Over the past years, the Icelandic government has participated in many international projects to develop geothermal resources.

One of these projects, managed by the Icelandic International Development Agency, concerned a five-year capacity building project in Nicaragua. The project aimed at improving the use of geothermal resources for power production in the country, with a special focus on the public sector but also on the private sector.

The Nicaraguan Government had planned to complete some geothermal projects but lacked the expertise to do so. Thus, experts from Iceland worked side by side with local experts to provide technical assistance. Another aspect of the cooperation involved the installation of a geochemical laboratory and other infrastructure and equipment, as well as consultation on equipment needs. A third component was education and training, which was probably the most important element. The project was of great help for the Nicaraguan Government to manage the country’s geothermal resources sustainably and increase its clean energy production.

Another remarkable example from the Icelandic government is the assistance to the development of geothermal resources in 13 East-African Countries. The project aimed to assist the countries in the East African Rift Valley to develop research and human resources in the geothermal sector. The growth of the huge geothermal potential that exists in the area will greatly contribute to securing energy access for the citizens of these countries. The project supported studies of actual geothermal resources along the rift valley, thus increasing the potential of these East-African countries to produce renewable energy.

Source: National Energy Authority of Iceland

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