International Small Wind Turbine Contest (ISWTC)
Every Summer UTWind competes in the International Small Wind Turbine Contest (ISWTC) in the Netherlands against other international universities. UTWind has been coming home with a trophy since our debut and couldn't be more proud to represent the University of Toronto. Read more below about each competition.
Competition History
2026
Back in the Netherlands for our fifth consecutive ISWTC, UTWind competed with the second iteration of our Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). This year marked major progress: we sent our largest competition delegation yet, arrived with functioning mechanical, power, and control systems, introduced lighter blades and bat-monitoring sensors, and achieved one of our lowest cut-in wind speeds to date. While there is still plenty to improve, the competition gave us valuable insights to carry into our next iteration.
UTWind's Lowest Cut-in Speed Turbine - 2026
2025
UTWind’s most ambitious turbine yet was our first-ever Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT). Despite the tight timeline and unfamiliarity, we built an H-Rotor VAWT in just four months and were thrilled to see it spin, generate power, and run with a working control system. Although we didn’t bring home a trophy, we learned a lot and can’t wait to improve in our next iteration.
UTWind's 1st Iteration of VAWT - 2025
2024
The third year competing tested several firsts: recycling PET bottles into filament, using one motor for pitch control, and making flax-fiber blades. With many new teams, it was a huge surprise when the Jury awarded Best Overall Design (1st place) to “The Team from Toronto.”
UTWind's 1st Place Award Winning Turbine - 2024
2023
The second year of UTWind's participation at the ISWTC was no less challenging because we won the previous competition, however UTWind brought home the Award for Most Sustainable Turbine.
UTWind's Most Sustainable Award Winning Turbine - 2023
2022
This was the first ISWTC that UTWind competed in after almost two years of preparation work during the pandemic. UTWind won Best Overall Design (1st place) in its debut at the ISWTC.
UTWind's 1st Place Award Winning Turbine - 2022