2014 National Collegiate Wind Competition

As an undergraduate student, I was offered an opportunity to work and represent Penn State in the inaugural Collegiate Wind Competition hosted by DOE in May 2014 at Las Vegas. Over the course of one academic year, each interdisciplinary team was responsible for building and testing a small-scale wind turbine, develop a business plan, formulate a business pitch and analyze the market issues associated with the turbine. I was responsible for developing the product market of the wind turbine in terms of the estimated wind forecast, specifications for turbine components (i.e. blades, battery, generator, tower, etc.), IEC standards, and load models. I also contributed in the business plan and market issues because of the inter-connectivity between each of these components of the competition.

A full-scale model of the wind turbine, planned to be deployed for emergency response applications, is shown below. Of the ten teams representing universities across the country, Penn State was chosen as the overall winner, winner of best business pitch and market issues, runner-up in turbine design review and business review presentations, and fourth place winner of turbine testing (despite exhibiting the highest power curve of all competitors). Here is a story published by Penn State summarizing the experience. In addition, a documentary was published about the team and its goals prior to the competition.