St. Andrews - Study Abroad

At the University of St. Andrews, we had the opportunity to learn about wind farms in Scotland, more specifically about how wind farms are perceived by communities. There are three types of wind farms:

1. Privately Owned

2. Community Owned

3. Shared Ownership

Privately Owned are the most common type, with large-scale wind farms and mostly only benefit the developer. Community Owned wind farms are designed, operated, and maintained by individuals in a community while benefiting the surrounding community monetarily. However, these wind farms are usually much smaller, with the largest being only 3 wind turbines. Shared ownership is a newer concept where communities and developers work to find a solution that is economical for all parties involved. It was interesting to hear the speaker Hogan's research on the topic and hear about her survey results with communities that are impacted by these different types of wind farms.

After our session inside of the University of St. Andrews, we toured the university's different campus sites, including two courtyards, learned where Prince William and Kate met and lived, and learned about different traditions at the university. These included their red gown, a traditional academic attire that is worn different ways each year, as well as jumping into the North Sea on May 1st to get rid of any bad luck that might have come a student's way!

Among other sites in the city, we visited the Oldest Golf Course in the world, St. Andrews Cathedral, and St. Andrew's Castle. These sights were sure to welcome us with some wet and windy Scottish weather during our first few days of the trip!