Hot Springs - Geothermal Heat

Iceland is richer in hot springs and high-temperature activity than any other country in the world. High-temperature activity is limited certain fields. They are characterized by steam vents, mud pools, and precipitation of sulfur.

One of many hot Springs in Iceland
Source: Iceland Tourist Board

The main high-temperature areas are the Torfajökull glacier east of Hekla and the Grímsvötn lakes in the Vatnajökull glacier. Next in order of size are Hengill (near Reykjavik), which is now being exploited to provide hot water for space heating in the capital, the Kerlingarfjöll mountains, Námafjall, the Kverkfjöll mountains and the Krísuvík area. The total power output of the Torfajökull glacier area, which is the largest, is estimated to be equivalent to 1,500 megawatts. Some of the high-temperature areas have workable sulfur deposits.

Hot Springs
Hot springs are found all over Iceland, but they are rare in the eastern basalt area. There are about 250 low-temperature geothermal areas with a total of about 800 hot springs. The average temperature of their water is 75° Celsius (167° F). The largest hot spring in Iceland, Deildartunguhver, has a flow of 150 liters (40 gallons) of boiling water per second. Some of the hot springs are spouting springs or geysers, the most famous being Geysir in Haukadalur in south Iceland, from which the international word geyser is derived. It ejects a water column to a height of about 180 feet, but has had limited activity in recent years, although after a long period of dormancy it began spouting again following earthquakes in the vicinity in summer of 2000. Another renowned geyser in the same field as Geysir is Strokkur, which spouts every few minutes. Springs charged with carbon dioxide are to be found in some districts, mainly in Snaefellsnes, but have not yet been utilized. Since the last Hekla eruption, springs rising from under the new lava have also been found to be charged with carbon dioxide.