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Árni Hrannar, new chairman of ORKIS
Árni Hrannar Haraldsson, Managing Director of ON Power, was recently elected Chair of the Board of ORKIS, the merged organization of Orkuklasinn (Iceland Renewable Energy Cluster), GEORG (Geothermal Research Cluster) and Íslensk Nýorka, and is an interdisciplinary collaborative platform for actors in energy-related activities.
The election took place at ORKIS's annual general meeting last week at Orkuveitan's headquarters, and the meeting marked historic milestones in Icelandic energy and innovation matters when these three platforms in the energy sector formally merged under the new name ORKIS – Energy of Iceland (ORKIS Energy Cluster Iceland).
This creates one powerful platform that brings together Icelandic expertise, a strong network of industry and the driving force of innovation, and has a clear shared vision.
Diverse opportunities ahead
The purpose of ORKIS is to promote progress related to the acquisition and utilization of renewable energy, such as geothermal energy, the energy transition and other aspects, through projects among member organizations and services for members to increase the competitiveness and value creation of its member companies.
ORKIS's vision is that Iceland will become a global leader in the development and export of sustainable energy solutions based on knowledge, innovation and responsible resource use.
“It is both an honor and a responsibility to take over as Chair of the Board of ORKIS – Energy of Iceland. The opportunity ahead lies in making even better use of the knowledge and resources we possess, creating greater value and developing solutions that are useful both here at home and internationally. With stronger links between research, industry and innovation, we can accelerate the energy transition and lay the foundation for new opportunities for Icelandic society,” says Árni Hrannar.
ORKIS emphasizes the following in its activities:
Participating in projects and project development and managing projects, advancing in international cooperation and securing funding from competitive grant funds.
Building bridges between industry, universities and government.
Organizing events, conferences and professional groups that strengthen the network and create trust and cohesion in the industry.
Bridging the gap between research and the market, supporting innovation and competitiveness
New board with broad participation
The new board of ORKIS is made up of key players from energy-related sectors, and in addition to Árni Hrannar it includes Carine Chatenay from Verkís Verkfræðistofa, Deirdre Clark from ÍSOR, Kristín Steinunnardóttir from COWI, Kristján Guðmundsson from Landsvirkjun, María S. Guðjónsdóttir from the University of Reykjavík and Pétur Heide Pétursson from Arion Bank. The alternate board members are Kristín Soffía Jónsdóttir, from Rarik, Steinþór Gíslason from EFLA Consulting Engineers and Yngvi Guðmundsson from HS Orka.
