Project Overview

Our senior design team has been tasked with designing a 60 MW solar farm with a 34.5 to 115 kV substation. We will be responsible for the full design of the site which includes the selection of equipment, solar and substation site selection, modeling, and performing calculations to ensure specifications are met. We will be providing our client with accurate costs and lead times for our project as a way of doing project management. We will be performing simulations and studies as needed to ensure our designs meet standards that are used in industry. This project will allow us to have a real world engineering experience while still in school and prove to be a valuable for our futures.

Team Members

Bennet Palkovic

Member Role

Hi everyone! My name is Bennet Palkovic and I'm from Ankeny, Iowa. I am a senior in Electrical Engineering focusing in power systems. Outside of class I enjoy golfing, playing volleyball, and hanging out with my friends. I am planning on working in the power industry at either a utility or consulting firm after graduating this May.

Andrew Chizek

Rotating leader/Role member

Hello everyone! I'm Andrew Chizek and I'm from Eldridge, Iowa. I am a senior in Electrical Engineering with a focus in Power Systems. I am planning on working in Utilites or power production once I graduate. In my free time I enjoy being active, watching sports, and hanging out with friends. I have worked at the ISU Power Plant as a production engineer intern/ student worker for FPM. I was able to do a co-op with them originally and continued to work for them after it ended.

Dallas Wittenburg

Rotating Leader/Group Member

Hello everyone! My name is Dallas Wittenburg and I am from Readlyn, Iowa. I am studying Electrical Engineering here at Iowa State with a focus area in Power Systems and Control Systems. I have gained practical experience through internship opportunities at Cedar Falls Utilities. I am set to graduate in May of 2025 and I look forward to starting a career in the utility industry after graduation. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors and spending time with friends and family.

Mohamed Sam

Member Role

Hi everyone! my name is Mohamed Sam, I am an electrical engineering student at Iowa State University with a strong passion for renewable energy and power systems. My academic experiences, including a senior design project focused on solar energy, have shaped my commitment to sustainable energy solutions. Career Objective To work with a forward-thinking organization where I can apply my knowledge and skills to advance renewable energy technologies and power systems for a sustainable future.

David Ntako

Rotating Leader/Group Member

Hello everyone! My name is David Ntako, and I am originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I am currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State University, with a focus on power and control systems. In the summer of 2023, I interned with Cedar Falls Utilities, where I had the opportunity to work on various projects related to their power plant and substations. I also have leadership experience outside of my academic pursuits. Additionally, I am engaged in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, where I work with Dr. Namrata Vaswani on projects involving Python and cloud computing using Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Sergio Sanchez Gomez

Rotating Leader/Group Member

Hi everyone! My name is Sergio, and I am from Spain. I am a senior in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Power and Control Systems.




Weekly Reports

Fall 2024 Semester

Report 1
Report 2
Report 3
Report 4
Report 5
Report 6
Report 7
Report 8
Report 9
Report 10

Spring 2025 Semester

Report 11
Report 12
Report 13
Report 14
Report 15
Report 16


Client Presentations

Fall 2024 Semester

Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Presentation 3
Presentation 4
Presentation 5
Presentation 6
Presentation 7
Presentation 8
Presentation 9
Presentation 10

Spring 2025 Semester

Presentation 11
Presentation 12
Presentation 13
Presentation 14
Presentation 15
Presentation 16
Presentation 17
Presentation 18
Presentation 19
Presentation 20
Presentation 21
Presentation 22


Lightning Talks

Lightning Talk 1
Lightning Talk 2
Lightning Talk 3
Lightning Talk 4
Lightning Talk 5
Lightning Talk 6
Lightning Talk 7
Lightning Talk 8


Design Documents

Design Doc 1
Design Doc 2
Design Doc 3
Design Doc 4
Fall 2024 Final Design Doc
Spring 2025 Final Design Doc


Demo Video

SDMAY25-41 Demo Video


Final Presentations

Fall 2022 Faculty Panel Presentation
Spring 2025 Industry Panel Presentation


Poster

SDMAY25-41


Drawing Sets

Fall 2024 Drawing Set
Spring 2025 Drawing Set