The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition announced today that 60 teams from 53 schools are advancing as finalists in the Class of 2023–2024, including 17 teams from 17 schools that joined the competition for the one-semester division since December. 

"This is the largest cohort yet of Solar District Cup finalists," said Becca Jones-Albertus, director of the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office. "These competitors represent the next generation of talent to support the growing solar sector that is needed to meet the country’s clean energy goals. There is great creativity, innovation, and excitement in this competition, and I’m looking forward to seeing the teams' designs in April."

Class of 2023–2024 Finalists

The following list includes finalist teams who are either advancing from the initial group announced in October or starting this month in the Winter/Spring division.

The collegiate institutions competing as Class of 2023–2024 finalists are:

  • Alfred University 
  • Appalachian State University 
  • Baylor University
  • Boise State University
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Central New Mexico Community College
  • Cleveland State University
  • Colorado School of Mines
  • Columbia University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Drexel University
  • Florida A&M University
  • Franklin & Marshall College
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Houston Community College 
  • Kankakee Community College
  • Macalester College
  • Maine Maritime Academy
  • Manhattan College
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Miami University
  • Navajo Technical University
  • New Jersey Institute of Technology
  • North Carolina State University 
  • Northeastern University
  • Ohio University
  • Portland State University
  • Santa Clara University
  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale
  • Southern Methodist University
  • Texas A&M University–College Station
  • Texas A&M University–Kingsville
  • Texas Tech University
  • The City College of New York
  • The George Washington University
  • The Pennsylvania State University
  • The State University of New York Morrisville
  • The University of Alabama
  • The University of Texas at Dallas
  • University of Colorado Boulder
  • University of Dayton
  • University of Houston
  • University of North Texas
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus
  • University of South Florida
  • University of Utah
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Villanova University
  • West Texas A&M University 
  • Western Washington University
  • Xavier University of Louisiana
  • Youngstown State University

"Each year, it’s rewarding to see these students embracing the challenge of designing distributed solar energy systems," said Sara Farrar, Solar District Cup co-organizer. "They get to see a solar design from so many angles in this competition—meeting the electrical load and providing the financing along with the interconnection, distributional equity, and aesthetic considerations of how solar installations can produce far-reaching benefits. We’re eager to see how their designs and analysis develop between now and April!” 

If you are interested in getting involved with the Solar District Cup as a partner, judge, or industry mentor, contact the Solar District Cup organizers!

Congrats again to the Class of 2023–2024 Finalist Teams!