Landsvirkjun looking to study the feasibility of submarine powerline from Iceland to Europe
Landsvirkjun, a public firm owned by the nation of Iceland, will be researching the feasibility of constructing the world’s longest submarine power line, stretching from the island nation of Iceland to Germany and the rest of mainland Europe. The project came after the announcement that Iceland’s renewable energy production has exceeded its own energy usage, and is looking to ease Europe’s thirst for green energy, while also making a small profit themselves.
The financial feasibility of this endeavor is only one of the concerns that Iceland is looking in to right now. They are also studying the environmental and cultural impacts of the cable that promises to be the world’s longest submerged power line. The journey across the waters was deemed infeasible in years past, due to the fact that it stretched over 1,200 miles. With the drastic need to end Europe’s dependence on highly expensive petroleum based energy, the equation for the situation has altered fundamentally.
Should the company find no major flaws with the submarine cable, research and production will hopefully begin soon. Iceland’s solar and tidal energy could help the small nation reach its goal of providing 1.5 terawatt hours of energy to Europe’s power hungry industrial areas. By becoming one of the leading nations in exporting sustainable energy to other countries, Iceland is setting a valuable precedent that should be looked to by every nation. If more countries can focus on producing green energy, the costs of the technology will fall, making it more available to everyone.
