U.S. Department of Energy Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition – Sep 26

Posted by U.S. Department of Energy on August 27, 2024

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition challenges student teams to design solar-plus-storage solutions for real district use cases. The deadline to register a team and participate in the full-academic-year competition (including the chance to design for your own campus) is September 26, 2024.

Please share this info with a colleague or student who would be interested in learning more about the competition!

Questions? Contact competition organizers directly at solardistrictcup@nrel.gov to schedule a one-on-one meeting so we can answer your questions and help you get started!

You’re invited to follow the competition on HeroX and use the student recruiting materials to help build a team.

Competitors in the Solar District Cup Class of 2024–2025 will:

• Take on the role of a solar developer for a real district
• Receive access to energy tools, training, and mentorship from solar energy experts
• Have opportunities to network with industry insiders
• Participate in a unique, team-based experience that can shape their future
• Gain a career advantage that can help them land a good job in the energy industry.

Students who compete in the Solar District Cup walk away with multidisciplinary design, financial modeling, and presentation work that will demonstrate their understanding of the business, policy, and engineering behind solar energy—exactly what employers are looking for.

The Solar District Cup has engaged more than 1,000 collegiate students since 2020. Every year, participants have shown a substantial improvement in program and industry knowledge after completion of the competition.

Participation is free, and competition work can be integrated into an existing course, serve as a senior design or capstone project, or simply be an extracurricular activity.

Register a team by September. 26, 2024.