InDEEP Prize Results

The first and second phase of the Innovating Distributed Embedded Energy Prize have drawn to a close.

Phase II Winners

In Phase II, fifteen teams were awarded $80,000 each for building and testing their concept submissions from Phase I at the individual DEEC level, focusing on developing and evaluating a single DEEC at the bench-top scale to assess its structure and overall performance. The winning team’s proof-of-concepts hold tremendous potential to evolve into versatile metamaterials that could support future grid infrastructure. This phase also marked the final opportunity for new teams to join and integrate additional members. Read the official Phase II winner announcement for the U.S. Departments of Energy.

The following Phase II Winners will compete for the Grand Prize in Phase III:

Team	Location	Project Title	Description
Artimus Robotics	Boulder, CO	Artimus Catches Waves with HASEL Metamaterials	Artimus is enabling new capabilities for distributed energy harvesting systems through the use of soft electrohydraulic transducers.
Condensed Wave Matter	Madison, WI	Easy HVDC: Variable Capacitors in Wave Energy	Condensed Wave Matter created a DEEC which uses rotating variable capacitor generators to efficiently convert wave energy into electricity for HVDC transmission.
WaterBros Development	Charlotte, NC	SWADDLE: WaterBros Development and Michael Dickey	WaterBros Development created a Scalable Wave Actuated Deformable Double Layer Electrode.
The Piezogami Team	Blacksburg, VA	Wave-Powered Fence to Protect our Lakes and Ocean	We strive to develop a wave-powered electric barrier to protect America’s Great Lakes and Oceans from harmful invasive species.
Soft Energy	Ithaca, NY	PECWEC: Piezoelectrochemical Wave Energy Converter	Soft Energy is helping to lead PECWEC innovation, converting ocean waves into clean, sustainable energy via the PEC effect.
Pittsburgh Coastal Energy	Pittsburgh, PA	Polar Ionic Nanogenerator (PING)	Pittsburgh Coastal Energy’s Polar ionic nanogenerators (PINGs) use ions to directly convert low-frequency, high-amplitude ocean wave energy into electricity.
EBB:Flow	Braintree, MA	EBB:FLOW	EBB-FLOW is a combination of a novel DFG cell configuration that is designed to unlock the direct generation potential of DFG technology.
Streaming Energy	La Jolla, CA	Streaming Energy: Solid State Ocean Power	Streaming Energy created a device with no moving parts and unlimited scalability: using flowing saltwater to power a DEEC energy transducer through electrolytic ion exchange.
WaveHarvest	Dallas, TX	WaveHarvest: Harnessing Multimodal Ocean Energy	WaveHarvest designed a novel energy harvesting device combining piezoelectric, electromagnetic, and dielectric transducers.
PSU_EnergyHarvesting	State College, PA	Electroactive Polymers Harvesting Ocean Energy	PSU_EnergyHarvesting is converting low-frequency ocean wave energy into electricity.
Elysium Robotics	Austin, TX	High Capacitance Rope from Electroactive Polymers	Elysium Robotics’ uses Dielectric Elastomer Microfibers (very stretchy coaxial capacitive roap) to harness energy from the heaving motion of a buoy.
FluxMEMS	Portland, OR	FluxMEMS Generator	The DEEC FluxMEM generator uses a quasi-infinite negative stiffness magnetic spring with a tetra-petal auxetic spring structure.
Kiri DEEC	Houghton, MI	Kirigami-Inspired Composites for DEEC-Tec	Kiri DEEC has developed a novel DEEC technology concept inspired by the Japanese paper-cutting art of Kirigami.
PECWEC	Storrs, CT	PECWEC: Piezoelectrochemical Wave Energy Converter	PECWEC is converting ocean waves into clean, sustainable energy via the PEC effect.
Wave Grid	Galveston, TX	Wave Grid	Wave Grid is designing a Distributed Gracefully Degrading Pneumatic Wave Energy Metamaterial Unit.

Phase I Winners

In Phase I, nineteen teams were awarded $15,000 each for their winning initial concepts and simplified version of a Technology Performance Level assessment to represent the technoeconomic performance level of the concept. These teams were selected for conceptualizing novel materials for marine energy applications that will lay the foundation for generating electricity at the grid scale. Read the official Phase I winner announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The following Phase I winners will compete for additional awards in Phase II, alongside new competitors:

Team	Location	Project Title	Description
Active Materials and Smart Living	Las Vegas, NV	SmartEaRTH: Energy Harvesting Innovations	SmartEaRTH leverages the intrinsic transduction nature of IPMCs by turning wave interaction into energy by a direct electrochemical process
Blackfish Engineering	Braintree, MA	FlexWave PowerSync	FlexWave PowerSync: DG WEC utilizing DEG tech for efficient conversion of ocean wave energy
Blue Lotus Energy	Adair, OK	The Petal	A device as portable as a coffee table, powerful enough to leverage ocean waves and create scalable and sustainable energy
Chemventive	Chadds Ford, PA	Multipulse Magnetic Piezoelectric Generator	Multipulse Magnetic Piezoelectric Generator
Condensed Wave Matter	Madison, WI	Dielectric liquid-filled variable capacitor	Uses wave motion to pump a dielectric fluid in and out of the space between capacitor electrodes to generate electricity
Elysium Robotics	Austin, TX	High Capacitance Rope from Electroactive Polymers	Dielectric Elastomer Microfibers (very stretchy coaxial capacitive rope) to harness energy from the heaving motion of a buoy
FluxMagic	Portland, OR	Distributed Embedded FluxSpring Generator	The FluxSpring generator utilizes a series of connected negative stiffness magnetic spring damper metamaterial structure with liquid wires
Michigan Technological University and Arizona State University	Houghton, MI	Kiri DEEC	A novel DEEC technology concept inspired by the Japanese paper-cutting art of Kirigami
PECWEC	Storrs Mansfield, CT	Piezoelectrochemical Wave Energy Converter (PECWEC)	Converting mechanical energy of ocean waves into electrochemical energy using piezo “electrochemical" phenomenon
PiezOrigami Team	Blacksburg, VA	Wave-Powered Fence to Protect our Lakes and Ocean	A wave-powered electric barrier to protect America’s Great Lakes and Oceans from harmful invasive species
Pittsburgh Coastal Energy	Pittsburgh, PA	Polar Ionic Nanogenerators (PINGs)	PINGs directly convert the mechanical energy of high-frequency, low-amplitude ocean waves into electricity through the power of moving ions
PSU_EnergyHarvesting	State College, PA	Ionic Polymers for Ocean Wave Energy Harvesting	Demonstrating ionic polymer-based harvesters for converting low-frequency ocean wave energy into electricity
RQR Wave Team	Longmont, CO	Microrobots for Dielectric Elastomer Metamaterial	Massively parallel, high precision micro robots for extensive testing and assembly of a dielectric elastomer metamaterial
Soft Energy	Ithaca, NY	Soft Energy	A compact and adaptable wave harvesting system that employs parallel soft origami structures
Streaming Energy	La Jolla, CA	Solid State Ocean Power	No moving parts and unlimited scalability: using flowing saltwater to power a DEEC energy transducer through electrolytic ion exchange
Team FUSION	Newport, MI	WaveMatrix Energizer	Tapping ocean waves with induction passages & piezoelectric fins
Water Bros Development	Charlotte, NC	SWADDLE Harvester	The Scalable Wave Actuated Deformable Double Layer Electrode (SWADDLE) harvester is a variable area capacitor that operates in salt water
Wave Grid	Galveston, TX	Wave Grid	A Distributed Gracefully degrading Pneumatic Wave Energy matrix for economic power absorption simultaneously surviving in extreme weather
WaveHarvest	Dallas, TX	Tri-mode Ocean Energy Synergy	An innovative embedded energy harvesting device, combining piezoelectric, electromagnetic, and dielectric elastomer transducers into one