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Subsystem Team Updates - Week of 10/5/20

Technical teams:

-Generator team working on test set-ups for different generator designs!

-Structures team modeling blade designs!

-Electronics and controls subsystem programming the micro controller!

Siting:

-Researching softwares to use for energy capacity and siting suitability, including overlaying wind patterns on the US map

-3 locations narrowed down in Western S Dakota

Marketing:

-Split into subteams on CapEx and OpEx

-General research into softwares for generating the numbers, then will apply to the locations received from siting

Subsystem Team Updates - Week of 10/26/20

Generator:

-ordered parts for subsystem testing, building soon to flush out ideas

-simulations going

Electronics/Controls:

-putting things together on the protoboard

-testing new components for functionality

Aerodynamics:

-manufacturing integration and optimization plans

Structures:

-first design in CAD - to get the precision machine parts figured out (hope to have the CAD dimensions done for Thursday)

-access to steel tubing for welding thru Hopkins

Siting:

-narrowed down to 3 locations - conflict btwn WindProspector and NREL on maps for wind class power

-applying all the info on energy, community, and environment factors to the selected site

Finance:

-researching industry-used default values for the JEDI and SAM software inputs and testing outputs with them

-using this knowledge of the software to produce an initial financial analysis for the siting team's initial locations

Subsystem Team Updates - November

Technical Teams:

-Performed wind tunnel testing of the rotor assembly and it works!

-Up and running electrical safety system

-Working on lead times on the generators and other items, and preparing for final assembly by December 11th

Siting:

-Researching turbine designs and metrics for the 100 MW wind farm in S Dakota

-Finalizing location selection with research into mitigation strategies for endangered/keystone species, community impacts, and infrastructure proximity

Finance:

-Full analysis of the SAM model outputs in order to understand output optimization (cost minimization, maximum energy output and revenue generation)

-Met with industry heads and executives of wind farm finance to discuss current financing conditions, such as tax credits, power purchase agreements and basic interest/insurance rates to expect for a 100 MW wind farm

Finance and Siting:

-Preparing for end-of-semester presentation to faculty on 12/7!

Team Updates - March

We've had a busy spring semester thus far! Here's what HSWET has been working on over the past few weeks in preparation for the 2021 Collegiate Wind Competition from June 1st-11th:

Turbine:

- Assembling subsystems for their April 4th deadline

- Developing a safety system(s)

- Testing turbine prototypes in the wind tunnel

- Re-designing core parts and adjusting blades for higher torque

- Failure testing subassembly designs

Community and Corporate Outreach:

- Working with Baltimore schools to bring wind curriculums to classrooms, including with a local Baltimore teacher, Jessica Herceg at Southwest Baltimore Charter School

- Developing our next panel for April

Finance:

- Research to model costs of wind farm (cost of land, implementation of transmission lines, etc)

- Applying the data to various software to project returns and expenses

- Started a course on renewable energy project finance modeling through Pivotal180 (platform used by those in industry)

Siting:

- Research on permitting and completed environmental considerations for the proposed location (Union Creek, South Dakota)

- Working with Professor Charles Meneveau for turbulence modeling, which will help to optimize turbine layout