Energy challenges are complicated, and they don’t get solved in a vacuum. They get solved when smart people come together to design innovative solutions that work in the real world. That’s why Aspen Technology is proud to once again sponsor Energy Mentors’ Power the Community competition for 2026.

Now in its third year, Power the Community challenges students to think holistically about what it takes to provide affordable, reliable and sustainable energy at the community level. It’s not just about picking a technology; it’s about designing complete systems that actually work for people, places and long‑term situations.

Power the Community reflects the kind of complex, interdisciplinary problems AspenTech customers regularly tackle, balancing economics, sustainability, reliability and community needs in every project. Specifically, the competition challenges student teams to design a livable community for 2,000 or more families, considering factors like infrastructure and housing design, as well as an affordable, reliable and sustainable source of energy.

“They have to come up with solutions focused on sustainability and cost‑effectiveness,” said Vikas Dhole, AspenTech’s senior vice president of modeling and optimization and one of the judges for this year’s competition. “They’re tasked with developing a plan that has the community come together to provide all of these services in an integrated way.”

Because the competition draws teams from around the world, many of the designs are set in regions where energy access can’t be taken for granted. This introduces real‑world questions about intermittency, infrastructure and affordability.

“In places where electricity isn’t always available, you have to start asking questions like, how do we incorporate solar and batteries to keep power on?” Vikas said. “Those tradeoffs are exactly what engineers face in real life.

“It takes a lot of effort from many different disciplines to make a project work. From town planning to electrical, mechanical engineering to chemical engineering. That’s how they design their solutions—holistically.”

That interdisciplinary approach is one of the things Vikas said he values most about the competition, especially as teams increasingly reflect how work actually happens outside the classroom.

“For the first time, you’re seeing chemical engineers interfacing with town planners,” he said. “This competition isn’t just technical; it’s about implementation. How do you understand community needs and turn ideas into something practical?”

One of last year’s Distinguished Design Award winners, Team AFTERLIFE from Kenya, answered that very question. Their project created a business model for repurposing EV battery cells with a centralized solar charging station. It was essentially “energy as a service.” That is, people in their community could swap a charged battery at the station and take it home overnight to power lights, charge phones and run a fan.

Another team, in Zimbabwe, included the construction of prototype hydrogen cookstoves to bring their concept to life. As a judge, Vikas said he’s expecting a similar level of innovation from the 2026 entries.

“I’m hoping to see the use of AI in design optimization this year,” he said. “That’s a game‑changer, and it’s what makes our software an equalizer in this area. Wherever you are, you can create meaningful solutions using this technology.”

Built by Mentors, Fueled by Purpose

Power the Community is organized by Energy Mentors, a nonprofit founded by industry veteran Don Victory to help students and under-served communities shape the future of energy. In just a few years, the competition has grown significantly, not only in participation but also in the sophistication of the ideas being presented. Responding to that growth has required some changes to the competition itself.

“The first year, with 20 designs, we had just one round of judging,” Don explained. “In 2025, we assigned 49 entries to five regions and promoted two from each to the finals. This year, we added a third tier: group competition first, then semi‑finals with a fresh set of judges, then finals. We’re recruiting another two dozen judges to make sure every entry gets the appreciation it deserves.”

What excites Don most about Power the Community is the steady improvement he has seen in the quality of projects the students are presenting.

“I cannot wait to see the compounding, year‑on‑year progress,” he said. “After last year’s competition, we interviewed our judges, and the returning judges were impressed with the increased breadth of ideas and the quality of submissions over the first year.”

Don’s confidence, both in the students and in the value of learning by doing, is what keeps the momentum going.

“Our mission is to grow the next generation of professionals who will deliver energy prosperity to all the world,” Don said. “That’s an exciting prospect.”

And at its core, Power the Community aligns with AspenTech’s goal of creating value by applying technology thoughtfully, responsibly and at scale.

“Having worked with companies to solve these types of challenges, this is a way we can use that experience to serve communities beyond the industries we work in,” Vikas said. “It’s rewarding to bring these capabilities together for a broader goal.”

The winners of this year’s competition will be announced during a live stream on the Energy Mentors YouTube channel on Saturday, May 30, at 9 AM US Eastern Time, 1 PM GMT-UTC and 6:30 PM IST.