Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2

The American-Made Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2 is a multimillion-dollar competition designed to support energy innovation, entrepreneurship, capacity building, and economic development. This prize is targeted at communities working toward affordable, reliable, and secure energy resources. Competitors in this prize leverage the American-Made Network, a national innovation engine of over 400 organizations, including experts from the U.S. Department of Energy’s 17 national labs, energy technology accelerators, incubators, universities, and facilities. The prize seeks to foster partnerships and build trust between community organizations and innovators to drive clean energy solutions at the local level.

The total prize pool for this competition is $8.42 million. The prize is structured into three tracks: Clean Energy Ecosystem Track, Manufacturing Ecosystem Track, and Vehicles Ecosystem Track. Each track is designed to address different facets of the clean energy transition. Competitors in the Clean Energy Ecosystem Track can work on any clean energy technology or initiative, while the Manufacturing Ecosystem Track requires a focus on sustainable manufacturing. Competitors in the Vehicles Ecosystem Track must work on sustainable transportation technologies or initiatives. Across the three tracks, teams advance through three distinct phases: Concept, Progress, and Impact. In addition to cash prizes, winning teams will receive in-kind mentorship and support valued at approximately $400,000 across all competitors.

The prize is open to a wide range of applicants, including private for-profit and nonprofit entities, non-federal government entities such as states, counties, tribes, and municipalities, academic institutions, and individuals. This broad eligibility ensures diverse participation from local communities, innovators, and educational organizations who have the potential to develop community-centered energy solutions.

The prize is jointly sponsored by three offices within the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE): the Integrated Strategies Office (ISO), the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Office (AMMTO), and the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). Administration is handled by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as part of the American-Made program family, which fosters innovation and collaboration across sectors.

Key submission requirements and eligibility vary slightly between the three tracks, reflecting the unique goals of each track. Competitors are required to show clear and documented efforts to build partnerships, establish community trust, and demonstrate community engagement throughout their proposed projects. The timeline, deadlines, and exact phase dates are provided in the official guidelines. Updates and notifications about the prize are accessible through the HeroX platform, where interested parties can subscribe for ongoing communications.

For questions or further information, competitors are encouraged to contact the prize administrators directly via the HeroX platform messaging feature. Additionally, a full legal agreement and official rules are available for review on the competition page.