Rarik: Powering Iceland with Sustainable Energy and Advanced Data Solutions

About RARIK

RARIK (Iceland State Electricity) is a 100% state-owned enterprise founded in 1946, with operations starting in 1947. As a key player in Iceland's energy infrastructure, RARIK has been at the forefront of electrifying rural areas and providing electricity to 90% of the country’s rural regions and 44 urban centers. Its work has been crucial in harnessing Iceland's abundant geothermal and hydropower resources. In addition to electricity distribution, RARIK also provides hot and cold water supply across Iceland.

Challenge: Streamlining Sustainable Energy Projects

In recent years, RARIK has increasingly focused on sustainable energy solutions, prioritizing a Leave No Trace strategy for its operations. This strategy aims to minimize environmental impacts, particularly during the development and maintenance of power lines across Iceland’s diverse landscapes.

A key challenge for RARIK has been efficiently managing and utilizing vast amounts of environmental and operational data throughout the lifecycle of its power line projects. This includes monitoring site conditions before, during, and after installations, obtaining necessary permits, and ensuring compliance with regulatory and environmental standards.

Solution: Leveraging DATACT for Environmental and Operational Insights

To address these challenges, RARIK turned to DATACT, Svarmi’s comprehensive nature data platform, to integrate and streamline its data processes. DATACT allows RARIK to create a detailed database of natural areas affected by its operations, providing invaluable insights at every stage of project development.

Key Benefits of DATACT for RARIK:

1. Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring
   DATACT enables RARIK to map and monitor site conditions before, during, and after power line installations, providing a clear picture of environmental impacts over time. This level of detail supports the company’s Leave No Trace sustainability goals, allowing for informed decision-making and better environmental stewardship.
2. Faster, More Efficient Data Processing
   With DATACT, RARIK can process large datasets (tens of GB) within an hour or less, significantly reducing the time spent on data analysis and reporting. This speed is crucial for managing complex projects across Iceland's vast and varied terrain.
3. Enhanced Collaboration and Permitting Support
   DATACT supports RARIK in obtaining the necessary permits for archaeological research, landowner permissions, and municipality engagement. The platform's high-resolution 2D/3D mapping capabilities provide designers with accurate site conditions, which are critical when planning and executing power line installations. The data is also made accessible to relevant stakeholders, both internal and external, and can be streamed directly into GIS-enabled software via Web Map Services (WMS).
4. Data at Scale
   So far, RARIK has stored more than a thousand mapped locations (“pins”), 200 2D/3D digital twins/high resolution models, and multiple workspaces or Channels to separate and securely share datasets with a specific group of internal and external stakeholders, ensuring all aspects of their projects are documented and accessible. 

“Using DATACT has made my work more time efficient, what used to take me up to a week now only takes about a day. I can upload the data to DATACT and go out again while it is being processed. The visualization and storage by location makes the data easy to find and visualize, which saves time and makes all discussions and decision making more efficient. Also, it  has  made my work easier to have a safe place to store this kind of data in. My computer and all previous folders I had to store the data in were always full”

                                                                                                                                                                                   - Jóhannes Diego Rodriguez, electrician and drone pilot at Rarik