Power from Glaciers: The Hydropower Potential of Greenland's Glacial Waters

Some preliminary ideas on developing hydropower from Greenland's glaciers have been published -- and even patented -- in recent years. This study of IIASA's Energy Program aims at estimating in more realistic terms the available resources, the appropriate technologies for developing them, the capital and material requirements for a tentative development model, and the integration of Greenland's glacier power into an overall energy system of the future. Based on assumptions on solar radiation and the melting process, the annual hydropower resources of Greenland are estimated to be 500-800 TWh, i.e. almost equivalent to those of Europe excluding the USSR. While most elements of the power schemes with an installed capacity of some 5 GW each follow patterns of schemes that already exist elsewhere, no experience exists in collecting the waters melting from large glacial areas into a few power stations. Provided that this is feasible, the economy of the development depends largely on the system of energy transportation to consumer centers in Europe and North America. The study considers pure electrical and mixed electrical-hydrogen systems. Finally a tentative study program of scientific data collection and practicability tests and investigations is outlined