Student teams compete in turbine performance testing at the Collegiate Wind Competition 2018, in Chicago on May 8–10, 2018.

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the 12 collegiate teams selected to participate in the 2020 Collegiate Wind Competition. Three new schools have been selected along with nine returning teams from previous competitions. The colleges and universities selected to participate in the Collegiate Wind Competition 2020 are:

  • California State University, Chico
  • California State University Maritime Academy
  • James Madison University
  • University of Maryland
  • University of New Haven
  • Northern Arizona University
  • The Pennsylvania State University
  • Texas Tech University
  • Tuskegee University
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Washington State University-Everett with Everett Community College
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison

This biennial event challenges multidisciplinary teams of undergraduate students to develop a project plan based on wind energy market and siting considerations, design and build a model wind turbine, and test their turbine against a set of rigorous performance criteria. The participating teams will combine the expertise of students from a variety of programs, such as engineering, business, communications, and social science, to develop state-of-the-art wind energy solutions as a team. Participants will intertwine academic coursework with tangible, hands-on learning, and earn valuable real-world experience as they prepare to enter the workforce.

Each team brings diverse experiences and unique perspectives to the competition, representing schools from around the country. The Collegiate Wind Competition 2020 will bring together the next generation of wind energy pioneers with today's industry leaders at the annual American Wind Energy Association WINDPOWER Conference in Denver, Colorado, June 1–4, 2020.

The U.S. Department of Energy has held the Collegiate Wind Competition every other year at the American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition since 2014. The inaugural competition helped lay the groundwork for what has become the country's most prominent undergraduate-level wind energy competition.