Werner Slocum / NREL / DOE


Engineering Team


Business Team


Siting Team

(Vallejo, California – May 11, 2018) – An interdisciplinary team from Cal Maritime is the overall winner at the 2018 U.S. Department of Energy's Collegiate Wind Competition. The group also took home the top prize for turbine testing. 
 
A panel of wind industry experts named Cal Maritime the overall winner of the competition with the highest cumulative scores in all categories. The team's turbine will be displayed at DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C., in the coming months.
 
The competition was held at American Wind Energy Association WINDPOWER in Chicago, Illinois, May 8–10. Competing teams from 12 universities designed and built a model wind turbine based on market research and siting considerations, developed a business plan to market the products, and tested the turbines against a set of rigorous performance criteria. 
 
"The students participating in the Collegiate Wind Competition represent the best and brightest that our nation has to offer," said Tim Unruh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power at DOE. "As the U.S. wind industry continues to grow, the Collegiate Wind Competition provides unique, hands-on training and an opportunity to help launch the careers of the next generation of wind energy professionals."
 
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Collegiate Wind Competition is a program created to provide undergraduates with real-world skills needed to enter tomorrow's renewable energy workforce. Competitors were challenged with a number of tasks, including developing and delivering a business plan, siting a wind plant, and building and testing a wind turbine.
 
The team representing Cal Maritime consisted of Quentin Williams, Darlene Conolly; Daniel Neumaier, Adam Olm, and Zachary Thomas of the engineering team; Dylan Sanchez, Lydia Thanh, and Joseph Phillips of the siting team; Jonah Grier, Stefano Maffei, Matthew Leli, and Bartlett Tamarro of the business team. Dr. Thomas Nordenholz from Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Tony Lewis from International Business and Logistics, Dr. Ryan Dudley Wade from Global Studies and Maritime Affairs, Dr. Evan Chang-Siu from Engineering Technology, and Ryan Storz from Facilities Engineering Technology served as faculty representatives, managing and advising the teams.
 
"Every year that Cal Maritime has participated, we've gotten better at this competition. Progressively through all of these years, our students have looked back on past designs and thought processes," said Storz. "This year is an exemplary example of what shipmates are: we had mechanical engineers, a licensed mechanical engineer, a marine engineering technology student, three global studies and maritime affairs students, and four business students on this team. At every event where engineering, siting, or business had a presentation, challenge, or trial – the entire Cal Maritime team showed up to support the other members. The constant through all of these years has been Dr. Tom Nordenholz who has advised each of the previous teams as well as this one."
 
Other teams in this year's competition were from Virginia Tech, Texas Tech, Penn State, Chico State, Iowa State, University of Wisconsin, Seattle University, Kansas State, Northern Arizona, James Madison, and Universidad del Turabo.
 
According to a U.S. Department of Energy report, wind generation could double by 2020 – and double again by 2030. As the U.S. power generation mix incorporates more wind energy, qualified workers will be needed to fill related jobs at all levels.
 

 

Contact

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ABOUT CAL MARITIME
Established in 1929, ÌìÃÀÊÓƵ is the only degree-granting maritime academy on the West Coast. Located in Vallejo, California, the campus offers undergraduate degrees that prepare students for careers in engineering, transportation, international relations, business, and global logistics. Cal Maritime also offers a master’s degree in Transportation and Engineering Management, as well as a number of extended learning programs and courses.