Iceland Drills Volcano for Clean Energy

Named after a Nordic god, 'Thor' is the name of a rig that symbolizes Iceland's efforts to produce powerful clean energy. If successful, the experimental project could produce up to 10 times more energy than an existing conventional gas or oil well, by generating electricity from the heat stored inside the earth: In this case, volcanic areas, AFP reported. Launched in August last year, the drilling was completed on Jan. 25, reaching a record-breaking depth of 4,659 meters. At this depth, engineers hope to access hot liquids under extreme pressure and at temperatures of 427 degrees Celsius, creating steam that turns a turbine to generate clean electricity. Iceland's decision to harness the heat inside the earth in a process known as geothermal energy dates back to the 1970s. But the new geothermal well is expected to generate far more energy. "We expect to get five to 10 times more power from the well than a conventional well today," said Albert Albertsson, an engineer at the Icelandic energy company HS Orka, involved in the drilling project.