Fwd: Renewable Energy: Opening of Collegiate Wind Competition

[Daita Serghi]

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: Renewable Energy: Opening of Collegiate Wind Competition

 

Subjects: renewable energy/wind, solicitation for university and community college subcontracts, State Energy Sector Partnership/CBJTI/TAACCCT grants-in-aid,  Wind Turbine Technician (apprenticeable occupation), Renewable Energy competency model, YouTube webcast of model,,

IREC’s small wind newsletter

The objective of the Collegiate Wind Competition announced in today’s FEDERAL REGISTER is to prepare students from multiple disciplines to enter the wind energy workforce. Currently, the wind industry has shortages in key jobs such as scientists, educators, design and research engineers, technical workers, and project managers. Wind-specific advanced degrees are not required for many of these jobs, but having wind experience is of high importance. The Competition is also aligned with the central goals of DOE, which are to catalyze the timely, material, and efficient transformation of the nation's energy system, secure the United States' leadership in clean energy technologies, and maintain a vibrant domestic effort in science and engineering as a cornerstone of economic prosperity.

The Competition is open to teams of undergraduate students from two- and four-year institutions of higher education.

Click here for the PDF version of today’s FEDERAL REGISTER announcement.  Text follows:

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Collegiate Wind Competition

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requests proposals to 

participate in the 2016 Collegiate Wind Competition (Competition), 

which is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

(NREL). DOE anticipates the award of ten (10) firm fixed price 

subcontracts under this solicitation. The anticipated period of 

performance is through July 31, 2016, with a funding availability of 

$20,000 for each award. The Competition is open to teams of 

undergraduate students from two- and four-year institutions of higher 

education.

DATES: The request for proposals was issued on October 30, 2014 and is 

available at wind.energy.gov/windcompetition. Technical questions must 

be received in writing to NREL by November 13, 2014. Proposals must be 

received by December 15, 2014. The Competition event will be held in 

May, 2016. Dates are subject to change.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons can find full details about the 

Competition online at wind.energy.gov/windcompetition. Questions about 

the Competition can be sent to:

     Email: maurice...@nrel.gov.

     Mail: Mr. Maurice Nelson, National Renewable Energy 

Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway MS RSF030, Golden, Colorado 

80401.

    (The ADDRESSES caption includes any addresses that the public needs 

to know, such as where to mail public comments, where a public hearing 

(or meeting) will be held or where to examine any material available 

for public inspection or submission dates or due dates.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions may be directed to Mr. 

Maurice Nelson at (303) 384-7029 or by email at: 

maurice...@nrel.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy Science Education 

and Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381b) authorizes the Secretary to 

support competitive events for students under the supervision of 

teachers, designed to encourage student interest and knowledge in 

science and mathematics. DOE introduced the Competition in 2014 for the 

purpose of engaging the future workforce in wind energy. NREL 

administers the Competition for DOE.

    The objective of the Competition is to prepare students from 

multiple disciplines to enter the wind energy workforce. Currently, the 

wind industry has shortages in key jobs such as scientists, educators, 

design and research engineers, technical workers, and project managers. 

Wind-specific advanced degrees are not required for many of these jobs, 

but having wind experience is of high importance. The Competition is 

also aligned with the central goals of DOE, which are to catalyze the 

timely, material, and efficient transformation of the nation's energy 

system, secure the United States' leadership in clean energy 

technologies, and maintain a vibrant domestic effort in science and 

engineering as a cornerstone of economic prosperity.

    The 2016 Competition theme is to design, construct, and develop a 

plan to market a wind-driven power system, which includes an off-grid 

load supplied by the wind-driven power generator. The load shall be 

designed to perform useful work in an off-grid environment, be easily 

transported to the competition, tested safely and cleanly in the 

Competition environment, and provide a visual indication of the 

instantaneous power generated by the wind-driven power system. This 

theme focuses on effective electrical and electronic design of the wind 

turbine for efficient and safe control of the device, a load system 

that can match the power being generated, and an overall safe and 

reliable mechanical and aerodynamic turbine design. The Competition 

does not prescribe a market or a wind regime.

    The Competition consists of three multi-faceted elements. The 

technical element requires teams to design and build a unique wind-

driven power system, develop and present the technical designs to a 

panel of judges, and test the wind system against pre-determined parameters in an on-

site wind tunnel. The second element of the Competition is the creation 

and presentation of a market research-supported business plan that will 

be used to develop the team's technical product into a marketable wind 

power system. This plan will be presented formally to a panel of judges 

and informally pitched to a public audience. The final element of the 

Competition aims to familiarize students with the siting, permitting, 

and planning process associated with deployment of wind power systems 

by requiring students to identify a project site for their power 

system, develop a plan to install their system informed by siting 

constraints and expected challenges at that location, and present their 

well-researched deployment strategy. The plan for deployment shall be 

presented in a slide show or poster.

    Each Competition element will be evaluated against a set of pre-

weighted objective and subjective criteria in both closed-door and 

public settings. Technical design and business plan presentations to 

judge panels will be closed-door and non-public. Teams' market pitch 

and deployment strategy presentations will be public and attended by 

judges and other Competition teams. Criteria and weighting will be 

defined in the 2016 Rules and Requirements document, which will be 

published in the spring of 2015. Refer to the 2014 Rules and 

Requirements for examples of likely content.

    All dates are subject to change. For more details please visit 

wind.energy.gov/windcompetition.

    Dated: October 30, 2014.

Jose Zayas,

Director, Wind and Water Power Technologies, Office of Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

[FR Doc. 2014-26167 Filed 11-3-14; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P