Iceland plans to become fossil fuel free by 2050.

[NNadir]

"With almost unlimited geothermal energy sizzling beneath its surface, Iceland has an official goal of making the country oil-free by shifting cars, buses, trucks and ships over to hydrogen by about 2050.

By then, in theory, the only oil used on the volcanic North Atlantic island will be in planes visiting Reykjavik airport...

... About 70 percent of Iceland's energy needs, from home heating to electricity for aluminum smelters, are already met by geothermal or hydro-electric power. Only the transport sector is still hooked on polluting oil and gas.

"When the Vikings came here they were only using renewables, like wind and solar energy," said Bragi Arnason, a professor of chemistry at the University of Iceland..."

Iceland of course is a niche energy resource area being the product of a volcanic hotspot, but hey, every little bit helps.

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9596_22-5534416.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=zdnet

Iceland should be a nice place to live in by 2050, when, of course, it will be subtropical.

[ktowntennesseedem]

1. America will be fossil-fuel-free by 2050, too.

'cause we'll probably run out by then anyway. Unless we can get the Alaska Wildlife Refuge open for drilling, then we won't run out till 2051.

[NNadir]

2. I doubt that. Coal is also a fossil fuel, a filthy fuel, but a fuel.

[ktowntennesseedem]

4. You got me on that.

Got stuck thinking about oil.

Wow, that's an environmentally sickening image, switching from petroleum to coal. Sounds like a perfect alternative-fuel program for Bush.

[arcos]

3. Amazing! nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Converting the ships will be the big hurdle for them

Their economy depends on fishing (and they've done well at conserving fish stocks, compared with others), so they need power that can go for a week or two without refuelling, and that they can keep running and repair at sea. I wonder if they'll try modern sail power, as well as hydrogen.