SOLVE IT Prize
The $5 million Solutions for Lasting, Viable Energy Infrastructure Technologies (SOLVE IT) Prize aims to enable organizations to identify and work to implement innovative energy solutions in a way that works best for their unique needs and challenges. SOLVE IT aims to promote the commercialization of promising energy technologies.
SOLVE IT Prize
Regions across the country are faced with long-standing energy challenges, including impact from heavy industry, high energy costs, aging grid infrastructure, and more. Innovative energy technologies can help address many of these challenges while providing economic, workforce, and other benefits.
Many organizations, however, lack the resources and capacity to develop plans for local energy project. The SOLVE IT Prize was designed to support local stakeholders and organizations as they identify and implement innovative solutions in a way that works best to address their unique needs and challenges. In doing so, the SOLVE IT Prize aims to promote the commercialization of promising energy technologies.
The prize will award competitors with a demonstrated history of productive work with local residents and organizations. Competitors will work collaboratively with stakeholders interested in community-scale (neighborhood-, town-, or city-scale) energy planning to engage their stakeholders, build a network of support for energy, and develop plans for carrying out these projects.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) have collaborated to launch the SOLVE IT Prize. The prize is part of the American-Made program and is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. SOLVE IT is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) through the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF).
Prize Structure
Over three phases, competitors will work with their stakeholders to develop a credible path forward on energy projects that help address local challenges. Each team may win up to $730,000 across these three phases.
- Embark Phase: Competitors will identify a region, a local challenge that can be addressed by an energy technology solution, and a clear plan for engagement. Competitors will demonstrate that they have what it takes to carry out their project. At the end of the phase, approximately 25 winners will receive $80,000 each and move on to the second phase.
- Engage Phase: Teams will engage with their stakeholders to develop the vision for their future energy project. Approximately 10 teams will receive $150,000 each and move on to the Establish phase.
- Establish Phase: Teams will create plans for carrying out at least one specific, technically novel energy project. Approximately three winners, each demonstrating proof that they have obtained confirmed commitments needed to carry out their projects, will receive $500,000 each.
All dates are subject to change. View the complete prize timeline on HeroX.
Who Can Participate?
The competition is open to individuals or entities that work collaboratively with stakeholders to develop and carry out projects. Competitors should have or have access to the knowledge and resources needed to promote local energy projects in their regions.
Eligible competitors include but are not limited to individuals, private entities (for-profits and nonprofits), consortia, academic institutions, labor unions, nongovernmental organizations, and nonfederal government entities (such as tribes, states, counties, and municipalities) in the United States, subject to the requirements detailed in the official prize rules.
Solutions That Help Shape the Future
Are you an individual, business, coalition, or organization interested in helping to shape the future of energy? Bring your ideas to life with the SOLVE IT Prize.
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