University of Colorado Boulder 2023

What is your team name, institution name, city, and state?

We are the CU Boulder Wind Team, and we’re from the University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder, Colorado.

Who are your faculty advisor and student lead(s)?

Our faculty advisor is Roark Lanning, and our student lead is Jeremiah Pare. 

Why is your team participating in the Collegiate Wind Competition (CWC)? 

Our team is passionate about combating the climate crisis, and we’re eager to apply our knowledge to help develop clean energy solutions that can help the country transition into a sustainable future. We hope, through our participation in the CWC, we can gain insight on the industry while expanding our technical knowledge on wind energy design and project development.

What is your vision for a clean energy future? 

In order to create a clean energy future, the United States needs to come together as a society to make technological advances that can support more sustainable and flexible energy systems. A clean future will consist of net-zero carbon emissions and renewable energy systems that are affordable and reliable all over the world.

Describe your project, objectives, and game plan.

Our team is collaborating to design, manufacture, and test a small-scale offshore wind turbine and develop a site plan and financial analysis for an offshore wind farm. We are forging strong connections between members of the wind energy industry, team members, and the community by hosting outreach events and networking with industry professionals.

What steps are your team taking to ensure a diverse and inclusive team? 

In previous years, the CU Boulder Wind Team has consisted mostly of mechanical engineers. This year, our team created the CU Wind Energy Club, which is open to students in all majors who want to be a part of our project and learn more about wind energy. The club allows us to diversify our team’s recruitment for years to come.

What do you do for team building/to boost team morale?

We conduct biweekly happy hours and team bonding events where we go bowling or grab dinner together at a local restaurant. These activities have allowed us to get to know each other on a more personal level and establish excellent team chemistry. Celebrating little milestones and accomplishments at these get-togethers keeps us excited about the project.

If you had to choose a catchy slogan for your team, what would it be and why?

Our team slogan would be: “Stay breezy.” We do our best to maintain a cheery and lighthearted environment where everyone looks forward to coming in to work on the project despite the stressors involved. To “stay breezy” means to maintain a happy, confident, and enthusiastic demeanor.

This content was submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy by the team. Find more information on CWC 2023.