Harnessing the Power of Renewable Energy

Paige Chahley enjoys the hands-on aspects of engineering, especially when it comes to problem-solving and designing systems. 鈥淚鈥檓 especially interested in the power and control areas of electrical engineering.鈥澛�

The 4^th聽year Electrical Engineering Co-op student is currently completing her second work term at Rayleigh Solar Tech. As a聽Solar Electrical Testing Intern, she鈥檚聽helping develop perovskite solar modules. 鈥淐ompared to traditional silicon solar cells, they are thin, lightweight, flexible, and low-cost,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he team is constantly testing, designing, and improving both the solar modules and the equipment used to evaluate them, to increase efficiency, reliability, affordability, stability, and overall sustainability.鈥�

Paige鈥檚 team mainly focuses on the stability of the solar modules. 鈥淥ur goal is to ensure that solar modules can withstand various environmental conditions over extended periods of time without significant loss in performance,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 have contributed by creating and setting up testing systems and various programs to evaluate and analyze how solar cells perform under different conditions.鈥�

I鈥檝e seen the dedication and passion the entire team has, not only toward meeting their goals but also toward contributing to a more sustainable future through renewable energy. The team is highly committed, collaborative, and supportive of co-op students, which made this a rewarding work experience that I鈥檓 proud to be part of.

Paige鈥檚 interest in renewable energy began developing before her time at Rayleigh. 鈥淚 completed two summer internships at Versant Power, a utility company in Maine, where I had the opportunity to work with various aspects of the power grid, including renewable energy integration,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hrough this work, I saw firsthand the growing demand for renewable energy and the real impact it has on the power grid, which first sparked my interest in the field.鈥�

Her interest in the field continued, and she became increasingly interested in the technical challenges associated with renewable energy, including grid integration, increased fluctuations between power generation and consumption, increasing demand, and accommodating new and emerging technologies. 鈥淭his, combined with the goal of contributing to a more sustainable future, motivated me to explore renewable energy further through my studies and work experiences.鈥�

Paige is not only growing her technical skills at Rayleigh, but also her confidence. 鈥淚鈥檓 developing professionally through regular opportunities to present my weekly progress and receive constructive feedback. This has helped me improve how I communicate technical information and present my work in a clear, effective way,鈥� she says. 鈥淩ayleigh encouraged me to take ownership of tasks and explore my own ideas, which strengthened my critical thinking and problem-solving skills, especially when designing new testing systems or troubleshooting and improving existing setups.鈥�

When asked what advice she had for other co-op students, Paige encouraged students to be open to new opportunities. 鈥淜eeping an open mind allowed me to explore new areas and learn what I genuinely enjoyed,鈥� she says, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to have your entire career path figured out going into your first co-op, use these experiences as an opportunity to explore different fields and find work that you鈥檙e passionate about.鈥�

Learn more about Engineering Co-op