Today marks the beginning of construction on the upgraded Silverstone, the CO₂ capture plant at Hellisheiðarvirkjun. The upgrade will enable the capture of almost all carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide emissions from the power plant.

Edda Aradóttir, CEO of Carbfix, and Árni Hrannar Haraldsson CEO of ON Power, took the first shovelfuls, signalling the start of the project. The aim is for Silverstone (named Steingerður in Icelandic) to operate at full capacity by 2025, making Hellisheiði ON Power plant the world's first near carbon-neutral geothermal power plant.

ON Power's managing director, Árni Hrannar Haraldsson, emphasises the importance of being part of the solution against climate change,

The current version of Silverstone already captures about 30% of carbon dioxide and 75% of hydrogen sulphide from the power plant and has been doing so since 2014! The project was granted ISK 600 million from the Innovation Fund of the European Union in 2021.

Edda Sif Pind Aradóttir, managing director of Carbfix, expresses her delight that construction has started, as it marks a significant milestone in presenting the Carbfix technology as a large-scale solution, which is not only a cost-effective solution but also as one that makes a global impact.

This project alone will deliver 10% of Iceland's Climate Action Plan calls for by 2030 within the energy and industrial sectors not covered by the EU ETS.

More information about the Silverstone project https://www.or.is/en/environment/project-silverstone/