Program Guidelines

The PECO Innovation Challenge includes:

·         District standards aligned curriculum
·         A $500 grant for supplies to complete the challenge
·         A series of PECO Innovation Challenge starters
·         A free half-day Educational Energy Audit for students to learn about their school building with energy professionals
·         The opportunity to attend a PEEP 2.0 workshop for energy training and curriculum
·         Webinars to highlight opportunities within the PECO Innovation Challenge
What is expected of schools participating in the PECO Innovation Challenge?
  1. Working in classrooms or in an extracurricular setting, choose an Innovation Challenge (some samples are provided in this application packet) and get started!  
  2. Work with students, faculty, parents and community members to plan and implement the STEM focused challenge.
  3. Incorporate the program’s energy-focused curriculum and related activities into your classroom.  
  4. Work with your student team to document progress on the challenge. Research, explore, learn, share, reach out to experts, and more.
  5. Share about your program via your school and community communication networks and social media. For example, PTA newsletter, community newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.  Submit at least 2 photos a month with captions (be sure we can use the photos publicly) to PEEP for use in media.  When you share your work on Social Media use the hashtag:  #pecopeep
  6. Create a presentation of your PECO Innovation Challenge and solutions share with PECO employees and PEEP 2.0 partners at the PECO Innovation Challenge and STEM Career Symposium on June 6, 2017. Presenting on June 6, with a group of at least 5 students, is a requirement of participation in the PECO Innovation Challenge.
Who should apply for the PECO Innovation Challenge?

• Teachers teaching grades 4-12 in the 5 counties PECO serves. 
     - Philadelphia
     - Bucks
     - Montgomery
     - Chester
     - Delaware
     - York (partial)

• Schools seeking to provide students with STEM and energy focused explorations.
• Schools seeking to provide students an opportunity to engage their minds in the Challenge while learning many other skills like public speaking, teamwork, and more.
What could my students do for the PECO Innovation Challenge?

Microgrid
In the last election, the county citizens decided that sustainability would become a priority in your county. Your community has decided that their first goal will be to become energy independent, creating a microgrid.

1. Design a microgrid system for your community.
  • Decide the boundaries of your “community,” (neighborhood, town, city, etc.)
  • Estimate the number of homes, businesses, and industry. that would be served by the microgrid system.
  • Identify any existing electricity generation facilities, sites or equipment within your community. 
  • Determine the amount of power required to supply the energy for your community.
  • Plan for new electricity generation that will supply the remaining power needed for your community. At least 50% of this power must be renewable. 
2. Create a map of the community, highlighting its borders (streets, landmarks, water features, etc.) and indicating existing homes, businesses, schools, industry, and existing electricity generation facilities and infrastructure.
3. Create an overlay of the map that shows new facilities or technologies that will be installed to create your microgrid system. Indicate the power generating capacity of new facilities or technologies for each site.
4. Write a detailed description of the new facilities or technologies that will be built to provide power to consumers within the community microgrid system.
5. Explain the community’s plan to tie into the larger grid system.
6. Explain the advantages and disadvantages for your community of operating the microgrid as planned (environmental, economic, logistical, etc.) Option: for a simpler version, we could ask students to do the microgrid for their “new” school building. Have students visit: http://energy.gov/articles/how-microgrids-work
Solar
Many people are quick to suggest that solar energy can solve energy problems. However, solar has its challenges that prevent it from being our energy savior. Presently, solar energy provides xxx% of the power needed for those in the greater Philadelphia area. Design a way to incorporate solar into the greater Philadelphia area that is supported by existing infrastructure but creates/addresses power storage, provides XX additional MW of power, and does not require the use of more than xx acres of land.

Transportation and Electricity
As popularity of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) rises with models like the Tesla Model-S, Nissan Leaf, and Chevy Volt, more and more Americans must plug-in their vehicles after their day-to-day travels. Devise a set of strategies to meet the additional demand for electric power of these vehicles. These strategies must address the incorporation of renewable energy, reporting of data between plug-in vehicle users and utilities, and efficiency of charging mechanisms.

Balancing the Environment and Economy
The Northeast U.S. is very energy-rich in its resources and industry. Much of the energy used for electric power generation is still attributable to coal, which is a major emitter of carbon dioxide. Balance PA’s power generation in a way that provides adequate power, reduces carbon emissions, AND protects the economy and those jobs related to the coal industry while supplying the energy from other sources.

Using Technology to Increase Energy Conservation and Efficiency
Design an app for tablet and mobile that would allow someone to identify the best energy efficiency discounts and rebates available based on your location. The app could connect with local utilities, contractors, and retailers to provide current rebates, discounts, sales, etc. for energy efficient services, products and materials. The app could also use publicly available data to provide energy efficiency opportunities for a home.
The following page is the online application for the PECO Innovation Challenge.
Applications must be received by February 24th, 2017.

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