Hveragerdi – Exposing The World

Iceland: Hveragerði

Cold Bogs and Hot Springs

Pronounced “Kera-Yairthi”:This area is close to the southern coast and the Hengill volcano. Though the terrain is mostly peat bog and moss, Hengill provides the energy for hot springs in numerous places.. Geothermal energy is exploited here.

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Volcanic heat comes to the surface

This small spring is so hot that it mostly comes out of the ground as a noisy chugging vent of steam.

Many hot springs down this steep valley combine to form a hot river that is a favorite place for a dip.

Hiking the bog country

Away from the valley of hot springs close to the volcano, this is classic cold peat bog terrain, in which sphagnum and star moss sequester carbon that will eventually become coal.

**This trail takes us through a valley near the summit of Hengill and then down the east side of the mountain not far from our starting point**

**Boiling water bubbling up in a small pool right at the edge of a cold stream**

**We press on, in deteriorating weather**

**The water is getting deeper, so our guide carries some of our hiking party across**

**This brilliant green moss flourishes only in the wettest places. We learn not to step on it.**

Geothermal energy

The Hverargerði generating station exploits volcanic heat below the surface.

**A closed loop of water is pumped down boreholes like this one to collect underground heat**

**Boreholes have a limited lifetime; as each one fills up with mineral scale from the hot water, fresh new must be drilled.**

**These heat exchangers move heat from a highly mineralized primary water loop at 300C to a clean water loop., which is run through the generator turbines.**

**Waste hot water from the generators is pumped all the way to Reykjavik, thirty kilometers away, where its is used for district heat.**

**After a long day of hiking and exploration, it’s time for relaxation back at the hotel.**

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