There is an increasing demand amongst foreign companies to base their operations in Iceland due to favourable energy prices, but the demand far exceeds what the country’s power plants can produce. RÚV reports that Landsvirkjun, the National Power Company of Iceland, says there’s a pressing need for increased electricity production.
‘New, potential customers are knocking on the door’
With Russia cutting off petrol pipelines to Europe, energy prices on the continent are skyrocketing. Meanwhile in Iceland, energy prices have remained almost unchanged. “It’s our renewable energy that makes this possible,” says Tinna Traustadóttir, Executive Vice President of Sales at Landsvirkjun. And as gas prices continue to rise, it’s not only consumers, but also companies, that are suffering. This has led to many enterprises—not least energy-guzzling aluminium smelters—going under as a result.
The state of Europe’s changing energy landscape is “reflected in high demand from existing customers,” explains Tinna, “and we also feel that there are new, potential customers knocking on the door.” At present, however, Iceland has no electricity to spare.
“As it stands now, you could say our electricity system is at full capacity, or as close to that as possible. And of course, it takes time to generate a new supply, but the situation is a pressing one,” says Tinna.
‘We will need to prioritize…but it’s clear we need to accelerate’
As a result, many foreign companies are clamouring to relocate their operations in Iceland, but the demand not only far exceeds the country’s current energy supply, it also exceeds Landsvirkjun’s plans for future electricity production.
“We will need to prioritize,” says Tinna, listing off Landsvirkjun’s competing energy interests. “Domestic energy exchange, domestic food production, technological progress, supporting our current customers. But it’s clear we need to accelerate.”
