Geothermal energy could represent a new frontier in Iceland and have a future thanks to the exploitation of underground magma
Icelandic scientists want to dig a hole in one magma chamber about a mile underground with the intent to generate energy unlimited. The Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) aims to create the world’s first research center above a magma chamber to monitor, sample and test molten rock in situ for the first time. The hope is that the center will offer unprecedented insights into how volcanoes work. This would open up new avenues for unlimited geothermal energy. This energy of natural origin is visible to Hot springs Namafjall, in the Krafla fissure, Iceland. Research in this sense is fundamental. These pools of molten rock, located in the Earth’s crust, can create volcanoes if they find a way to reach the surface. But they are terribly difficult to locate with surface equipment and difficult to track before an eruption.
Geothermal energy in Iceland: how to exploit the magma?
In 2009, scientists identified a potential candidate about 4 km underground near Krafla in northern Iceland. After almost 2 km of drilling, the drill stopped. Only later, when he came back up carrying with him splinters of volcanic glass, they realized what had happened. They had accidentally placed their heads in a magma chamber. Due to too much heat, they had to pour cold water into the well, releasing billowing black clouds that destroyed their equipment. Now, 15 years later, the KMT wants to drill into the chamber again, this time with some smart people engineering tricks.
Krafla is a perfect site for this type of experiment. The magma is old and cloudy. Thus, it is unlikely to create an eruption or escape from the well during experiments. However, standard rigs cannot survive in these conditions. What is the solution? Freeze solid magma using water in front of the drill bit. This will create a “pocket” of frozen glassy rock, similar to obsidian. Once it has reached the ideal size, the drill bit will be removed. Eventually a small cavity will be created inside the chamber. So, some monitoring equipment will be stored before everything collapses. A new path could open up towards the exploitation ofgeothermal energy dell’Iceland.
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