2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A team of faculty and students at [University Name] participated in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar District Cup Competition as part of their renewable energy capstone requirements. The competition district featured a case study of one university's campus on the East Coast. This case study university is exploring commercial-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) interconnection investment to advance its sustainability goals, enhance student well-being, and reduce future energy expenses. The Solar District Cup challenges the competition team to elevate the case study site to a new standard. The university's energy supplier, [Utility Company Name], recognizes that solar PV interconnection supports the expansion of its customer base. While the case study university's campus currently houses a few buildings with small educational solar PV systems, most of these installations are outdated. The competition team employed various solar performance simulation tools, such as Aurora Solar, Open Distribution System Simulator, REopt, and System Advisor Model (SAM), to analyze system sizes and load data. The team identified fourteen solar PV systems with varying production capacities through comprehensive techno-economic analyses. In aggregate, photovoltaic interconnection is anticipated to reduce [Utility Company Name]'s demand by approximately 10%. With a focus on improving the quality of life, students can charge electric vehicles and enjoy outdoor recreational enhancements, such as solar-powered standalone accessory units. This strategic plan equips the case study university with the solutions required to realize its aspiration of expanding its photovoltaic portfolio. The competition team at [University Name] secured second place in their district in 2023. This marked the third year of [University Name]'s participation in the competition, and they intend to encourage at least one student group to participate in the competition in the future. This paper's goal is to document the unique opportunity for students to leverage the national competition as their renewable energy capstone, detail the learning outcomes of these students, and promote the exchange of ideas among educators in related fields.