Umhverfis- og orkustofnun | Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency

What Umhverfis- og orkustofnun | Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency does

Umhverfis- og orkustofnun (Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency) is an Icelandic government agency formed on January 1, 2025 through the merger of Orkustofnun (the National Energy Authority) and parts of Umhverfisstofnun (the Environment Agency of Iceland). Established under Act No. 110/2024 and operating under the Icelandic Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate, the agency administers Iceland's integrated regulatory framework for climate, environmental, and energy matters. It serves Icelandic businesses across energy, agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, tourism, and transport sectors; municipalities nationwide; and individual citizens through permit issuance, environmental monitoring, energy supervision, grant administration, and public information services. The agency employs 91 staff across four office locations (Reykjavik headquarters at Suðurlandsbraut 24, plus Akureyri, Egilsstadir, and Selfoss) and is led by CEO Gestur Pétursson.

The agency's digital product portfolio spans monitoring dashboards, data registries, grant programmes, and public information portals. Core products include the Loftgæði air quality portal (loftgaedi.is), the Raforkuvísar electricity indicators dashboard (launched January 2026), the Electric Vehicle Fleet Tracker, the Borehole Registry (Borholuskr á), the Water Web Viewer (Vatnavefsjá), and the GIS map service. The agency administers the Loftslags- og orkusjódur (Climate and Energy Fund), which disbursed approximately 1.3 billion ISK across 109 projects in 2025, plus programmes including the Svanurinn Nordic Swan ecolabel, Græn skref (Green Steps), and Strandhreinsun Íslands (beach cleanup). Technical infrastructure comprises a public API (api.ust.is), RSS news feeds, and integrations with PowerBI, HighCharts, and Infogram for visualization.

As a government agency, UOS is funded primarily through state budget appropriations, supplemented by published fee schedules (1033/2025 for general services, 1032/2025 for the Nordic Swan ecolabel) based on work hours for case processing and permit issuance, plus fee-based training courses. Services are accessed via the Island.is national government portal, the agency's own digital platforms (uos.is), four physical offices, and institutional partnerships with municipalities. Internationally, UOS serves as Iceland's contact point for the European Environment Agency and the IMPEL environmental enforcement network, and operates geothermal cooperation programmes with Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, and Taiwan (NSTC).

Name

Umhverfis- og orkustofnun | Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency

Legal name

Umhverfis- og orkustofnun

Website

https://uos.is

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Icelandic government agency administering integrated climate, environmental, and energy regulation across Iceland. Formed in 2025 via merger of energy and environment authorities, it serves businesses, municipalities, and citizens through permits, monitoring, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental and Energy Regulatory Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Incentives, Grants & Program Administration (Auctions, Tenders, IRA/ITC/PTC Advisory) (EUAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Environmental regulation
• Energy oversight
• Climate fund grants
• Emissions trading
• Renewable energy permits

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriation: Primary funding through state budget appropriations as a government agency operating under Act No. 110/2024.
2. Service and License Fees: Fee schedule 1033/2025 for agency services and 1032/2025 for the Nordic Swan ecolabel. Fees based on work hours for case processing, permit issuance and other services. Aims to ensure transparency and equity in fee collection and reflect actual cost of service delivery.
3. Loftslags- og orkusjóður (Climate and Energy Fund) Grants: The Climate and Energy Fund (Loftslags- og orkusjóður) operates under UOS, disbursing subsidies and grants for energy transitions, renewable energy projects, electric vehicle incentives, geothermal innovation, and environmental projects. Funded by government appropriations.
4. Training Course Fees: Fee-based training courses for skin piercing (49.900 kr per course), pesticide/herbicide handling, and other regulated activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Umhverfis- og orkustofnun (UOS) is Iceland's integrated environment and energy agency, administering environmental permitting, emissions trading (ETS), energy supervision, geothermal licensing, and climate action for the Icelandic state. The agency operates the Climate and Energy Fund (Loftslags- og orkusjóður), disbursing grants for renewable energy, electric vehicles, geothermal innovation, and circular economy projects. It also runs public data platforms covering air quality, water resources, boreholes, electricity indicators, and EV fleet tracking, plus consumer programmes including the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, Green Steps, and waste-sorting guidance.

Product overview

Umhverfis- og orkustofnun (Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency) is a unified government agency formed on 1 January 2025 through the merger of Orkustofnun (Icelandic Energy Authority) and parts of Umhverfisstofnun (Environment Agency of Iceland). It administers Iceland's environmental, climate, and energy regulatory framework across ten divisions: chemicals, inspection, marine and water, circular economy, air quality, climate and energy fund, emission allowances, energy transitions, and energy efficiency. Its digital product portfolio spans monitoring dashboards (Raforkuvísar electricity indicators, Loftgæði air quality portal, Rafbílavæðing EV tracker), data repositories (permit database, borehole register, map collections), grant programmes (Loftslags- og orkusjóður Climate and Energy Fund, Strandhreinsun beach cleanup programme), and public information portals (Úrgangur waste portal, Vatn water portal, Orkusetur Energy Centre, Svanurinn Nordic ecolabel, Græn skref green government programme). The agency also operates public APIs (api.ust.is), RSS news feeds, and the Orkuspá Íslands national energy forecast. Key platforms and services are accessible through Island.is and the agency's own web properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Loftgæði (Air Quality) Real-time monitoring and forecasting website for air quality across Iceland, providing live measurements and air quality predictions for the general public and regulators.
• Raforkuvísar (Electricity Indicators Dashboard) Automated dashboard presenting electricity market indicators, production data, consumption trends, prices, and grid performance metrics for Iceland's electricity system, serving businesses, regulators, and the public.
• Loftslags- og orkusjóður (Climate and Energy Fund) Government fund providing subsidies and grants for energy transition projects, renewable energy adoption, electric vehicle purchases, geothermal innovation, and climate mitigation initiatives across Iceland.
• Svanurinn (Nordic Swan Ecolabel) Official Nordic environmental label certifying products and services that reduce environmental impact, operated by UOS in Iceland under fee schedule 1032/2025.
• Græn skref (Green Steps Programme) Programme for government institutions aiming to reduce negative environmental impacts from their operations and promote environmental awareness among staff.
• Úrgangur.is (Waste Portal) Public information portal providing guidance on waste management and sorting for households and businesses in Iceland.
• Vatn.is (Water Management Portal) Portal for information on water resource management, water body status, and river basin management planning in Iceland, operated by UOS.
• Orkuspá Íslands (Iceland Energy Forecast) Joint energy outlook 2025-2050 published by Landsnet, Raforkueftirlitið, and UOS, projecting Iceland's electricity and energy system development scenarios including geothermal and energy transition pathways.
• GIS Kortaþjónusta (GIS Map Service) Geographic Information System map service providing cartographic data and spatial analysis tools related to environmental and energy resources in Iceland.
• Orkusetur (Energy Centre) Advisory centre under UOS focused on promoting public and business awareness of efficient energy use and energy savings opportunities in Iceland.
• Strandhreinsun Íslands (Iceland Beach Cleanup Programme) Government-funded programme coordinated by UOS providing grants to organizations for beach cleanup activities along Iceland's coastline, including OSPAR fulmar plastic monitoring.
• Rafbílavæðing (Electric Vehicle Fleet Tracker) Dashboard tracking the electrification of Iceland's vehicle fleet, including statistics on registered electric passenger cars, commercial vehicles, buses, and trucks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 58% increase in permit processing capacity on first year of operation (34 permits in H1 2025 vs previous year)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EEA Topic Centres (Umhverfisstofnun Evrópu / European Environment Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The European Environment Agency recruits Topic Centres for contracted projects in specialized areas. UOS serves as the Icelandic contact for EEA and assists Icelandic institutions in applying for Topic Centre status. Application deadline August 7, 2026.
• World Energy Council (WEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Iceland is a member of the World Energy Council and UOS serves as the national contact point. UOS led Iceland's participation in the World Energy Issues Monitor 2026, a global analysis of energy policy and challenges, in collaboration with Landsvirkjun and Samorka.
• Bulgaria - Ministry of EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Six-month technical cooperation project under the EEA Grants program. UOS led a team including ÍSOR, Verkís, Intellecon, and Reykjavik Geothermal to help Bulgaria develop geothermal-specific legislation. Goal: clearer, simpler rules for geothermal development, distinguishing it from fossil fuel resources.
• Poland - Geothermal Synergy ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Part of UOS's international geothermal cooperation under the EEA Grants program. Icelandic experience and expertise shared with Poland on geothermal development and legislation.
• Romania - Geothermal CooperationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Part of UOS's international geothermal cooperation under the EEA Grants program. Technical assistance for geothermal development in Romania.
• Japan - NSTC (National Science and Technology Council)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023A 15-member delegation from Taiwan's NSTC visited UOS in April 2026 to study Icelandic geothermal experience, administration, research and technical development. Follows the 2023 letter of intent on geothermal cooperation. Japan is building geothermal capacity as part of its 2050 carbon neutrality goals.
• HYBES (Hybrid Energy Systems for Arctic Communities)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023European research project exploring hybrid energy systems combining renewable sources and storage for sustainable energy in northern communities. Partners: Faroe Islands (Environment Agency), Ireland (Cork, UCC, Secure and Fix It), Iceland (Orkusetur/UOS), Norway (Nordland Research Institute, Bodø), Sweden (Umeå municipality, Umeå University). Iceland focuses on solar energy solutions for off-grid areas.
• IMPEL (European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010IMPEL is a long-standing environmental enforcement network operating since 1992. Iceland joined in 2010, initially through Umhverfisstofnun, now UOS serves as Iceland's national contact. IMPEL organizes knowledge sharing, tool development and cooperation among enforcement authorities in Europe. The IMPEL board visited Iceland in May 2026 for meetings with authorities.
• Geothermica (International Geothermal Association Platform)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatform of public authorities to unite actions related to geothermal energy and increase its role in global energy transition. UOS participates as Icelandic representative.
• OSPAR ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. Iceland joined in 1997. UOS conducts plastic monitoring in fulmar birds as part of OSPAR, with targets of less than 10% of fulmars exceeding 0.1g plastic in their digestive tracts.
• LIFE IcewaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU LIFE project to accelerate and improve implementation of Iceland's River Basin Management Plans. Managed by UOS in collaboration with partners.
• Vatn.is (Water Management System)coreTechnology or IntegrationWater management system established under Iceland's Water Framework Directive (Act No. 36/2011). UOS operates this system for protecting Iceland's water resources for the future.
• Orkuspá Íslands (Iceland Energy Forecast)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint energy forecast 2025-2050 produced by Landsnet, Raforkueftirlitið, and UOS. The joint collaboration ensures the forecast is based on solid data, shared knowledge and comprehensive overview of energy development in Iceland.
• Háskólinn í Reykjavík (Reykjavik University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on data science projects. Students in computer science and engineering received a real database project from UOS to analyze improvements in power distribution database design. Competition with eight student teams, prize awarded to winning team.
• Norðurland Norðlýsing (Nordic Inventory Experts Meeting)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Nordic conference of emissions inventory experts hosted by UOS and Land og skógur (Soil and Forestry). ~100 participants in Reykjavik April 2026, discussing methodologies for emissions accounting, energy, agriculture, land use and waste sectors.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM): Dutch national institute for public health and the environment; relevant peer in environmental monitoring, emissions inventories, and policy advice.
• European Environment Agency (EEA): EU-level agency that UOS interfaces with as Iceland's national contact for Topic Centres; comparable in environmental monitoring and data publication scope, though supranational rather than national.
• Environment Agency (United Kingdom): UK's statutory environmental regulator with a much larger scope and budget; relevant as a broader incumbent peer with integrated environment, flood, water, and waste responsibilities.
• Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency): Germany's federal environmental agency combining research, regulatory support, and reporting; analogous as a comprehensive environmental oversight body at larger scale.

Direct peers

• Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket): Sweden's national environmental regulator handling permits, climate targets, and EU compliance in a manner directly comparable to UOS's remit under Act No. 110/2024.
• Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE): Finland's combined environmental research and regulatory body under the Ministry of the Environment; comparable in integrating environmental monitoring, water management, and climate action.
• Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet): Norway's national environmental regulator responsible for permits, climate, water, air quality, and waste oversight — closely analogous to UOS's integrated mandate across environmental and energy regulation.
• Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Miljøstyrelsen): Denmark's environmental regulator covering air, water, waste, soil, and chemicals — directly comparable as a Nordic national environmental and climate authority operating alongside an energy regulator.
• Environment Agency of the Faroe Islands: Faroe Islands environmental regulator and HYBES research partner; highly comparable as a small North Atlantic environmental and energy oversight authority.

Others

• Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands): Icelandic national agency focused on meteorological, hydrological, and avalanche monitoring; adjacent to UOS's air quality and water monitoring activities and a frequent collaborator on Iceland's environmental data infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@umhverfisogorkustofnun
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@umhverfisogorkustofnun
• Facebookfacebook.com/umhverfisogorkustofnun
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umhverfisogorkustofnun
• Instagraminstagram.com/umhverfisogorkustofnun

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Umhverfis- og orkustofnun | Icelandic Environment and Energy Agency