Apply for the American-Made Photo voltaic Prize Spherical 8

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The American-Made Photo voltaic Prize Spherical 8 is a multimillion-dollar prize program designed to spur improvements in U.S. photo voltaic {hardware} and software program applied sciences and deal with challenges to speedy, equitable photo voltaic vitality deployment. The U.S. Division of Power (DOE) Photo voltaic Power Applied sciences Workplace (SETO) opened functions on June 14, 2024.

Anybody primarily based in the US with a doubtlessly marketable photo voltaic know-how resolution are eligible to compete and might enroll on the HeroX prize platform. Potential candidates embody college students, professors, small enterprise house owners, and researchers.

This problem requires rivals to make progress rapidly, kind private-sector partnerships, and have interaction prospects to convey their concepts to life. Rivals could have entry to the American-Made Community to seek out companions and testing amenities to speed up their progress.

DOE is fascinated by photo voltaic {hardware} and software program applied sciences. {Hardware} improvements ought to have the ability to be manufactured in the US. Software program improvements ought to assist deal with the non-hardware prices of photo voltaic, like buyer acquisition, financing, and grid integration.

Rivals will take part in three escalating challenges—the Prepared!, Set!, and Go! Contests—as they develop their ideas from concepts to merchandise. Individually, every competitor can win as much as $700,000 in money and $150,000 in technical assist vouchers over the course of the three contests.

Rivals have the chance in every contest to additionally compete within the Justice, Fairness, Variety, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest. Ought to they choose in, at every stage, the rivals will describe how their options deal with photo voltaic market limitations confronted by underserved communities and work to considerably advance their strategy towards JEDI targets.

For many who have a fantastic concept however want a lift to take their innovation to the following stage, the Photo voltaic Prize Spherical 8 presents the Energy Up Contest. This contest is designed to assist and advance new and numerous groups which have compelling functions however aren’t chosen to advance to the Set! Contest. SETO expects to pick as much as 10 groups for the Energy Up Contest primarily based on their Prepared! Contest submission packet. These groups will cut up a $100,000 prize pool and take part within the Energy Up Program, the place they’ll obtain tailor-made enterprise assist.

Levels of Competitors

• Prepared! Contest: 20 winners, $50,000 every. Every competitor will pitch an progressive resolution that addresses a important want within the photo voltaic trade and determine market demand for it.
• Set! Contest: 10 winners, $100,000 in money prizes and $75,000 in vouchers every. Every staff advancing to the Set! Contest will design a {hardware} proof of idea or a minimal viable software program product.
• Go! Contest: Two winners, $500,000 in money prizes and $75,000 in vouchers every. Chosen rivals will develop early-stage {hardware} prototypes for trade testing or customer-validated software program merchandise.
• JEDI Contest (Non-compulsory): $200,000 in whole money prizes distributed to as much as 10 Prepared! finalists, as much as 5 Set! semifinalists, and as much as 2 Go! Rivals.
• Energy Up Contest: $100,000 in whole money prizes distributed to as much as 10 new and numerous groups with promising concepts who weren’t chosen as Prepared! Contest winners.

Rivals who choose into the JEDI Contest will describe how their options deal with photo voltaic market limitations confronted by underserved communities and work to considerably advance their strategy towards JEDI targets as they progress by way of the Prepared!, Set!, and Go! Contests.

Extra Assets

The American-Made Photo voltaic Prize is part of the American-Made Challenges and is run by DOE’s Nationwide Renewable Power Laboratory.

Courtesy of U.S. Division of Power.