Team Name:

Penn State Wind Energy Club

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania

Why this Competition?

Members of the Penn State Wind Energy Club all share a passion for renewable energy. Their participation in the U.S. Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition (CWC) will give them real-world experience, technical knowledge, and valuable skills as well as meaningful industry connections to jump-start their wind energy careers.

Game Plan

As the eighth CWC team from The Pennsylvania State University, Penn State Wind Energy Club plans to focus on the aerodynamic design of the rotor prototype as well as the rotor control system. The turbine test team has been using online collaboration tools to review and design the turbine components.  For the Project Development Contest, the team will pay particular attention to overcoming logistical challenges and creating a comprehensive financing plan. The project development team holds weekly work sessions and delegates assignments according to each person’s interests.

The Penn State Wind Energy Club is committed to increasing outreach and visibility within Pennsylvania’s state college and college township communities, and to developing industry connections through advertising and hosted events. The Connection Creation Contest offers the team an opportunity to achieve this objective.  For this contest, the team has increased its social media presence, conducted informational interviews with industry members, and organized a virtual discussion on wind energy careers for club members and other Penn State students.

Team Strengths

The Penn State Wind Energy Club features a large group of student leaders who are passionate about wind energy and enjoy working together. Exhibiting excellent communications and organizational skills, these talented competitors come from various educational backgrounds, including energy engineering, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. A key advantage for this team is experience, including from team members who participated in the 2020 CWC.

Team Hurdles

The team still has a lot of work to do to succeed in this competition. Challenges include delays in selecting a final site for the team’s 100-megawatt project in western South Dakota, little collaboration between the turbine test and project development teams, and hampered progress caused by the coronavirus pandemic like logistical barriers to turbine testing.

Competition Objectives

The team plans to deliver its best work during the 2021 CWC while overcoming the challenges posed by not being able to meet in person. They hope to achieve a greater understanding of wind turbine design and project development while making lasting connections within the team and the industry.

Follow Us

Facebook: @pennstate

Instagram: @pennstate

LinkedIn: Penn State University

Twitter: @RemoteWindPSU | @penn_state

Website: https://wind.psu.edu/wind-energy-club

This content was submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy by the team.