University of Maryland 2020

Team Name:

University of Maryland Wind Terpines

University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland

Why this Competition?

The University of Maryland (UMD) Wind Terpines’ decision to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Collegiate Wind Competition (CWC) was inspired by a desire to use their knowledge to help build an environmentally sustainable future. The CWC provides an opportunity to learn the skills needed for a career in renewable energy and to develop those skills in a hands-on setting.

As the team recruited members, they found that many UMD students from other majors were also looking for ways to apply their skills and knowledge to the most critical issues of our time. Students majoring in business, civil engineering, public policy, physics, and other areas joined the UMD Wind Terpines with a serious commitment to contribute to the field of renewable energy by participating in the CWC.

Project Description

The UMD Wind Terpines are working to investigate and design innovative wind turbine prototypes that depart from conventional three-bladed turbines.

Game Plan

The team will investigate new technologies in wind turbine design and site planning. They will travel to Colorado in June to test their final prototype and prove their wind farm design skills.

Beyond their participation in the CWC, the UMD Wind Terpines want to lay the groundwork for students to continue advocating for wind energy. The team is partnering with other student groups and UMD faculty to ensure that in the future there will be classes, future CWC teams, and networking events to get students involved in renewable energy technology.

Team Strengths

The UMD Wind Terpines’ greatest strength lies in their enthusiasm. Their meetings are full of creative energy and excitement, and thanks to the team’s outreach efforts, students from all over the UMD campus are eager to get involved in the renewable energy transition through the CWC. An additional strength is the diversity of skills and majors among the Terpines, which allows the team to rely on each other’s expertise. Finally, the Terpines are part of a knowledgeable, committed student body working passionately for a shift to more sustainable energy practices, which gives the team members a sense of inspiration and solidarity.

Team Hurdles

Teams from UMD have competed in and won past Collegiate Wind Competitions, but those team members have all graduated, which meant that the UMD Wind Terpines had to rebuild the team from the ground up. In addition, the team quickly learned that one of the most difficult parts of the CWC is creating an optimized electrical system.

Competition Objectives

By exposing students to the theory and design process that accompanies wind energy design, the UMD Wind Terpines aim to provide students with the tools necessary to become professionals in the wind energy sector. Meeting this objective will involve engineering education, hands-on work, and business and siting education. Some team members are also interested in learning the managerial skills necessary to participate in large engineering projects like wind farms. The Wind Terpines are practicing these skills through the organization of the team, as well as learning about the logistics chains involved in wind farm construction.

Follow Us

Instagram: @umdwindenergy

This content was submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy by the team.