For my article I selected a piece written about Iceland and its attempts to dramatically increase its usage of geothermal energy producing technologies as well as one day create a power line connecting the UK with Iceland in order to be able to export energy. The article discusses how Icelanders are plagued by earthquakes and volcanoes and that through geothermal energy production they can finally reap the rewards of their close capacity to a gap in the tectonic plates.

In my opinion this is the perfect type of action towards the global environmental situation as it works in the existing market, using clear incentives, that will hopefully help to promote clean and sustainable energy not only in Iceland but throughout Europe. The steps Iceland is taking to increasing its own production of clean, renewable energy, the less it will have to rely on oil and other fossil fuels as a way to create energy. Iceland is already one of the worlds greenest energy producers as it gets a significant amount of energy from hydro as well as geothermal energy plants. The proposed increases in the article would help to build on this already existing infrastructure as well as to hopefully start exporting some energy to the UK. This would increase the amount of green energy being used in Europe as well as provide greater profits to the Icelandic energy countries, which would allow them greater ability to invest in new technologies and create even greener and more efficient processes towards creating renewable energy.

As far as feasibility in other countries is concerned, due to the specific geographical conditions necessary for geothermal plants to be effective this particular type of energy might not be replicable in all nations however it does show that a country can have successful industry while still using renewable clean energy to power itself. Not all countries might be able to use geothermal energy sources but green energy sources exist for every nation its just a matter of determination and will in unlocking them and utilizing them to there full potential. The article personally gives me hope because the US is so swayed by consumer trends and the political actions of other countries. Hopefully if more nations get on board with Iceland’s efficient usage of renewable energy then the US too can make significant changes in its energy production, which is currently dominated by the burning of carbon emitting fossil fuels.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-28/iceland-channels-volcanoes-to-win-europe-s-clean-energy-supply-race.html