Landsvirkjun receives first wind power plant license in Iceland

Iceland’s Landsvirkjun has received the country’s first license for a wind power plant from the National Energy Authority. The project, located at Búrfell, will feature up to 30 wind turbines, each reaching heights of 150 meters. The plant is expected to have a maximum capacity of 120 MW, although earlier proposals indicated a potential capacity of 200 MW. For comparison, the Kárahnjúkavirkjun power plant has a capacity of 690 MW, while the lifespan of the wind turbines is estimated to be between 25 to 30 years.

The energy director of Landsvirkjun highlighted the importance of establishing a long-term strategy for wind energy in Iceland. This includes decisions about how the wind energy will be utilized and whether to build many smaller plants or a few larger ones. She noted that the public has not previously seen infrastructure of this scale in Iceland, prompting discussions about the ownership of potential wind farms.

Environmental organizations, such as Landvernd, have not opposed this particular project, as Landsvirkjun is state-owned. However, there has been resistance to other wind energy plans that involve private or foreign investors.