Iceland and clean energy

Iceland has the honor of being the world's first clean energy economy. Its president, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, is a staunch defender of sustainable development wherever he goes. During these last two years he has already given numerous conferences in which he develops the project that his country is carrying out with this type of energy.

It somehow tries to convince the world that the switch to alternative energy is not as expensive as it is thought. For centuries Iceland has been one of the poorest countries in Europe. A nation dedicated to agriculture and fishing and whose electricity came from 85% of imported coal. At present, almost 100% of its electricity is generated from renewable sources, especially geothermal energy, which has meant a considerable economic advance for the country.

The Icelandic president maintains that sustainable development is a profitable business. He assures that things would be different if the world realized that the energy change is a business that will pay great dividends. Icelanders now enjoy their electricity and heating services much cheaper.

Nothing to do with the situation that Iceland had five years ago, when its banking collapsed. With this new economic model, the country has taught other European countries a valuable lesson on how to survive such a critical situation. Thanks to investment in clean energy that began a few decades ago, today Iceland has an annual economic growth of 3% and an unemployment rate of less than 5%. The cost of energy has decreased significantly, increasing the economic level of families.

This change in the energy industry also attracted foreign investors. Some of the largest aluminum smelters and data storage centers are located in Iceland, thanks to the low price of their energy. Recently the possibility has even emerged of exporting electricity from Iceland to the UK via a cable under the ocean. Other Scandinavian countries are also working on the creation of a submarine cable network for the export of energy from Iceland.

But Iceland is not only an example in terms of sustainable development, it also offers one of the most advanced educational models in Europe and the world. And all this thanks to progress in this area.