Top left: Mike Sansorm, Calvin Brown, Cody McConkey, Luke Weaver. Top right: Cameron Allen, Scott Roskens, Mitchell Petronek, Davis Gumbo. Bottom Left: Jerad Deitrick, Brandon Lee, Nael Naser, Luke Ganschow. Bottom middle: Grant Stephens, Michael Shoaee, Brian Cardwell, Rory O'Leary. Bottom right: Brian Dambi, Stephan Stuats, Adrian Reyes, Haitian Xu, Firaj Almasyabi. Photo from Boise State University.

Project Description

The Boise State University team investigated innovative wind energy concepts and increased their knowledge of the wind industry as part of the first U.S. Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition. The student-driven team designed and constructed a small-scale wind turbine that could perform according to their customized market data-derived business plan. See the entire project portfolio below or on the team's website.

Team Strategy

A total of 28 Boise State students from three disciplines—mechanical engineering (ME), electrical engineering (EE), and business and economics—were involved in the competition. At Boise State, the ME and EE capstone Senior Design courses were used as the participation platform for the competition. Four ME teams designed and constructed separate small wind turbines and competed against each other in an internal competition. The four ME teams were supported by an EE team consisting of five students and a College of Business and Economics team. A separate team that consisted of students from each discipline was formed to create a business and marketing plan around the turbine and address the market issues topic. Students from the winning turbine design team and the business and marketing plan team represented Boise State University at the competition in May.

Design Features

  • Upwind, HAWT design
  • Easy assembly, disassembly, and storage for use and/or part repair and replacement
  • Robust design for years of use and abuse

Team Portfolio