Electricity

Most of the imported fossil fuels in Iceland are used in the transport sector. The Icelandic car fleet is one of the largest in the world per capita and the average registered fuel consumption value of the fleet is the highest in Europe. Therefore the transport sector as the most important field of action.

Fossil Free

Iceland is ideal for utilising electricity as fuel, since all electricity is produced from renewable resources, and is therefore CO₂ free. Electricity can be used directly in battery vehicles, or as designer fuels, including hydrogen. Cleaner vehicle technologies help everyone breathe easier, cut down greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Electric drive is a compelling solution to these national concerns.

Improving Efficiency

The efficiency of electricity as a fuel is strongly dependent on the medium used. Battery vehicles have the highest efficiency, but the energy density of batteries is rather small, and it is therefore difficult to imagine battery powered ships or airplanes. Fuel cells using hydrogen are somewhat efficient, but expensive. Designer fuels are the least efficient, but often easiest to use since they can utilise existing infrastructure.

Electric Drive in Iceland

Changing the fleet to electric drive won't happen overnight. It will require substantial investments in technology, manufacturing, modernising infrastructure and market development. This is why we need to get on the right road, right away and why Iceland already has several experimental projects in various stages concerning the utilisation of electricity as fuel. To name a few examples:

• A project concerning the conversion of a hybrid car into a plug-in hybrid. Other projects include
• Fleet vehicle testing of electic vehicles with lithium batteries,
• Feasibility studies of designer fuels production and possibly pilot plants.
• A very successful and a long running hydrogen project has seen the operation of hydrogen busses, passenger cars and even the installation of a hydrogen fuel cell as an auxilliary engine on board a whale watching ship.