Power At Sea Prize

Our oceans are a crucial asset: a precious habitat to millions of species, a vital carbon sink, and a key determinant of environmental and human health. Society’s growing need for ocean-derived food, materials, energy, and knowledge is fueling growth in next-generation maritime or “blue” technologies. This effort requires access to consistent, renewable power untethered from land-based grids. 

With reliable and cost-effective renewable power at sea, competitors in the Powering the Blue Economy™ Power at Sea Prize could help us come to a greater understanding of the world’s oceans. The prize aims to nurture innovative technologies that utilize the power inherent in the ocean to enable sustainable and responsible use of resources, better prediction and tracking of tropical storms, better monitoring of aquaculture for food security in coastal communities, greater understanding of the ocean’s role in climate change mitigation, and more. 

 
The Power at Sea Prize, which expands on the Ocean Observing Prize, is structured to support competitors through the early stages of developing a new system, subsystem, or component from original conception to teaming to a testable stage of initial development. 

The prize aims to be a proving ground for ideas that have not yet had the opportunity to flourish and is structured so competitors end the prize with concepts, materials, and media collateral to better position them for future technology development.

Prize Structure 

Through two phases, CONCEPT and DEVELOP, the Power at Sea Prize will provide winners with access to direct support, including trainings, testing assets, and new connections that aim to accelerate the advancement of concepts into real prototypes. 

In the CONCEPT Phase, competitors will select a blue economy application that their proposed system, subsystem, or component will support, and an integration challenge their solution intends to resolve. (See official rules for complete lists of challenges and applications). At the end of this phase, up to 20 winners will be awarded from a cash prize pool of up to $200,000. 

In the DEVELOP Phase, teams will continue their concept development and prepare it for future technology development after the prize. Up to 20 phase winners will be awarded from a cash prize pool of up to $1,500,000.

Prize Phases

The competition is open to individuals; private entities (for-profits and nonprofits); nonfederal government entities such as states, counties, tribes, and municipalities; and academic institutions, subject to the requirements detailed in the official rules. 

The Power at Sea Prize was established by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Sea Grant, NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, and NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture. The prize is part of the American-Made program and is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Solutions that help shape the future

Are you an expert in marine energy, or just an ocean lover with big ideas? Bring your innovations to life and help power the blue economy. #PowerAtSea Prize

Please review the official rules document for the complete application process and instructions for competing.

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