Iceland grants first wind power project license to Landsvirkjun at Búrfell

Iceland’s National Energy Authority has granted Landsvirkjun a license for a wind power project at Búrfell, marking the first such permit for a wind energy facility in the country. The project will involve the construction of up to 30 wind turbines, with heights reaching 150 meters at their highest points.

Located in the Búrfell area in Rangárþing ytra, the wind farm will have a total installed capacity of up to 120 MW. Initially, Landsvirkjun had proposed a capacity of 200 MW, while the Kárahnjúkar hydropower plant generates 690 MW for comparison. The anticipated lifespan of the wind turbines is estimated to be around 25 to 30 years.

Halla Hrund Logadóttir, the head of energy affairs, emphasized the importance of long-term strategic planning for wind energy development in Iceland. She highlighted the necessity to consider how wind energy will be utilized and whether the facilities will be large and few or smaller and more numerous.

Such large-scale installations are unprecedented in Iceland, and discussions around the ownership of potential future wind power plants will also be required. Environmental organizations, such as Landvernd, have not opposed this specific initiative since Landsvirkjun is publicly owned. However, there has been resistance to other wind energy plans involving private and foreign investors.