Iceland Inspires Pitt Students with Energy Innovations and Culture

When Matt Barry returned from his first trip to Iceland, he wanted to share the experience with others who could appreciate the country’s rich history and culture — as well as its engineering advancements.

So the associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering led a semester-long course with a weeklong travel component titled “Sustainable Engineering in Iceland: Culture, History and Innovation.” It was the university’s first faculty-led study abroad program excursion to Iceland.

“We’re always looking to see trends for students, where they’re interested in going and what are our students interested in doing academically,” said Alicia Olalde, Director, Global Experiences and Engagement, Experiential Learning and Professional Engagement at the Swanson School. “Taking a look at alternative energy sources is very popular, and Iceland was a good choice. And then the airport began direct flights on Icelandair, so it was this perfect opportunity to put together a program that academically fits.”

“I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland. I was like, I can either spend my spring break on a beach in Florida, or I could spend my spring break at a glacier. And I chose the glacier,” said Emme Blanchard, a junior mechanical engineering student who gathered with two other students to talk to Blue Sky News about the study abroad program. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I could apply knowledge I was learning in the classroom and see it in a real-world application.”

In the United States, geothermal energy, which harnesses the Earth’s heat, supplies less than half of 1 percent of the country’s electricity. However, in Iceland, geothermal technology accounts for 66 percent of the country’s primary energy consumption.

Because it lies along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates converge, Iceland experiences significant volcanic activity, enabling it to become a leader in geothermal energy. The country uses the technology in countless ways, including electricity generation and heating homes and greenhouses.

CNX leads Pennsylvania’s geothermal exploration

Conventional hydrothermal technology involves drilling wells to extract hot water or steam from natural underground reservoirs to spin a turbine to generate electricity.

Technological advances have enabled Pennsylvania, with its rich history of energy innovation, to explore extracting geothermal heat from rock formations that do not naturally contain hydrothermal reservoirs.

Iceland’s total area is approximately 39,769 square miles, about 88.74 percent of the size of Pennsylvania. In comparison, the population of Pennsylvania is about 13 million, while Iceland’s is around 393,000.

“The Future of Geothermal Energy in Pennsylvania,” a report published in February by Penn State University and Project InnerSpace, a geothermal energy advocacy organization, concluded that Pennsylvania has “robust potential for geothermal energy development.”

Currently, Cecil-based CNX Resources Corp. is developing plans for a geothermal pilot project in Marchard, Indiana County, at the site of a shale gas well. CNX is partnering with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, Lehigh University, and others on the initiative.

Iceland as a classroom

Although the Northern Lights steal the show for most visitors to Iceland, the students were equally excited to visit the geodesic domes of the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant.

“The geothermal power plant was set up as half museum, half power plant. It’s an educational place for tourists and locals,” said Daniel Cooper, a sophomore chemical engineering student.

“Engineers are wired a little bit differently. So, these students, when they go out into the world, still have an engineering mindset,” Barry said. “I was inspired by the ingenuity of Iceland’s engineering and the commitment to sustainability and conservation. So, the entire trip was hopefully to have those students get the same inspiration and become passionate about something, and go forth. Iceland set itself up for success for engineers.”

“It was useful to get the hands-on experience of seeing what we’re learning about in class, especially with the geothermal plant. It’s hard sometimes in class to be able to imagine what’s actually happening within these systems,” said Evan Turner, a junior studying mechanical engineering.

About 18 percent of Pitt engineering students participate in study abroad programs, Olalde said, compared to the national average of about 5 percent, according to the Institute of International Education. Twenty-two students, including a junior environmental studies major, participated in the Iceland trip.

“The engineering in Iceland is unique because the environment is so unique. I mean the entire island is a volcano,” Blanchard said. “You notice all these different things and how the environment influences their engineering, and that is inspirational for us because if they can do it in this harsh environment, well, we do it.”

“The biggest takeaway was the thought of being able to take scarce resources and put them to the best use you possibly can without wasting these resources. It was less of what they are doing; more of the thought process behind it for me and being able to take that and apply it to the conditions we’re in right now,” Turner agreed.

Taste of Iceland’s culture

A prime example of Iceland’s innovative spirit is Friðheimar Greenhouse, which is heated and powered by geothermal energy.

“They have a greenhouse that cultivates upwards of 40 percent of their tomatoes, which is a testament to the future of farming. They’re talking about getting autonomous robots to do the picking and to monitor the plants,” Blanchard said. “And they make this soup … I’ve never had tomato soup with seeds in it, and it was divine.”

Iceland’s history, culture and food were an integral part of the course, with assistance from Ólöf Bjarnadóttir of the University of Iceland, who helped students experience the country like locals.

“I would say to step outside of your comfort zone. There’s a lot that you can do when you don’t explore, but there’s also a lot you’re missing out on.” Blanchard said. “Try the foods there, even if they don’t sound good. Explore what they have to offer, explore the powerplant. A lot of people don’t think that’s their cup of tea, but I think you’re at a disadvantage if you don’t go see it because you’re exposing yourself to a new experience, you’re exposing yourself to a new idea or a new way of thinking.”

She even recommended trying fermented shark, an Icelandic specialty, “just to say that you tried it.”

All three students and Barry agreed that the hot dogs in Iceland surpass American hot dogs by a mile (or kilometer in this case). The hot dogs are made from Icelandic lamb, with the addition of pork and beef, and are served with a variety of sauces: a sweet mustard called pylsusinnep, apple ketchup, and a mayo-and-herb-based remoulade.

“I think the horse is probably my favorite, which was kind of weird when you’d be driving by and see cute horses on the side of the road and the next second it’s tartare. It’s kind of messed up, but…,” Turner said.

“I liked the taste of puffin, but the texture was a little outside of my realm,” Blanchard added, before Turner chimed in: “I was like, ‘All right, I’ll take it.’”

And nobody comes away from Iceland without being blown away by the landscape.

“I’m interested in the outdoors, and visiting Iceland was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve ever had,” Turner said. “I was able to see the Northern Lights, which were absolutely amazing. The nature and landscape were something that will stick with me forever.”

“There were times when I was FaceTiming my parents and was like, ‘Hey guys, look at what I’m looking at right now.’ It looked like it was something from a movie,” Blanchard added.

“I was acutely aware of the potential to see the Northern Lights, because I knew that would just make the trip perfect,” Cooper said. “And we saw them and it was fantastic.”

Barry was as impressed by the feedback from the students as he was by the Northern Lights.

“The entire purpose of the trip was to provide the students with a transformational experience where they could change their perspective on engineering and humanity — and they did that. The students are what made the trip phenomenal,” Barry said. “This is a highlight of my career. I probably got just as much, if not more, out of it than they did.”

For more student insights, visit the blog posts from the trip.