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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) partners with the American-Made Challenges program to offer prizes and competitions for students, researchers, innovators—anyone with a creative idea. 

Prizes offer competitors:

  • The lowest barrier to access DOE funding.
  • A safe environment that encourages new ideas, creativity, and pays for results.
  • A level playing field for tackling ambitious goals where people from all backgrounds and skill sets can succeed.
  • Collaboration with public, private, and philanthropic entities supporting and sponsoring a prize.
  • Win cash, and get recognized for excellence in a particular area.

Our prizes address four main themes:

EERE's American-Made Challenges

Other EERE Prizes and Competitions

How To Get Involved

Are you an innovator? America needs innovators who can help build our clean energy future. We are challenging anyone with a promising idea to compete in a clean energy prize competition—students, engineers, builders, inventors, community organizations, and more. National lab experts will help you along your journey. It’s the lowest barrier to DOE funding. Apply to a prize competition with DOE’s clean energy innovation hub, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Pick a prize and compete! All innovators are welcome!
DOE
American-Made Challenges
Visit the main portal for DOE prizes and competitions.
The American-Made Network
Discover resources and connections once you’ve joined a competition.
HeroX: American-Made Challenges
Submit your application for a prize or competition.
Prize Sponsorship
Contact American-Made Challenges to learn more about sponsorship options.

News About EERE Prizes and Competitions

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DOE Selects Two Winners in Prize To Train Workers for Skilled Jobs in Solar Manufacturing Workforce
DOE announced the first winners in the first round of the American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce.
July 16, 2024
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Three Student-Led Teams Win Final Phase of DOE's Community Energy Innovation Prize for Advancing Energy Equity in Underserved Communities
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced the final winning teams in the Collegiate Track of the American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize.
June 25, 2024
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New Framing the Future Contest Seeks Photos of America’s Industrial Transformation
The Framing the Future: Industrial Technologies Photo Contest will award $27,000 for the best photos of the innovative technologies, processes, and people that will help the United States achieve a decarbonized industrial sector.
June 20, 2024
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DOE Announces Phase 1 Winners of Re-X Before Recycling Prize To Extend Product and Part Lifetimes and Promote Circularity
After Phase 1, 20 teams across 13 states have been awarded $50,000 in cash prizes plus national lab support as Phase 2 opens in the Re-X Before Recycling Prize.
June 17, 2024
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Water Power Technologies Office Selects Teams for 2025 Hydropower and Marine Energy Collegiate Competitions
Thirty-six student-led teams will participate in these competitions, which engage and educate students about real-world challenges facing the hydropower and marine energy sectors and career opportunities in water power.
May 30, 2024
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U.S. Department of Energy Announces Winners of 2024 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition
The University of New Hampshire won the 5th annual Marine Energy Collegiate Competition.
May 23, 2024
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Biden-Harris Administration Celebrates Progress in Domestic Floating Offshore Wind
The Departments of Energy, Interior, Commerce, and Transportation today released a report summarizing their progress toward the goals of the Floating Offshore Wind Shot™, an initiative to drive U.S. leadership in design, deployment, and manufacturing.
May 16, 2024
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DOE Announces Winners of 11th Annual Collegiate Wind Competition
California State University Maritime Academy claimed first place out of 12 student teams in the 11th annual Collegiate Wind Competition final event in Minneapolis in May 2024.
May 9, 2024
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U.S. Department of Energy Announces Winners of Second Annual Hydropower Collegiate Competition
Northern Arizona University was the overall winner of the 2024 Hydropower Collegiate Competition.
May 1, 2024
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DOE Announces Solar Decathlon 2024 Design Challenge Winners
Today the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon® , DOE’s longest-running student competition, announced the winners of the 2024 Design Challenge.
April 22, 2024
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