Contact
Contact solardistrictcup@nrel.gov for more information.
The Solar District Cup is a collegiate competition that challenges multidisciplinary student teams to design and model distributed energy systems for a mixed-use campus or district—groups of buildings served by a common electrical distribution feeder. The competition engages students across disciplines—engineering, finance, urban planning, sustainability, communications, and more—to reimagine how energy is generated, managed, and used in a district.
Current Timeline
- July 17, 2024 – Launch of 2024-2025 competition [Fall registration open]
- August 15, 2024 – Rules published
- August 15, 2024 – Informational webinar [register]
- September 26, 2024 – Fall registration closes for full academic year participation.
- October 1, 2024 – Participating teams will be announced
- December 1, 2024 – Registration opens for one-semester/two-quarter participation
- January 16, 2025 – Registration closes for one-semester/two-quarter participation
- January 2025 – Finalist teams will be announced
- April 17, 2025 – Deadline for receipt of Final Deliverable Package from finalist teams
- April 21, 2025 – Competing teams present their projects to judges and peers at the Final Competition Event
- April 2025 – Winners will be announced
Find more STEM events and deadlines on the DOE STEM calendar.