Orka náttúrunnar

ON Power
Industry Energy
Founded 1 January 2014 (2014-01-01)
Headquarters Reykjavík, Iceland
Key people
 Bjarni Bjarnason, chairman
Hildigunnur Thorsteinsson, CEO
Products Electricity, hot-water for space heating
Owner Reykjavik Energy
Number of employees
 60
Website www.on.is

ON Power (Icelandic: Orka náttúrunnar), is an Icelandic power company, headquartered in Reykjavík, that produces and sells electricity to industry and households by harnessing renewable, mainly geothermal, resources. ON Power also provides water for space heating in Reykjavík and surrounding areas. Traditionally, ON Power´s main service area is Reykjavík and surrounding areas in the south-west part of Iceland, although households and businesses can buy electricity from any supplier in Iceland, regardless of location.

History

ON Power was founded on 1 January 2014 as a subsidiary of Reykjavik Energy - which is owned by the city of Reykjavík and the municipalities of Akranes and Borgarnes. To comply with Icelandic law no. 65/2003 that effectively call for the de-regulation of the Icelandic electricity market, Reykjavik Energy moved its production and sales of electricity - including power plants - into the ON Power subsidiary.

Power Plants

ON Power owns and operates the Nesjavellir and Hellisheiði Geothermal Plants. The plants provide electricity and hot water to industry and households in Iceland. 99% of housing in the Reykjavík area is space-heated with hot water provided by geothermal sources. Both plants are situated in the Hengill region; an active volcanic ridge in the south-west part of Iceland. ON also operates the Andakílsárvirkjun hydrostastion, situated in Borgarfjörður.

The Nesjavellir Geothermal Plant has been operating since 1990 and the Hellisheiði Plant since 2006, with a combined output of 423 MWe and 433 MWth. The Andakílsárvirkjun has been operating since 1947 and has a total output of 8 MWe. The Elliðaár hydrostation - commissioned in 1921 - was operated by ON (and Reykjavik Energy prior to that) until 2013 when Icelandic laws 104/2001 declared the station, including machinery and pipelines, a historic preservation. As a result, the Elliðaár station was decommissioned.

Fast-Charging Stations for Electric Cars

In March 2014, ON Power openend the first of thirteen fast-charging stations for electric cars. Electric cars that classified under the CHAdeMO quick charging method can use the stations, free of charge. Six of the stations are situated in the Reykjavík area, five more are situated at Reykjanesbær, Selfoss, Akranes, Borgarnes and Hellisheiði Power Station and finally two in Akureyri, in the north of the country.

Emissions from Hellisheiði

With the geothermal plants situated at Hengill - an active volcanic area - emissions of H2S hydrogen sulfide and CO2 carbon dioxide are released naturally from the area. Harnessing the geothermal resources has increased the concentration levels of those emissions with the expansion of the Hellisheiði Plant in recent years. ON Power has worked to reduce those emissions by injecting H2S and CO2 back into the bedrock. The process dissolves H2S in condensate water and injects it back into the high temperature geothermal reservoir. Once injected, water-rock reactions taking place in the high temperature geothermal reservoir will mineralize the H2S. This method continues to be tested at industrial scale at the Hellisheiði Power Plant since early 2014.

References

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