Reykjavik geothermal district heating
Calefacción urbana geotérmica de Reikiavik
- Date
- 1930-1943 · confidence high
- Place
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Credited to
- Reykjavik City (Hitaveita Reykjavíkur)
- Field
- Matter & energy
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
In 1930 a pipe brought water from the Laugardalur hot springs to the Austurbæjarskóli school, and from 1943 a network of pipes from Reykir heated houses across the capital. It is the largest geothermal district heating system in the world.
Geothermal district heating is much older in Chaudes-Aigues (France, 14th century) and Boise (Idaho, 1892). What is specific to Reykjavik is the scale of a national capital.
What it led to
- geothermal heating of over 90% of Iceland's homes
- independence from oil after the 1973 crisis
- export of geothermal technology (China, USA, Kenya)