogen electrolyzer. The objective of this project is to produce hydrogen by using electrolysis, a process that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity that’s ideally obtained from renewable energy sources. This “green” hydrogen serves as an eco-friendly fuel alternative, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, Germany is undertaking a groundbreaking project to transform a 1.6 gigawatts coal plant in northern Germany into a green hydrogen hub. The effort involves repurposing the coal plant’s infrastructure to produce, store, and distribute green hydrogen. This innovative approach not only makes use of existing resources but also significantly advances the country’s transition to sustainable energy.