Iceland, Abu Dhabi will cooperate in renewable energy: Grimsson

celand is a fundamental proof that it is possible within the lifetime of one generation to transform the energy system of our countries, said President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson at the World Forum Energy Summit (WFES) which opened Monday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

"I don't accept that we are so special that only we can do it. And that is why I am so happy to cooperate With Abu Dhabi, because I think the symbolism of what Iceland and Abu Dhabi can do together, the country covered with ice in the north and the country in the sun and the desert here in the Gulf, is a strong political message to the rest of the world", added.

Speaking at the-three-day long summit, Grimsson noted that Iceland has been fortunate to take a global leadership in this area dependent on its technology and businesses in the last few years, adding that "It began in the middle of the last century by municipalities and cities providing pipelines for hot water into the houses".

He congratulated congratulated Abu Dhabi and Masdar for successfully bringing this WFES together, indicating that is interesting that small courtiers like Abu Dhabi and Iceland Can play a vital leadership role in transforming the energy future of the world.

"We, who come from the north where the ice is melting both on the Northern pole and in the glaciers in my country and in Greenland, don't really need any extensive lessons on how rapidly climate change is happening. We have also been extremely encouraged by how in the last year or even past few months we have seen a fundamental transformation of the global opinion in this respect, symbolised not only by the recent Nobel Peace Prize but also by the meetings of the 08 leaders and the recent conference in Bali", Grimsson said.

He warned that without a fundamental transformation of the energy systems in the world "we are not going to be able to prevent the disastrous consequences for our own generation and the generations of our children and grandchildren", pointing out that is why this summit is so timely and important.

Grimsson underscored that there are two, fundamental, great resources of renewable, clean energy which "we have not really began to tap. One is above our heads, the energy of the Sun. The other is below our foot, inside the globe. We are all sitting and walking and sleeping on a huge fireball which is inside the Earth".

Iceland began the fundamental transformation of the energy system over the last 40-50 years/. 100 per cent of Iceland electricity production is from clean, renewable energy resources and almost 80% of its total energy requirements are derived from clean energy.

"Iceland is a fundamental proof that it is possible within the lifetime of one generation to transform the energy system of our countries. I don't accept that we are so special that only we can do it. And that is why I am so happy to cooperate With Abu Dhabi, because I think the symbolism of what Iceland and Abu Dhabi can do together, the country covered with ice in the north and the country in the sun and the desert here in the Gulf, is a strong political message to the rest of the world", he remarked.

The greatest task in the near future is now to harness these technologies in different parts of the world. Iceland has been devoting an increasing proportion of it business, technological and political efforts creating such cooperation in different parts of the world: In Asia, Americas, Europe and in Africa.

Grimsson said that Iceland signed an agreement with China to build the largest urban geothermal heating system in the world in a major city in Shanxi province in China. The project has led to the closing of the coal-driven power station in that city and the initiation of the first geothermal heating system.