US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Hellisheidi Power Plant yesterday afternoon, where he was welcomed by Bjarni Bjarnason, CEO of Reykjavík Energy. Bjarnason informed Secretary Blinken about the geothermal operations at the Power Plant as well as the ground-breaking new Carbfix technology of turning CO₂ into stone underground, which Blinken was very interested in.

The Foreign Minister of Iceland, Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, joined Blinken on his visit along with Halla Hrund Logadottir, who will take office as Director General of the Energy Institute (is. Orkustofnun) in a few days. Also joining the event and discussions with Secretary Blinken were Hildigunnur Thorsteinsson, COB of ON Power, and Edda Sif Pind Aradóttir, CEO of Carbfix.

Secretary Blinken was very interested in the Carbfix technology, and said it was important in these times to know that such technology exists, and that it gives us hope.

He inquired whether there were any obstacles to the technology being scaled up, and how common basalt rock is in the world. As basalt is one of the most common rock types on the globe and all the research has been completed, there are no obstacles to Carbfix being scaled up across the globe. Blinken also wondered whether pumping down in this manner would have any side-effects, but was assured that the technology is in fact an acceleration of a natural process with no risk of CO₂ leaking into the atmosphere.

Mr. Bjarnason discussed geothermal heat with Blinken, who is quite familiar with the topic as he himself uses geothermal heat to heat up his house with a heat pump.

After a short introduction of the ON Power‘s Geothermal Exhibition, Ms. Aradottir took the two Secretaries to Carbfix‘s well area, where CO₂ is pumped down into the ground, and looked into one of the unique bubble-shaped drill houses in the harnessing area. There, Thordarson and Blinken had a light but informative chat with Aradottir.