. 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 Sept. 26.
Questions? Reply to this email or 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, access the official rules, and use the student recruiting materials to help build a team. Watch the recording from this year's Informational Webinar (from August 15) to learn more about the competition and why students should compete-and check out some of the testimonials from last year's competitors.
Competitors in the Solar District Cup Class of 2024–2025 will:
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Take on the role of a solar developer for a real district
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Receive access to energy tools, training, and mentorship from solar energy experts
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Have opportunities to network with industry insiders
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Participate in a unique, team-based experience that can shape their future
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Gain a career advantage that can help them land a good job in the energy industry.
Participation is open to all post-secondary students (grad or undergrad) and from any discipline: We provide the tools and training to enable students to succeed! Students often participate as part of a class project, a senior capstone, or a club activity.
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.
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Ella Nielsen
Membership & Engagement Director
American Solar Energy Society
Boulder CO
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