The Hopkins Student Wind Energy Team was created in 2020 to participate in the annual Collegiate Wind Competition (CWC). As part of a competition year, we submit a prototype turbine, siting plan, financial analysis, and make meaningful connections between ourselves, the wind energy industry, and local students.

To learn more about CWC, visit their website.

Our Story

 

  • HSWET’s interdisciplinary, career-focused mindset is cited by many as one of the key reasons why they joined. The team has provided previously inexperienced members with the resources, patience, and investment they needed to develop desirable skills and feel comfortable entering the working world. Members also have the opportunity to connect with Johns Hopkins’ vast alumni network, learning firsthand from industry professionals at top companies.

    By combining HSWET’s open and development-focused philosophy with well-constructed industry connections, the team has created a winning formula. Regular meetings between sub-teams, industry mentors, the executive board, and faculty advisors mean that the team is constantly evaluating its performance and building on areas of improvement.

  • Originally a design team for mechanical engineers founded in 2020, HSWET has blossomed into a vibrant, diverse collection of motivated students in the two years since its inception. It is overseen by an elected executive board working with six sub-teams, each responsible for an aspect of the yearly project. Since experienced sub-team leaders can recruit directly from relevant major pools, HSWET boasts broad and specialized academic diversity. HSWET prides itself on accepting all students from all majors, and will never turn a student away who is eager to learn.

  • The engineering sub-teams constantly collaborate to iteratively design and test the turbine subsystems, both individually and collectively. The team’s extensive design process includes computer-aided design, load analysis, finite element analysis, simulation software, and physical testing. This year’s team has been focused on maximizing structural stability and performance efficiency in harsher, offshore conditions and to ensure continuous power output. The finance and siting teams have also been hard at work analyzing government and maritime regulations, as well as tax and other financial risk to determine the best lease areas, turbines to use, and bid price.

    In this year’s competition, HSWET will solidify itself as a top yearly contender, building and reinforcing networks with the industry, other schools, and our local community. This will model success for future competitions, creating easy and effective ways to pass down knowledge and strategy to the next cohorts of team members.

 

At HSWET, we bring together students of all majors to create a diverse and dedicated group of sustainability professionals. Regardless of skill level or previous experience, we work to bring all new members up to speed while delegating responsibility efficiently and effectively.