Congratulations to Nhu Energy engineering intern, Darin Meeker, who is a member of the winning team from the University of Colorado in this year’s DOE EERE Solar District Cup.  The CU team of engineering students from the environmental, electrical, and mechanical engineering departments developed a detailed plan and analysis for deploying solar and energy storage systems at the University of Central Florida’s campus, in support of UCF’s campus-wide goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. 

Darin contributed to the Distribution System Impact Analysis (DSIA), using OpenDSS modeling tools, as part of the project’s overall technical and economic analysis of solar and energy storage options for the campus.

The CU Boulder team competed with 59 student-led teams from 57 collegiate institutions to place first in their district by the judging panel and champion of the overall competition by a voting audience of peers, faculty, and solar industry representatives.

“These students are part of the clean energy future this nation is counting on,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Kelly Speakes-Backman. “When these talented, diverse students enter the workforce, their ingenuity and skill will contribute to lower electricity costs, expanding solar energy deployment for more Americans, and the decarbonization of our energy infrastructure and economy.”

Congratulations to all of the teams and finalists and thank you to the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) for sponsoring the Solar District Cup:

https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-district-cup-class-2021