India Eyes Iceland’s Clean Energy Tech for Green Push
New Delhi, July 13 – India and Iceland may be far apart, but both nations share a strong spirit of innovation and a desire to create a better future, said Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
After completing his visit to Iceland, Puri shared on social media that the trip was both productive and meaningful. He thanked the people of Iceland for their warm welcome and said the Indian delegation enjoyed a dinner hosted by Bergdis Ellertsdottir, Deputy Permanent Secretary of State of Iceland. The event was also attended by Benedikt Hoskuldsson, Iceland’s Ambassador to India, and experts from the energy and trade sectors.
One of the key meetings during the visit was with Kristinn Ingi Larusson, Chief Commercial Officer of CarbFix, an Icelandic company known for turning carbon dioxide (CO₂) into stone. The company does this by injecting CO₂ into underground basalt rocks, where it reacts and becomes solid over time. This method is considered a leading solution in the fight against climate change.
Puri said this method could work well in India too, especially since the west coast has large basalt rock formations. Indian factories could use similar methods to store CO₂ underground permanently and help reduce carbon emissions at lower costs. He said this could support India’s green energy goals under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Puri also met Arni Hrannar Haraldsson, CEO of ON Power, Iceland’s largest geothermal energy company. ON Power uses heat from deep inside the Earth to produce electricity and hot water at its Hellisheiði and Nesjavellir plants. The company also runs a hydro power station at Andakilsa.
Their discussion included green transport solutions, such as building electric vehicle (EV) charging networks to support both public and private use. These efforts help promote clean transportation.
Puri noted that India has geothermal potential too — especially in areas like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Ladakh in the Himalayas. He said Iceland’s technologies could work well in these regions and support India’s shift to cleaner, renewable energy sources.
