Energy Primer Challenge
Power Across Texas is sponsoring the Texas Energy Primer Challenge in partnership with predominant universities in Texas featuring interdisciplinary teams of students working to develop primers in key areas of energy policy: Smart Grids, Solar Energy, Geothermal Energy and Energy Storage.
Texas A&M's winning team! (from Left to Right) Ojay Anyaeji, Amulya Karavadi, and Samantha Castillo
Update: The 2011 Energy Primer Challenge is now complete. Download the primer’s below.
First place – Texas A&M University, Solar Energy Primer
Second Place – Texas Tech University, Energy Storage Primer
Third place – University of Texas at Austin, Smart Grid Primer
The Texas Energy Primer Challenge is designed to get students engaged in dissecting issues that have potential for increased commercialization and regulatory/legislative attention over the next two years.
Content Focus
Each primer will address the following areas:
- Technology – The primers will address a description of and the current maturity level of the technology in that energy area; a comparison of the technologies being researched, tested and/or commercialized; and the future trend projections for commercialization of one or more of such technologies for that energy topic component.
- Economic and Financial Viability – The primers will each discuss the current costs of the various technologies related to each energy topic; the cost projections and drivers of the cost decreases (increases); identify business models that facilitate the economics of current/future commercialization of the technology.
- Barriers to Entry and Growth – Each primer will include a discussion of the current statutory and regulatory environment; external issues (i.e., air, water, or other environmental concerns; supply availability; national security interests, etc) that may cause heightened attention to, and interest in, this topic area especially among policy makers and regulators; identify any policy issues that will mitigate barriers to entry and create incentives for further commercialization of that energy technology; explain the benefits (or any disadvantages) that growth in that technology area may bring to the Texas economy and workforce.
Topic Areas
Thetopic areas for the Texas Energy Primer Challenge will explore key energy policy topics that Texas and the United States will be addressing this decade. The topic areas are:
- Smart Grids
- Solar Energy
- Geothermal Energy
- Energy Storage
Student Team Structure and Awards
A team from each partnering academic institution will include one graduate student from the institution’s business school, engineering school, and public policy/liberal arts college (or law school). The student teams will be supervised by one Faculty who will work with the student to ensure quality work product. The primer will be given course credit and will be part of the curriculum for the Fall 2010 semester. The student teams are invited to present their primers to the Power Across Texas Advisory Board and corporate members in January.
Each team will receive approximately $15,000 in compensation and bonuses to be divided between the students and participating faculty.
Contact Power Across Texas to learn more about the Texas Energy Primer Challenge.
