SPRING Allocation 2022

Ágúst Arnórsson - 5,000,000 ISK

The main contribution of the project is to demonstrate how the economic valuation of environmental factors can be used in public decision-making in Iceland, particularly regarding the development of electricity infrastructure. The intention is to compare the main methods of choice models, such as choice experiments and contingent valuation. In this context, it is necessary to consider, among other things, the potential scope of individual valuation projects (i.e., the number of options in the choice set), the necessary sample size for the study, and which payment vehicle is used to elicit willingness to pay. The economic valuation of environmental factors will also be placed in the context of the potential benefits of planned projects in the manner of a cost-benefit analysis. This provides a comprehensive economic measure of the welfare effects of power plant construction and related projects. Through this, I will attempt to answer how the choice of valuation method and the scope of valuation projects affect the results of the economic valuation of environmental factors, and what requirements must be set for the statistical power of the valuation to obtain results that can be generalized to Icelandic society. The project is particularly urgent in light of the government's action plan for the energy transition and plans for increased electricity production to implement it. It also aligns well with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Brynhildur Sörensen - 1,250,000 ISK

The purpose of this project is to analyse and discuss the legal rules and considerations that come into play when deciding on the location of wind farms in municipal planning areas. There is growing interest in harnessing wind power in Iceland, as the country is well-suited for wind energy utilisation. However, progress in this area has stalled, partly due to issues that arise during the decision-making process. Although wind farms may cause relatively little ground disturbance compared to other power plants, other important factors must be considered when siting them. The development of wind farms is a project that requires an environmental assessment, which must take into account various considerations, such as nature, wildlife, landscape, agricultural land, and proximity to urban areas, as wind farms can cause noise and visual pollution. Furthermore, the location of wind farms must be part of municipal planning decisions, and when creating planning schemes, municipalities must consider the Master Plan for Nature Protection and Energy Utilisation. The above shows that the decision-making process for siting wind farms needs to be well-considered, taking into account the aforementioned factors and issues. An attempt will be made to analyse the conditions in current legislation regarding the location of wind farms, what obstacles and challenges exist in the legislation, and in that context, whether changes to the legislation are inevitable.

Eyjólfur Ingi Ásgeirsson - ISK 8,500,000

Iceland has one of the greenest electricity supply systems in the world. However, there are still other polluting forms of energy, particularly in the transport and agricultural economic sectors. With the growing energy demand and committed global efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, Iceland seeks to shift these sectors from fossil fuel use to renewable energy use. Such a shift will require comprehensive planning using a detailed and advanced modeling tool. This tool should be able to analyze the Icelandic energy system taking into account the transmission expansion costs, price sensitivity of demand, various storage technologies, energy system cost and affordability of energy services, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and the implication of short-term operational constraints on the long-term energy system cost. Currently, the tools being used by the energy authority cannot incorporate a high number of energy themes. This project seeks to develop a national-scale energy system optimization model for Iceland using the TIMES (The Integrated MARKAL-EFOM modeling System) framework. The Iceland-TIMES model will be used to evaluate the Icelandic energy system's demand-supply expansion dynamics for the 2022-2050 period.

Gerosion ehf - 8,500,000 ISK

In recent years there has been increased interest in the world towards geothermal energy as a greener alternative to fossil fuel based energy. To extract geothermal energy geothermal wells are drilled to retrieve geothermal steam to produce electricity and hot water for district heating. But geothermal steam contains corrosive species such as H2S, CO2, and Cl- ions. Materials in high temperature geothermal wells that are subjected to the steam can experience corrosion resulting in high costs associated with maintenance, materials and loss in production. This problem becomes more severe when deeper and hotter wells are considered, such as IDDP3 and the KMT project. The goal of the project is to develop a protective casing (ProCase) that can protect steel casings in geothermal wells against corrosion and thermal expansion effects so the structural integrity of the wells is not diminished. With ProCase the lifespan of wells can be increased and it can save Icelandic and international power companies an extensive amount of repair cost and the cost of drilling new wells. Current solutions in the market are not equipped to withstand the harsh geothermal environment, due to the high temperature and the corrosiveness of the geothermal steam.

Haukur Darri Hauksson - 1,250,000 kr.

Since 1990, the Nesjavellir Power Plant has supplied hot water to users in the capital region by heating cold groundwater from Grámelur near Lake Þingvallavatn. Nesjavellir is a combined heat and power plant, producing electricity with steam turbines and hot water with heat exchangers. Separated water and condensate are by-products of the power plant. Today, a large amount of hot separated water is being pumped down into reinjection wells, resulting in a significant loss of energy that could be further utilized. The idea is to use a portion of the energy, which would otherwise be directed into reinjection wells, to mix fully heated separated water and condensate with the plant's production water. Foreseeable obstacles to mixing separated water and condensate into the production water include excessively high acidity of the production water, chemical imbalances, and scaling. A research project on mixing separated water and condensate with production water at Hellisheiði began in 2018, and the mixing was implemented in 2022 with a 2% separated water and 2% condensate blend into the production water. The water chemistry of the plants' streams differs, so it is not unexpected that the mixing ratios at Nesjavellir would be different. The heating station at the Nesjavellir Power Plant has been expanded in stages, and its maximum production capacity is about 1640 L/s of 82-85 °C hot water. Implementing mixing at Nesjavellir could therefore lead to an increase of up to 66 L/s in maximum production. The use of hot water is constantly increasing with further population growth and an increase in tourism. It is therefore necessary to increase the production of hot water to meet that demand, and a 2% blend at Nesjavellir can be a step in that direction.

Kevin Joseph Dillman - 5,000,000 DKK

While Iceland is known internationally for seemingly infinite renewable energy, domestically, an ongoing debate ensues regarding the extent the country should exploit nature‘s hydro, geothermal, and wind potential at the expense of damaging the nature. While energy debates typically address supply-side solutions, rarely are demand-side options such as sufficiency considered. This project seeks to define and interpret what an energy sufficient lifestyle (one where increased energy use associated with well-being is prioritized, with unnecessary excess energy consumption curtailed) would be and what policies could be supportive of such lifestyles. This will be accomplished through a series of literature reviews, spatial/socio-economic energy footprinting, and energy scenario development under different modelled behaviours/technologies. The output will be a mapped sustainability gap of Icelander’s energy footprints, developed behavioural/technological energy scenarios, and policy recommendations of how to increase Icelandic energy sufficiency. This project is aligned with OR’s prioritized SDGs, where sufficiency is critical to both sustainable consumption and sustainable production(12), which then aligns with the goals of ensuring everyone has access to reliable and clean renewable energy(7), and thus climate change, a potential avoidance entire life cycle of carbon emissions of energy projects (and the financial investment needed) through the need for less capacity(13).

Kristín Heba Gísladóttir - ISK 8,500,000

The project will map the situation of parents in Iceland based on their opportunities to reconcile family and work life, considering the organisation of work and school. Research shows that people's opportunities to reconcile their professional and private lives have wide-ranging effects on, among other things, physical and mental health, satisfaction, and job performance. Although Iceland is seen as a model for gender equality, the gender pay gap is a reality, women work part-time to a much greater extent, and they still bear the main burden of household and childcare responsibilities. International research also shows that women are more likely to be responsible for childcare due to illness and school holidays. Where governments have promoted a family-friendly society with an emphasis on equalising the status of the genders, such measures have yielded results. It has also been shown that raising wages in traditionally female-dominated jobs equalises the responsibilities between women and their partners. The aim of the study is to shed a comprehensive light on the situation of parents in Iceland in three ways: a) Their attitudes towards reconciling family and private life, which will be explored through a survey among families. b) Interviews with parents about the challenges they face and ways to improve them, and c) mapping the difference between employees' holiday entitlements and the school calendars of preschools and primary schools.

Lára Jóhannsdóttir - 5,000,000 kr.

Humanity is facing difficult environmental and social challenges, such as climate change, overexploitation of resources, loss of biodiversity, and inequality. This puts pressure on factors that are important for the well-being of societies, i.e., the social fabric and the planetary boundaries. Within these boundaries, various solutions have been developed and applied, including sustainable business models, such as the circular economy. Iceland lags behind in research in this field, both in an international and Nordic comparison. The main objective is therefore to research selected Icelandic industries based on the concepts of sustainable business models and the circular economy, for example, by defining their characteristics, stakeholders, drivers, barriers, etc. As knowledge of these factors in the Icelandic context is limited, qualitative methods, such as interviews, focus groups, and/or workshops, will be used to collect data and answer the project's research questions. The project will contribute to the academic creation of knowledge regarding sustainable business models and the circular economy, as it will be based on findings for selected Icelandic industries. The project also has practical and political significance by enhancing the understanding of how to design and apply the discussed models and methods and highlighting how to overcome barriers to their implementation in selected industries. Thus, the project lays the foundation for an increased quality of life in Iceland.

Lilja Steinunn Jónsdóttir - ISK 1,250,000

Foehn (i.e. chinook) is a characteristic meteorological phenomenon of mountainous regions. This warm, dry, and strong downslope wind is still not fully understood, even though it has been studied since the mid-19th century, partially due to the complex topography of where foehn occurs; foehn winds have strongly site-specific local flow patterns. As foehn winds have both favourable and negative impacts on society, a better understanding of them is of great practical importance.

Már Másson - 5,000,000 kr.

The BioEl Project intends to develop cationic quaternized and other charged derivatives of chitosan, a marine biopolymer obtained from shrimp shell waste of sustainable fisheries in Iceland. These derivatives will then be investigated as environmentally friendly solid-state electrolytes in printed electronics and dendrite suppressing agents for biobatteries based on lignin obtained as a byproduct of the Swedish forest industry. The funding will be used to support a Ph.D. student registered at the University of Iceland. Chitosan, provided by the Icelandic biotech company Primex ehf, will be chemically modified to create derivatives with diverse structures and molecular weight averages. The student will then investigate these for application in printed electronics and biobatteries at the facilities of RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB and Ligna Energy AB in Norrköping, Sweden. The electrochemical and physicochemical characteristics of the materials will be investigated. The structure-property relationship for the chitosan derivatives will also be determined. The process for synthesizing the most promising polymers will be optimized using a Design of Experiment (DOE) approach. The products will be used in prototype electronic displays and biobatteries.

María J. Gunnarsdóttir - 3,300,000 kr.

Micropollutants in surface and drinking water are of emerging concern because of their toxicity, long lifetime and potential of bioaccumulation in the food chain. While many of these pollutants are traditionally not monitored as part of routine operations in Iceland, some have been identified in selected water supplies. Wastewater provides an indication of anthropogenic pollutants discharged into surface waters, and can be used to assess potential threat to ecosystem and human health. To date, limited knowledge exists on flame retardants, phenols and PFAS in Icelandic waters. These compounds originate in a range of consumer based products and building materials, and have been detected in both drinking and wastewater abroad. The goal of this study is, therefore, to measure these three chemical groups in drinking and wastewater in the capital region of Iceland. A total of 20 samples will be taken in winter and summer, during wet and dry seasons, at targeted locations. The samples will be analyzed in an accredited laboratory. The relative importance of anthropogenic sources versus leaching from the built environment will be addressed. Results will be compared to findings in more populous areas in cold climate. Results will give insights to potential risk to local population in Iceland.

María Sigríður Guðjónsdóttir - ISK 8,500,000

Project GeoEjector's mission is to extend the lifespan of weak geothermal wells to reduce the need to drill new wells, which is commonly done to maintain energy production. The concept is to use strong high pressure wells to drive ejectors that can draw fluid from their weak, low pressure neighboring wells. Ejectors are relatively simple devices that create suction by accelerating a high pressure fluid through a nozzle. They involve no moving parts and are extensively used in many industries. However, connecting ejectors directly to flowing wells is challenging as it involves complex and transient thermo- and fluid dynamics. To our knowledge, they have therefore never been successfully applied in this way. Recent preliminary experiments by Landvirkjun gave promising results, but more research and testing are needed. GeoEjector is a project led by Reykjavik University that focuses on laboratory experimentation, simulation, and field testing to develop and verify the concept’s feasibility and deliver a modeling and simulation framework for geothermal ejector design.

Ólafur Arnalds - ISK 2,870,000

The project aims to publish a substantial open-access publication about soil and nature. It involves compiling extensive research from many decades. Soil is central to the water, nutrient, and carbon cycles and is the foundation for both global food production and climate change mitigation measures. Ecosystem degradation is the main threat to biodiversity and food production for the world's population, in addition to being a major factor in greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations' environmental conventions now place great emphasis on knowledge of land condition and ecosystem restoration. The publication discusses the fundamentals of soil science, including the water cycle, hydrology, and carbon. Emphasis is placed on using this fundamental knowledge to understand land condition, degradation processes, and the consequences of poor ecosystem health. Soil is the largest reservoir involved in the carbon cycle on the Earth's surface. In Iceland, about 2,000 million tonnes of CO2 have been released due to ecosystem degradation over the last millennium. It is possible to reduce emissions from land and sequester millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide each year by restoring land quality in Iceland. The publication 'Soil, Nature, and the Environment' is an important foundation for the wise use of ecosystems, ecosystem restoration, and climate change mitigation measures – a link in public knowledge that is very important to strengthen. The publication will be open (public domain) online to ensure access to and use of this knowledge.

Sigurður Björnsson - 3,900,000 kr.

The aim of this project is to investigate the effects of resource uncertainty and cascading use on the optimal production path of geothermal resources, and to explore the opportunities regarding complementaries between geothermal and hydropower. A framework will be developed which can indicate optimal electricity production capacity and operating decisions of the resources based on geothermal reservoir characteristics, river flow, individual and complementary resource dynamics as well as cost and market parameters while considering resource uncertainty and cascading use. The framework consists of a time-dynamic net present value maximization model. Few serious studies have been conducted regarding the optimal use of geothermal resources and to date, a holistic framework for evaluating the use of geothermal energy resources accounting for resource uncertainty and cascading use of geothermal as well as complementary use of geothermal and hydropower has not been developed. This project has several links to two UN sustainable development goals, affordable and clean energy and climate action. The future energy system will be more diverse than it has been the last decades. Geothermal resources and hydropower can contribute to a more sustainable energy system with less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, so researching these resources adequately is vital.

Sigurður Grétar Sigmarsson - 8,500,000 ISK

The introduction of blue-green surface water solutions in the catchment area of Tjörnin can support the objectives of Iceland's newly approved Water Management Plan to achieve the environmental goals for Tjörnin, which are at risk. The strain on future rainwater systems due to climate change means that surface water will increasingly return to its natural course, making it crucial to implement sustainable solutions for protection against pollutants from surface water in Iceland. This project investigates the effectiveness of blue-green surface water solutions in Óðinsgata and Týsgata concerning the purification of pollutants in runoff from streets and roofs, and the pollution load is compared with a conventional rainwater system. Furthermore, the concentration and origin of the main pollutants within the catchment area of Tjörnin will be assessed, and changes in the pollution load will be examined with the potential future implementation of blue-green surface water solutions in Iceland.

Svava Dögg Jónsdóttir - 5,000,000 kr.

Workplace sexual harassment and violence is a serious public health problem, yet little is known about its prevalence and effect on women’s health. Leveraging data from a nationally representative established cohort and registry data this study will provide valuable knowledge about the prevalence of workplace sexual harassment and violence and associated health outcomes. This study aims to determine 1) the lifetime and current prevalence of workplace sexual harassment and violence among Icelandic women by demographic characteristics and work sectors, 2) the association of sexual harassment and violence in the current workplace and mental and physical health outcomes and 3) the prevalence of prescription drug use among women exposed to sexual harassment and violence in the current workplace and associated risk factors. Participants comprise 15,799 Icelandic women aged 18-69 enrolled in the Stress-and-Gene-Analysis cohort study. Preliminary results suggest that workplace sexual harassment is common and prevalence rates vary by work sector. Utilizing both registry and questionnaire data, with a research team with broad expertise, this study has the capacity to provide valuable information about workplace sexual harassment and contribute to empirically informed public policies in Iceland and beyond.

Tarek Zaqout - DKK 8,500,000

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) have been increasingly implemented as a low-impact, cost-effective stormwater control measure (SCM). SUDS include a diverse set of infiltration-based measures designed to maintain the pre-development hydrological cycle, reduce runoff, and enhance water quality via infiltration. However, these functions are prone to deterioration during winter, especially when soil frost is present. Unlike inland cold regions, maritime cities are particularly vulnerable to the negative winter impacts due to frequent freeze-thaw cycles, rain-on-snow events, and intermittent midwinter snowmelt. To date, the performance of different surface and soil configurations under these conditions are not fully understood. The main goal of the proposed project is to investigate the hydrological performance of SUDS in cold climate at catchment-scale. Soil monitoring of different SUDS elements (e.g., grass swales, detention ponds, raingardens, and permeable pavements) will be conducted in Urriðaholt, and compared to existing soil data in the Capital Region. Runoff experiments will be performed in pilot-scale test beds to assess how different vegetation and drainage techniques can reduce frost formation and improve hydrological performance. Hydrological modeling will be conducted to improve the understanding of winter hydrological processes. Thus, bridging the gap in knowledge for scientists and practitioners alike and future SUDS research.