The Solar Dragons present their project at the MEM/ECE Senior Design Showcase
A team of engineering seniors from Drexel University claimed top honors in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar District Cup, winning first place in their division and earning the coveted Project Pitch Champion title.
Competing as the Drexel Solar Dragons, students Brian Hau, Joseph McDermott, Trevor Njonjo, Rickie Diep, Connor Brady (all mechanical engineering and mechanics majors), and Faizan Malik (electrical and computer engineering) designed a solar energy and battery storage system tailored to the College of New Jersey (TCNJ) as part of the competition’s TCNJ Division. Their conceptual plan aimed to maximize energy offset and financial savings while aligning with campus sustainability goals. Eight finalist teams presented to a panel of industry judges, including TCNJ’s Director of Sustainability and Energy Management, with Drexel emerging as the division winner.
Following their division victory, the team advanced to the Project Pitch Competition, where they faced off against the winners of five other divisions. In this final round, they were tasked with distilling their comprehensive proposal into a six-minute pitch that showcased the technical, financial, and community impact of their solution. The Drexel Solar Dragons took the top spot, earning the Project Pitch Champion title for their compelling presentation and innovative design approach.
“There are so many physical and social aspects of designing an energy system to be considered that one person simply cannot do it alone,” said team member Joseph McDermott. “Our team members specialized, leading work in categories that they were not necessarily familiar with and relied on one another to discuss both ideas and challenges to create our solution for The College of New Jersey.”
The Solar District Cup is organized by the U.S. Department of Energy and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The competition challenges student teams to design solar-plus-storage systems for real-world mixed-use districts, encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration and engagement with industry tools and experts.
The team’s success reflects the rigorous, hands-on approach of Drexel’s engineering curriculum and the value of collaborative problem-solving in addressing real-world energy challenges. Their win highlights the important role students can play in shaping more sustainable energy systems through thoughtful design and interdisciplinary effort.