Two Montgomery County Community College faculty earned third place in the national ConocoPhillips/ Penn State Energy Prize Contest for their team’s innovative design of a vertical axis wind turbine system.

Kevin Lampe, Assistant Professor of Biotechnology, led the team, which included colleague William Brownlowe, Associate Professor of Engineering.

“We worked together before on different grants and realized we had a shared interest in alternative energy sources,” Brownlowe said. “My part involves the engineering design, including the number crunching and physics.”

The other team members are David Adams, a chemist and chemical engineer, and Michael Schwarz, a LEED accredited, senior mechanical engineer.

The contest is ConocoPhillips and Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences’ initiative to promote new energy sources, reduce energy usage and combat climate change.

During the past year, Lampe researched and developed the concept for a roof-mounted VAWT to address the issues of low wind speed and placement of the system in close proximity to the end user.

The team’s proposal suggests mounting the VAWT system on urban and suburban buildings with flat roofs. The system uses a four-sided wind funnel structure to maximize the wind’s power and direct air optimally onto a centrally located turbine.

“Placing the system on a roof allows it to be located right where the electricity is being used,” Lampe said. “It is easy to access for service, doesn’t interfere with the aesthetics of the building or landscape and doesn’t require use of otherwise useful land.”

The size of the VAWT system, Lampe said, depends upon the energy needs and wind potential of the area.

The team submitted the VAWT plans prior to May 1. The judges selected five finalists, including Lampe’s team, from more than 150 submissions and awarded each with $25,000.

“The team agreed in advance that we would use the money to further develop the idea to go to Houston, Texas, in October for the presentation to the judges,” Lampe said.

The team’s presentation garnered the second runner-up position and another $25,000.

“We’re using these funds to create a working system,” Lampe said. “This could revolutionize how and where we produce wind-generated energy.”

Lampe works on the project evenings in his garage, and has a rudimentary funnel system on the roof of College Hall at MCCC’s Central Campus.

“Montgomery County Community College could be the first institution in the world to use this,” Lampe said. “ConocoPhillips and Penn State have provided a great opportunity to encourage people to think and develop alternative energy ideas.”

“This project allowed us to use what we teach beyond the classroom setting,” Brownlowe said. “We can now share the experience and knowledge with our students to enhance our teaching.”

“We hope to be able to use our experience and success to help motivate the next generation of scientists and engineers,” Lampe said.