By Andie Sophia Fontaine

• July 27, 2024

The National Energy Authority is now accepting applications for those who want to install solar panels. Although not a part of the national grid, solar panels can be beneficial to people under specific circumstances.

Priorities

Iceland is well known for its abundance of sustainable energy, with most homes around the country getting their electricity, hot water and heating from hydropower and geothermal energy. This is not the case for all homes, however, and the National Energy Authority intends to prioritise those people in particular.

Users that are not connected to the national energy grid, are paying rural electricity rates, and users who rely on electrical heating will be given priority in the application process. These conditions can apply to a great many Icelanders; those living in small island communities, such as Grímsey or Flatey, those on more far-flung farms, or those in communities that rely on burning diesel fuel, especially in the winter months, are a few examples.

Reduced cost

The National Energy Authority acknowledges that “[e]lectricity production directly into Iceland’s electricity grid using solar cells is, as it stands today, by no means feasible. If, on the other hand, users install cells to reduce their electricity use, the benefit can be said to be triple, as the user saves on the purchase of electricity, its transportation, and taxes.”

The submission of applications is now open, as of today, and will be closed on August 31st. Applying is done through the service portal of the National Energy Authority.