KidWind Solar Challenge

Online Solar 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 three divisions based on suggested grade ranges. Students in Elementary and Middle school build a solar home using simple circuits, and High School students are required to build solar smart homes, incorporating programmable microcontrollers. Ambitious Elementary and Middle School students may choose to build a solar smart home. 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 2025.

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. (upload files(s)). 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. 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. (upload file(s)). Find examples here.
    • Programming code: For Solar Smart Home Division only. Provide the programming code used to program the microcontroller. (upload file)
      • Did the team create or modify the code in any way? If yes
        • List the things the team created/adjusted/added to the code. (blank space)
      • Did the team use the code as is? If yes
        • Please reference the source material (who/where you got the code) (blank space)
    • 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.

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

Hidden
Hidden
Show off your project! Be sure we can see the whole thing, including any special or unique details.
Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 5 MB.
Describe your project in about 3 short sentences
Drop files here or
Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 5 MB.

    Design Process and Reporting

    Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 50 MB.
    Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 50 MB.
    Accepted file types: pdf, txt, doc, docx, Max. file size: 50 MB.
    Accepted file types: pdf, pptx, Max. file size: 50 MB.

    Turbine Performance Fields

    Need help? See common fans (on the highest setting) and corresponding wind velocities on this cheat sheet.
    Need help? Check out this calculation guide. The typical range for this value is 1000 cm2 - 8000 cm2.
    This value must be a whole number. Do not use decimals or spaces. Need help? Check out this guide.
    Need help calculating voltage? Check out this guide.
    Wind Load Chart
    Load
    Qty
    Notes
     

    Solar Home General Information

    1 image of the surrounding environment
    Drop files here or
    Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 1.

      Solar Home Narrative

      The Solar Home and all accessories must fit within a 2’ width, 2’ length, 1’ height space.
      Describe in two sentences or less what the solar home is (that could be its name, materials, shape, general purpose) what inhabits it, the environment it’s in, and its general purpose.

      For example: The LoneStar Space Garden provides astronauts in space an Earth-like sanctuary and food garden with plants, waterfalls, insects, and animals, all made possible by solar power.
      Set the stage by briefly describing the environment and why the selected environment 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.
      1 image of the surrounding environment
      Drop files here or
      Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 1.
        1 image that shows the inhabitants
        Drop files here or
        Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 1.
          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.
            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.
            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.
              Explain how the team considered the social and cultural connections of the inhabitants when making the solar home. Describe how the solar home is “green,” and how it has a low impact on its environment.
              1-3 images that focus on how the solar home is “green,” optional photo of how the design considers social and cultural connections.
              Drop files here or
              Accepted file types: jpg, png, heic, jpeg, Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 3.
                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.

                Additional Files

                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.
                Drop files here or
                Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 10.
                  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.
                  Drop files here or
                  Max. file size: 10 MB, Max. files: 10.
                    Documentation is important, please provide where your code was sourced from and describe how each resource was used. You do not need to include the code.
                    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
                     
                    Project Submissions
                    Image

                    Solar Knights

                    Las Lomas High School · Suzanne Morse
                    Key Metrics
                    Rated Voltage of One Panel
                    5
                    Rated Amperage of One Panel
                    200
                    Rated Power of One Panel
                    1
                    See the Project Solo
                    Read more here

                    Project Overview

                    A solar home suitable to live in the desert. Primarily made to aid scientists in their research and power their equipment, like a temperature sensor. Uses solar power during the day and uses the rechargeable battery to jump start the solar tracker since it won’t have solar power before sunrise.

                    Device fits inside 1m2 cube
                    20 Solar Panel
                    Parallel Panels
                    Separate Bank
                    Device can track the sun!
                    Project Images
                    Image
                    Image

                    The Explorers

                    Sandy Hook Elementary School · Remy Pangle
                    Key Metrics
                    Rated Voltage of One Panel
                    5.86
                    Rated Amperage of One Panel
                    0.25
                    Rated Power of One Panel
                    1.465
                    See the Project Solo
                    Read more here

                    Project Overview

                    We made a bird bath house. It has a fan and a water pump powered by solar panels. The fan will keep the birds cool and the pump will keep the water circulating to keep it clean.

                    Project Images
                    Image