Online Solar Home Challenge

Overview

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Project Overview

The Online Solar Challenge is open to international submissions, and provides the most accessible approach for any student team anywhere, to participate in a KidWind Challenge. Student teams in grades 4th-12th participate in age-level divisions to create a solar powered project on the theme Solar Home. A solar home is a type of structure that considers the environment, the inhabitants, and its functional and aesthetic design. We encourage teams to think creatively and even fantastically about their solar homes. The environment can range from outer space to the arctic, and the inhabitants can be anything from people to butterflies! You can check for confirmation that you submitted your project by looking at the View Projects section of the Online Solar Challenge page.

There are two Solar KidWind Challenge divisions: Solar Home and Solar Smart Home. Students in 4th-12th grade can participate in the Solar Home Division, and only students in 6th-12th grade can participate in the Solar Smart Home division. To upload a solar home, an adult coach is required to provide contact information. A coach can be a parent, educator, or mentor. A coach may supervise multiple teams. Once uploaded, the solar home project may be displayed within the Solar Challenge Gallery on the KidWind website.

Submissions will be judged by the KidWind team and winners will be selected on a quarterly basis. Winners receive prizes and are invited to participate in the World KidWind Challenge, a large and prestigious in-person event, hosted at a conference center in a different state every year.

Projects will be grouped for evaluation based on the following time frames:

Projects submitted by November 1st for Quarter 1
Projects submitted by February 1st for Quarter 2
Projects submitted by April 1st for Quarter 3
Projects submitted by August 1st for Quarter 4

Judging Rubric

50% Resourcefulness, Creative Concept, Thoughtful Design, Skill and Aesthetics, World Connections
50% Functionality, Research, Knowledge, Teamwork, Communication

If your team is chosen as a winner, a KidWind staff member will contact the coach. Winners selected from Quarters 1-3 (August 1st through April 1st) will be invited to a World KidWind Challenge in spring 2026.

How Do I Participate?

Download & read the detailed rules.
Fill out and upload the appropriate Solar Home requirements:
- Solar Panel Schematic(s): In the solar panel schematic, include each solar powered circuit’s configuration (parallel/series), and a label to what the terminals connect to. Label each panel’s rated voltage and current, the length, width, and area of each solar panel, and each configurations voltage/current/wattage total. This Schematic is different from the wiring diagram because it only includes the solar panel arrangement, not the rest of the circuit. For example, if the team has up to three circuits that are powered by solar, they will need to provide three solar panel schematics. Find examples here.
- Wiring Diagram(s): Each circuit requires a separate wiring diagram. Teams must provide a wiring diagram for no more than three circuits. Each wiring diagram must include a symbols key. The wiring diagram should have the symbols labeled for all the electrical parts of a circuit, and every emergency switch clearly labeled as such in the diagram. If using power storage, teams will label how the solar panels are charging the power storage and how the storage is powering the loads on the device. Solar Home Elementary 4th-5th Division can create a hand drawn wiring diagram. Find examples here.
- Programming code: For Solar Smart Home Division only. Provide the programming code used to program the microcontroller.
- Materials List: The material list is a document for teams to record all materials used in the solar home, how the materials were used, if the materials are recycled, found, or new, and the costs of materials. If the material is a 3D printed part, teams must explain if the file was found, modified, or created. Budget should identify 3D printed parts as new material cost. Material cost = filament price/filament weight x model weight. See Materials in Requirements for more information.

Please note: The more data you share in the project submission form, the better our judges will be able to evaluate and score your Solar Home. Teams that submit details in most or all of the submission form fields often score higher.

Standards Addressed

The Solar Challenge is a STEAM activity and connects to and is judged by STEAM standards.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), International Society for Technology Education Standards (ISTE), National Core Arts Standards (NCAS).

Submit Your Project

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Challenge ID

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Secondary Organizer

Team Name(Required)

This will be public in the View Projects section.

Teacher / Coach Name(Required)

This will be public in the View Projects section.

Teacher / Coach Email(Required)

School Name(Required)

This will be public in the View Projects section.

Age Division(Required)

Number of Team Members(Required)

Project Image(Required)

Show off your project! Be sure we can see the whole thing, including any special or unique details. This image will be public in the View Projects section.

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 5 MB.

Project Description(Required)

In 3 short sentences describe the project. This will be public in the View Projects section.

Additional Images

These images will be public in the View Projects section.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 5 MB.

Design Process and Reporting

Design Schematics

Share schematics for any 3-D printed parts if applicable.

Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 128 MB.

Video Presentation

Submit a link to a video of your team doing a judges presentation about your turbine. Share your design and testing process, including any obstacles you encountered and decisions or changes you made.

Powerpoint Presentation

Upload a powerpoint presentation walking through your project.

Max. file size: 128 MB.

Lab Report

Upload a lab write-up including all components of the scientific method with tables and charts to display and analyze data.

Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 128 MB.

Video Showing Your Project Working

Submit a link to a video of your wind turbine spinning up and running in front of a fan or in a wind tunnel OR a video that shows the loads in your solar home working under a solar array or the sun. Be sure your video is viewable!

Research Statement

Documentation is important. This can be used to tell the origin story of the design idea by explaining why the team used certain materials and technologies. Explain why the team shaped, designed, and organized the blades the way they did. Documentation can also show design iterations and results throughout the project with the different variables and conditions the device was tested under and highlight aspects specific to the design. This can be done through a Powerpoint presentation, narrative, or design notebooks for example.

Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 128 MB.

Solar Performance

Rated Voltage of One Panel

Rated Amperage of One Panel

Rated Power of One Panel

Circuit Drawing Form

Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 128 MB.

Electrical Storage Device

Wind General Information

Generator Division

KidWind Division: SINGLE KidWind Generator (Teams in the 4-5th grade division must participate in this division).
Open Division: Any non-KidWind, commercially produced generator OR multiple KidWind generators OR your turbine uses harvested parts (coils, rotors) from other generators.
Homebuilt Division: ALL of the major components of the generator are constructed by the students. This would mean the coils are wound by the students and other components like the stators have been constructed, 3D printed, or otherwise built by the team.

Image of the Rotor Measurement

One image using a ruler to show the measurement from the tip of the blade to the center of the hub. This image will be used to check the Rotor Swept Area by showing the rotor dimension.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 1.

Turbine Performance

Does your turbine fit within a 4’ width, 4’ length, 4’ height wind tunnel space?

The Turbine, blades and all accessories must fit within the dimensions above which represent the size of a KidWind wind tunnel.

Yes

Wind Speed (m/s)

Need help? See common fans (on the highest setting) and corresponding wind velocities on this cheat sheet.

Rotor Swept Area (cm2)

Need help? Check out this calculation guide. The typical range for this value is 1000 cm2 - 8000 cm2. This will be publicly shared.

Resistor Value (ohms)

This value must be a whole number. Do not use decimals or spaces. Need help? Check out this guide. This will be publicly shared.

Output voltage (V)

Need help calculating voltage? Check out this guide. This will be publicly shared.

Weights Lifted

Number of washers lifted by your turbine.

Materials Used

Material

How was the material used in the build?

Is the material recycled, found, or purchased?

If purchased, how much did it cost? If free, put a zero

Load Chart

Load

Qty

Notes

Solar Home Report

Solar Division(Required)

Solar Home Title(Required)

Solar Home Narrative(Required)

Please discuss the following components in your Narrative document:

Purpose: Set the stage by briefly describing the environment and why the selected location was a good place for the solar home. Introduce the inhabitants and their wants and needs. Talk about the solar powered features and how those features address the wants and needs of the inhabitants.

Design: Tell the origin story of the design idea by explaining why the team used certain materials and technologies. How does the team think the solar home they created is inspired by real world problems? Explain why the team shaped, designed, and organized the solar home in response to its environmental factors. Describe how the needs, health, entertainment, and comfort of the inhabitants were considered.

Connection: Explain how the team considered the social and cultural connections of the inhabitants when making the solar home. Describe how the solar home is sustainable and how it has a low impact on its environment.

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 128 MB.

Highlight the Design(Required)

1-3 images that highlight the solar home design

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 3.

Solar Powered Features(Required)

1-3 images that zoom in on the solar powered features.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 3.

Solar Panel Schematic(s)(Required)

In the solar panel schematic, include each solar powered circuit's configuration (parallel/series), and a label to what the terminals connect to. Label each panel's rated voltage and current, the length, width, and area of each solar panel, and each configurations voltage/current/wattage total. This Schematic is different from the wiring diagram because it only includes the solar panel arrangement, not the rest of the circuit. For example, if the team has up to three circuits that are powered by solar, they will need to provide three solar panel schematics. Check out the Schematic Template here and Examples here.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 10.

Wiring Diagram(s)(Required)

Each circuit requires a separate wiring diagram. Teams must provide a wiring diagram for no more than three circuits. Each wiring diagram must include a symbols key. The wiring diagram should have the symbols labeled for all the electrical parts of a circuit, and every emergency switch clearly labeled as such in the diagram. If using power storage, teams will label how the solar panels are charging the power storage and how the storage is powering the loads on the device. Solar Home Elementary 4th-5th Division can create a hand drawn wiring diagram. For Solar Home 6th-8th and Solar Smart Home 9th-12th a printout is required and using a wiring diagram application is optional. If the wiring diagram is complicated, there is no need to fit it into a 8.5” x 11” paper size. The team can expand their diagram onto other pages as long as the continuation is clearly labeled. Check out the Wiring Diagram Template here and Examples here.

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 10.

Teamwork(Required)

Team members describe their roles and how they worked within the team. Each team member lists some part of the process, design, or build of the solar home that they really enjoyed doing.

Microcontroller and Programming

Microcontroller

Please share what kind of microcontroller(s) you used in your project

Programming Description

Documentation is important provide where your code was sourced from, and describe how each resource was used. Please do not include the code here.

Programming Code

Please submit a document with all your programming code. Please upload as PDF

Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 128 MB.