Jean-Baptiste P. Koehl: Iceland's secret power

Iceland's secret power

While the weather in Iceland is often cold, wet, and windy, a nearly endless supply of heat bubbles away below the surface. In fact, almost every building in the country is heated by geothermal energy in a process with virtually no carbon emissions. So how exactly does this renewable energy work? Jean-Baptiste P. Koehl explores the two primary models for harnessing the planet's natural heat. [Directed by Charlotte Arene, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by André Aires].

Geothermal energy powers nearly every building in Iceland, using natural heat bubbling just beneath the surface to provide warmth with almost no carbon emissions. The planet radiates three times more energy each year than humanity uses, yet geothermal provides only a tiny fraction of global energy. This untapped potential faces barriers like the cost and location of deep, high-temperature fields, but new technology is opening safer, cleaner ways to access this resource. From shallow heat pumps to deep magma pockets, Earth's heat could sustain people if harnessed wisely.