First place celebration.
Students from The Pennsylvania State University happily carry their first place trophy off stage. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Collegiate Wind Competition 2016 Trophies.
The prize table holding all of the trophies to be awarded at the Collegiate Wind Competition 2016. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:00
Preparing wind turbines for practice tests.
Students from the Universidad del Turabo in Puerto Rico prep their wind turbine for its first practice test in the wind tunnel. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Private presentation of engineering and business design of a wind turbine.
A student from the California Maritime Academy presents the technical details of their wind turbine to a panel of judges in a private presentation. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Preparing the turbine for testing.
Students from the University of Alaska Fairbanks begin preparing their wind turbine for wind tunnel testing. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Jose Zayas with Collegiate Wind Competition participants.
Director for the Wind and Water Power Technologies Office, Jose Zayas, talks with students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst about their wind turbine. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Turbine testing wind tunnel on display.
One of the wind tunnels used for testing students' wind turbine prototypes. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
MacGyver Challenge collaboration.
A team comprised of students from the Collegiate Wind Competition and KidWind work together to build a wind turbine from a box of provided materials. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Judging the private presentations.
Judge Drew Eisenberg listens intently to the student presentations in a private session. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Students show their turbine to judges.
Students from The Pennsylvania State University show their turbine design to judges Charles Newcomb and Patrick Gilman. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Wind tunnel testing judges.
Engineers Jason Roadman and Heidi Tinnesand served as the judges for testing performed in the wind tunnels. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Inspecting the connections.
Students look closely at the wiring and electrical components of their wind turbine before it's tunnel testing. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Watching turbine testing.
A student and adviser from the California State University, Chico look at the results from their wind turbine test. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Student bull pens.
Students from The Pennsylvania State University sit at their bull pen surrounded by electrical components and college branding. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Testing the electrical load.
Students from University of Massachusetts Amherst test their electrical load at their bull pen. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Demonstrating a wind turbine.
Students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison explain the functionality of their wind turbine to visitors. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Private business and design presentations.
Students from the University of Massachusetts Lowell present their business plans and technical engineering designs in a closed door meeting with a panel of judges. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
An interior view of the wind tunnel.
A view of a team's wind turbine from within the wind tunnel. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Birdseye view of the wind tunnel.
Students from the Universidad del Turabo installing their wind turbine in the testing tunnel. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Posing with a wind turbine.
Students taking a photo of their wind turbine prototype. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Making adjustments to a wind turbine.
Two students from the University of Maryland make adjustments to their shrouded wind turbine. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Inspiring words from industry.
Engineering Department Manager, John Amos from Siemens Wind Power after his inspirational message to students at the Collegiate Wind Competition. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:00
Watching the tunnel testing results.
Students gather around the testing tunnel display to see the results of the tunnel testing. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Preparing a wind turbine for testing.
Students from Northern Arizona State University in front of all of their components for wind tunnel testing. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
Public pitches at AWEA WINDPOWER.
Students from The Pennsylvania State University giving their public pitch at the Tech Station Theater on the American Wind Energy Association WINDPOWER's show floor. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:00
Explaining a business plan to the judges.
Two students from California State University, Chico explain some aspects of their business plan to a panel of judges. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:00
Jose Zayas receives award.
Students from Northern Arizona State University presented Jose Zayas with a plaque thanking him and the U.S. Department of Energy for their support. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:02
Second place excitement.
A student from the University of Massachusetts Lowell happily shows off his team's second place trophy. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL
Date taken: 2016-06-01 19:01
It’s an exciting time to be part of the wind energy industry. Wind is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy sources in the United States, and it has the potential to support hundreds of thousands of jobs in the near future. Since 2014, passionate college students from across the country have learned the ins and outs of the wind industry by participating in the Energy Department’s Collegiate Wind Competition, which challenges undergraduates to design and build a wind turbine and develop a business plan to market their project. This enriching, year-long experience has resulted in nearly 30 teams taking a wind turbine project from concept to prototype.
This past spring, Penn State took top honors in the Collegiate Wind Competition 2016. Now, we’re gearing up to crown a new champion for Collegiate Wind Competition 2018. Students who are interested in learning more about wind energy are encouraged to form a team and submit their proposal.
Here are five reasons why joining the Collegiate Wind Competition is a great idea:
1. Collaborate across fields of study
The CWC is not limited to students in engineering programs. In fact, the organizers of the competition encourage an interdisciplinary approach. For example, the expertise of business students allows the teams to dive into market research and business plans to solve their challenge. Other disciplines can provide perspectives that are outside the engineering sector, but necessary for success.
2. Receive direct feedback from industry experts
The three aspects of the competition—wind tunnel testing, design and engineering presentation, and the business plan pitch—are all judged by leaders in the wind industry. Students will receive direct feedback on their competition project from the judges.
3. Get hands-on, real world experience
Time and again, students who participated in past competitions talk about their ability to get firsthand experience designing, building, and testing a wind turbine. Participating in the Collegiate Wind Competition gives you the opportunity to take your theoretical education and apply it to a tangible challenge.
“I was able to work on all three aspects of the competition: the test turbine, the market turbine, and the business plan. I learned so much and can talk to people in the industry now, which I never imagined I would be able to do at the beginning of the year.”
—Student who competed in the Collegiate Wind Competition 2016
4. Work with a diverse team of your peers
In addition to introducing a new generation to career opportunities in wind energy, one of the Collegiate Wind Competition's top goals is to increase diversity in the workforce, and teams that show inclusive representation from their student communities are encouraged to apply. This gives teammates the opportunity to work with people from a variety of backgrounds.
5. Network with members of the wind industry
Since the Collegiate Wind Competition is held at the American Wind Energy Association's WINDPOWER conference, students participating in the competition have the opportunity to network the showroom floor and meet some of the big names in wind energy—including GE, Siemens, Gamesa, and more.
Learn more about the Collegiate Wind Competition by reviewing the Request for Proposals here. Applications are due January 11, 2017.
