A project to establish research facilities for geothermal studies, to be hosted in the Innovation Hub of ON Power’s Geothermal Park, has recently been awarded a 65 million ISK grant from the University Collaboration Fund. Project partners include the University of Iceland, Reykjavík University, and ON Power.
The goal of the project is to create a facility that supports innovation and development in the field of geothermal energy within the Geothermal Park — a place where new solutions in geothermal utilization can be tested using actual geothermal fluids and at a larger scale than is currently possible in existing laboratories.
Project leads from the universities are María Sigríður Guðjónsdóttir, Associate Professor at Reykjavík University, and Sigrún Nanna Karlsdóttir, Professor at the University of Iceland. Along with their colleagues, as well as partners from foreign universities and the private sector, they have worked on numerous geothermal research projects aimed at gathering data on the nature and utilization of geothermal energy.
ON Power will host the research facility and provide access to the resource streams of the Hellisheiði Power Plant — such as geothermal water, cold water, and electricity — for research testing and the development of equipment and solutions related to geothermal utilization.
“We welcome this important milestone for geothermal research in Iceland and the first project to receive a grant within the Innovation Hub of the Geothermal Park. We at ON Power look forward to building this unique facility together and are proud to host it at the Hellisheiði Power Plant, the largest geothermal power plant in Europe,” says Helga Kristín Jóhannsdóttir, Head of ON Power’s Geothermal Park.
A Strong Platform for Innovation and Sustainability
The Innovation Hub will be located within ON Power’s Geothermal Park, a green industrial park at the Hellisheiði Power Plant. In the Innovation Hub, companies, universities, and entrepreneurs will have a unique opportunity to develop and test new solutions that utilize energy and natural resources in a sustainable and efficient way. The hub will become a strong platform for research and development of technologies related to energy and sustainability. ON Power will provide connections to electricity and other resources for research and pilot projects, as well as shared office facilities for collaborative work.
Opportunities for a Wide Range of Projects
“The Innovation Hub is designed as a testing environment for a wide variety of projects — both energy-related and others that promote sustainability and the use of green solutions,” says Helga Kristín.
“Our goal is to create an environment where innovative ideas can grow with the support of strong infrastructure and expertise — whether in research, technology development, or real-world testing of solutions that can then scale up within the Geothermal Park.
We encourage everyone working on sustainable solutions and energy utilization to get in touch and explore how the Innovation Hub can become part of their journey.”
From Early Steps to Growth
The Geothermal Park, where the Innovation Hub is being established, has already proven to be fertile ground for innovation. Companies such as Climeworks and VAXA Technologies began their operations there at the research stage. Both have since built large-scale facilities within the park that host sustainable technological solutions attracting international attention. With the Innovation Hub, new opportunities are created for companies and researchers to take their first steps — with the potential to expand into full-scale operations within the Geothermal Park.
Land, Energy, and Resources in the Geothermal Park
The Geothermal Park, located only 20 minutes from Reykjavík, offers:
- Access to renewable energy from the Hellisheiði Power Plant — both electricity and thermal energy.
- Access to resources such as cold water and gas streams.
- Shared infrastructure and collaboration opportunities in a circular economy environment.
- Plots of various sizes suitable for operations, with room for future expansion.
- Proximity to extensive geothermal expertise and infrastructure.
For more information and collaboration opportunities, please contact ON Power at si.no@kraplamrehtoeg.
