Total project cost
ISK 15.8 M
GEORG SUPPORT
ISK 2.5 M
REPORTS
17
Phd students
1
The objective of the project focuses on a functional and economically viable solution to the problem of hydrogen sulphide exhaust from geothermal power plants. Biological utilization of the geothermal gas (GEOGAS), has until now been the only proposed explanation that could be economically feasible for the Icelandic situation. All other proposed or known methods would be too expensive for geothermal power plants in Iceland, due to the much lower electricity price than, for example in California and Europe.
A key element in the project has been to do all experiments and development work directly on site, using real geothermal gas produced under industrial conditions from fully operating power plants. This will naturally bring in numerous problems and unexpected incidents that would not happen if similar experiments were to be done under artificial laboratory conditions using controlled, synthetic gas.
Partners
Publications
Final report 2011
How to make protein from geothermal gas; Ævarsson, A. (2011); Department of Chemistry, University of Iceland.
Use of Geothermal bacteria: From Discovery to Applications; Kristjánsson, J.K. (2011); CAREX Forum: Biotechnological explorations of extremophiles to valuable products; Copenhagen.
New thermophiles from Icelandic hot springs for biotechnological applications; Kristjánsson, J.K. (2011); Symposium of the Danish Microbiological Society, Copenhagen.
The GEOGAS Project: Life based on geothermal gas; Ævarsson, A. (2010); The Nordic Archaeal Network Meeting; Stockholm, Sweden
Production and utilization of biomass with microbes; Ófeigsdóttir, G.I. (2012); Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Master’s thesis.
Bioprocess design: The GEOGAS Project – Bioremediation of geothermal gases and SCP production with HOX/SOX bacteria; Monit, M. (2009); RES- The Renewable Energy School, Iceland, Master’s thesis.
