Icelandic Scientists Aim for Breakthrough by Drilling Into Volcanic Magma

What happens when scientists drill into a volcano? Bjorn Por Guðmundsson and his team are about to find out as they plan a daring mission to tap the power beneath one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes.

At a glance:

  • Scientists, led by Bjorn Por Guðmundsson, plan to drill into magma beneath the Krafla volcano in Iceland, aiming to advance geothermal energy and improve volcanic eruption forecasting.
  • The project, called the Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT), will begin in 2027 with two boreholes drilled 2.1 km underground to create the world’s first magma observatory.
  • The team hopes this research will lead to more powerful geothermal power stations, capable of producing five to ten times more energy than standard wells.

In a groundbreaking experiment, Icelandic scientists, led by Bjorn Por Guðmundsson, are preparing to drill into magma beneath the Krafla volcano, one of Iceland’s most active volcanic sites. The Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT), set to begin in 2027, seeks to tap directly into the molten rock, or magma, beneath the Earth’s surface, advancing geothermal energy and providing crucial data on volcanic activity.

https://x.com/BBCWorld/status/1847104088384622930

Guðmundsson’s team aims to understand how magma behaves underground, a mystery that has long eluded researchers. By placing pressure and temperature sensors inside the magma, the scientists hope to develop better tools for predicting volcanic eruptions—potentially saving lives and mitigating the economic impacts of natural disasters.

Iceland, home to 33 active volcanic systems, is no stranger to volcanic activity. The 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull caused widespread disruption, and recent volcanic activity has damaged infrastructure and threatened communities. Guðmundsson believes that better forecasting could have reduced the devastation caused by these events.

In addition to forecasting, the KMT project seeks to push geothermal energy to new limits. Iceland already relies heavily on geothermal power, with 25% of its electricity and 85% of its household heating coming from geothermal sources. By drilling into the magma, the team believes they can access far greater heat reserves, potentially revolutionizing the industry.

The project’s ultimate goal is to harness the extreme energy within magma to supercharge geothermal power stations. A similar discovery in 2009 accidentally tapped into magma, generating ten times the energy of a typical well. If successful, this new approach could provide a much-needed boost to the global demand for low-carbon energy.

Despite the risks involved in drilling into such an extreme environment, Guðmundsson and his team remain confident. The work will take years to complete, but the potential to transform both geothermal energy and volcanic forecasting has the scientific community watching closely.