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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 213 (Tuesday, November 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65387-65388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26167]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Collegiate Wind Competition

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requests proposals to 
participate in the 2016 Collegiate Wind Competition (Competition), 
which is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory 
(NREL). DOE anticipates the award of ten (10) firm fixed price 
subcontracts under this solicitation. The anticipated period of 
performance is through July 31, 2016, with a funding availability of 
$20,000 for each award. The Competition is open to teams of 
undergraduate students from two- and four-year institutions of higher 
education.

DATES: The request for proposals was issued on October 30, 2014 and is 
available at wind.energy.gov/windcompetition. Technical questions must 
be received in writing to NREL by November 13, 2014. Proposals must be 
received by December 15, 2014. The Competition event will be held in 
May, 2016. Dates are subject to change.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons can find full details about the 
Competition online at wind.energy.gov/windcompetition. Questions about 
the Competition can be sent to:
     Email: maurice.nelson@nrel.gov.
     Mail: Mr. Maurice Nelson, National Renewable Energy 
Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway MS RSF030, Golden, Colorado 
80401.
    (The ADDRESSES caption includes any addresses that the public needs 
to know, such as where to mail public comments, where a public hearing 
(or meeting) will be held or where to examine any material available 
for public inspection or submission dates or due dates.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions may be directed to Mr. 
Maurice Nelson at (303) 384-7029 or by email at: 
maurice.nelson@nrel.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy Science Education 
and Enhancement Act (42 U.S.C. 7381b) authorizes the Secretary to 
support competitive events for students under the supervision of 
teachers, designed to encourage student interest and knowledge in 
science and mathematics. DOE introduced the Competition in 2014 for the 
purpose of engaging the future workforce in wind energy. NREL 
administers the Competition for DOE.
    The objective of the Competition is to prepare students from 
multiple disciplines to enter the wind energy workforce. Currently, the 
wind industry has shortages in key jobs such as scientists, educators, 
design and research engineers, technical workers, and project managers. 
Wind-specific advanced degrees are not required for many of these jobs, 
but having wind experience is of high importance. The Competition is 
also aligned with the central goals of DOE, which are to catalyze the 
timely, material, and efficient transformation of the nation's energy 
system, secure the United States' leadership in clean energy 
technologies, and maintain a vibrant domestic effort in science and 
engineering as a cornerstone of economic prosperity.
    The 2016 Competition theme is to design, construct, and develop a 
plan to market a wind-driven power system, which includes an off-grid 
load supplied by the wind-driven power generator. The load shall be 
designed to perform useful work in an off-grid environment, be easily 
transported to the competition, tested safely and cleanly in the 
Competition environment, and provide a visual indication of the 
instantaneous power generated by the wind-driven power system. This 
theme focuses on effective electrical and electronic design of the wind 
turbine for efficient and safe control of the device, a load system 
that can match the power being generated, and an overall safe and 
reliable mechanical and aerodynamic turbine design. The Competition 
does not prescribe a market or a wind regime.
    The Competition consists of three multi-faceted elements. The 
technical element requires teams to design and build a unique wind-
driven power system, develop and present the technical designs to a 
panel of judges,

[[Page 65388]]

and test the wind system against pre-determined parameters in an on-
site wind tunnel. The second element of the Competition is the creation 
and presentation of a market research-supported business plan that will 
be used to develop the team's technical product into a marketable wind 
power system. This plan will be presented formally to a panel of judges 
and informally pitched to a public audience. The final element of the 
Competition aims to familiarize students with the siting, permitting, 
and planning process associated with deployment of wind power systems 
by requiring students to identify a project site for their power 
system, develop a plan to install their system informed by siting 
constraints and expected challenges at that location, and present their 
well-researched deployment strategy. The plan for deployment shall be 
presented in a slide show or poster.
    Each Competition element will be evaluated against a set of pre-
weighted objective and subjective criteria in both closed-door and 
public settings. Technical design and business plan presentations to 
judge panels will be closed-door and non-public. Teams' market pitch 
and deployment strategy presentations will be public and attended by 
judges and other Competition teams. Criteria and weighting will be 
defined in the 2016 Rules and Requirements document, which will be 
published in the spring of 2015. Refer to the 2014 Rules and 
Requirements for examples of likely content.
    All dates are subject to change. For more details please visit 
wind.energy.gov/windcompetition.

    Dated: October 30, 2014.
Jose Zayas,
Director, Wind and Water Power Technologies, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2014-26167 Filed 11-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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