Iceland: Renewable Energy Innovation & Sustainability

Going with The GREEN Program to Iceland was easily one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’d never been surrounded by so many like-minded people so eager to learn. Although some may find the weather there off-putting, I saw it as a wonderfully unique experience. One minute the sun was out and the sky was bright blue, and about 30 seconds later we’d be hit with the some of the strongest winds I’d ever felt and pelted by weirdly-shaped snow. It was unpredictable, fun, and always changing. The people there were so culturally diverse from one another, even though the majority of us were from the same country, and it was amazing to learn, share ideas with, and just be around such a great group of people.

One obstacle I faced when committing to the program was cost. Looking back at the experience, it was worth it. The personalized tours, classroom exposure to lectures on Iceland’s History, Hydropower, Geothermal, and Power Systems, along with all the beautiful sights, truly made the program the best spring break trip I’ve taken.

I have participated in study abroad before, and this one was the most engaging and planned out. You also meet great like minded people, who want to change the world with you!

I recently completed the Green Program's Iceland course and have never had a more enjoyable experience in my life. The local guides that joined us on our trip were extremely knowledgeable, designed really unique excursions I wouldn't have had if I visited Iceland on my own (A highlight was visiting a mountain and cave near one of our guide's hometowns that I never would have known existed), and were still very flexible with letting us decide what we wanted to do. Additionally, the graduate student helping us for the learning aspects of the program was super friendly, helpful, and never was unable to answer one of our technical or scientific questions. While the experience had relatively no cons for me, some of the things I loved may not be for other people. For example, our days were always packed with very little time to rest or relax. Also, the excursions we went on were somewhat physically demanding, and we would often hike or walk through extreme weather for many hours a day. I loved these aspects of the program, but understand that might not be for everyone. Also, I met some incredible friends while on the trip, but this is a sustainability-focused program, so if you are not interested in the environmental aspect of the program, you will feel out of place.

The Green Program did an awesome job showing the beauty of Iceland through excursions to see waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, and geysers. We were able to see the cultural emphasis Iceland has on preserving nature. We also learned about energy production/consumption through classes and touring geothermal and hydropower plants learning about Iceland's 100% reliance on renewable energy! The food was really yummy and all meals during the program were provided. We stayed in private hostels during the trip so the rooms were only shared with other people on the green program trip. The days had a balance of nature and academic focus which was nice!

I originally applied to The GREEN Program in December of 2019 with the intention of traveling to Iceland in March 2020, but as we are all too familiar with by now, the pandemic has changed many of our plans.

I originally wanted to participate in the program as a sort of first step toward a career in sustainability/renewable energy, and with it being postponed, I had to take my future into my own hands. In the fall of 2020, I changed my Master's degree from Electrical Engineering to Green Technologies, and over winter break from December 2020 to January 2021, I was so pleased to participate in The GREEN Program's "Learn Now, Travel Later" program where I was able to complete the coursework for the program ahead of traveling to Iceland.

Pulling inspiration from geothermal energy systems in Iceland, I wrote a proposal for "Utilizing Geothermal Energy to Aid in the Deicing of Roadways in the United States" to combat the negative environmental effects of road salts.

After 3 postponements, I was finally able to travel to Iceland this past December to complete a capstone proposal and explore the island with my cohort. My capstone group proposed a non-profit called Southeast Wind which would advocate for wind energy solutions in the Southeast US where wind energy has yet to be fully taken advantage of despite its great potential. The challenge of working with others to come up with a solution to a real world problem is such a valuable experience.

A massive thank you to everyone at TGP who made this trip possible, and I can't wait to put what I've learned in this program to use in my career!

I could not have asked for a better experience through The Green Program! Iceland was truly jaw-dropping, and it was such a privilege to dive deep into the country and its culture. I also can't say enough good things about all the other participants on the trip and the guides as well. They made everything so smooth and fun, and I made such a strong connection with everyone even given the short time frame. Logistically, it was so nice to not have to worry about anything once we arrived since our guides took such good care of us. They were always reminding us to surrender ourselves to the experience and live as presently as possible during each adventure. It's rare to experience such a holistic, educational program like this.

The course content was so engaging and fascinating as well, and the Learn Now, Travel Later enhanced the experience for me personally. With the learning done in advance, you could enjoy applying it through the itinerary. I would highly recommend this program if you're up for an adventure of a lifetime.

Really well done program. This was one of the first programs they had in person since the pandemic began, and so I was initially a little worried that there would be some problems with the overall flow. However, everything worked out perfectly, and the program was really amazing. I met a lot of new people, made a lot of new friends, and overall I'm really glad I waited the 2 years I had to get into this program. I was put through a series of new experiences, and this was my first time out of the USA in many years, so I'm glad I went with this program

Overall had a fantastic learning and exploring experience. Everything offered on the Iceland trip was curated to perfection and it was led by amazing people. Really, the facilitators made the trip for me, their general knowledge and attitude were great motivators throughout the whole trip along with providing a lot of personal attention and consideration. I had a few personal needs that were accommodated for and overall it elevated my trust in these people and just made the entire trip better.

I had waited 2 years since initially signing up for the trip to go on it, and it was rough to wait and go through the delays due to the pandemic but it was all well worth the wait. For any person simply seeking to learn more about Iceland and it's infrastructure to really establish yourself with good people and make new friends, it's well worth it and couldn't recommend it enough