About

Launched in 2022 by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office, the Hydropower Collegiate Competition (HCC) highlights and invites interdisciplinarity teams across various academic programs to solve complicated challenges that involve hydropower.

The competition includes several required challenges that each team must complete. This includes:

1. Siting Challenge - A site selection challenges is selected - 35%
a. NPD Conversion (1-10MW)
b. PSH System Integration (up to 1GW)
c. In-Conduit System (100KW-10MW)
Teams will then develop a feasibility assessment for the selected site   

2. Design Challenge - One of the following tracts is selected - 40%
a. Facility Conceptual Design for selected hydropower site
b. Component Deep Dive where teams create a final design package for an individual component of the selected site

3. Community Connections - Talk to industry communities - 25%
Teams will have three goals while talking to engaging in the industry:
a. Connect with professionals to discuss a challenge in the industry that the team is passionate about
b. Create unique solutions to address those challenges
c. Commit to one of thee solutions and complete it 

4. Design and Siting Poster: (100 points not counted towards final)
Teams will create and bring a poster to the final event to summarize their design and siting challenges

5. Quick Pitch - 90 second project pitch (No points)
Teams will partake in a 90 second pitch to communicate their biggest takeaways from this project. Submissions will be voted on by attendees at the final industry event. 

6. Build and Test Challenge - (Optional)
Teams will build a scaled prototype of their concept or powerhouse and perform a series of tests.