Conductive materials are fundamental to nearly all energy use applications. Developing manufacturing processes for conductivity-enhanced materials in motors, generators, and renewable power technologies could lower costs and improve performance.
The competition aims to unite a collection of researchers and inventors to develop transformative, cost-effective approaches and technologies to accelerate American entrepreneurship and pinpoint pathways for further research and development funding and technology transition efforts.
The Conductivity-enhanced materials for Affordable, Breakthrough Leapfrog Electric and thermal applications CABLE Conductor Manufacturing Prize aims to help supercharge our U.S. energy and manufacturing industries. Competitors must demonstrate significant enhancements in conductivity and design affordable conductors that enable U.S. manufacturers to leapfrog to next-generation materials.
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's)Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office launched the $4.8-million is launching the CABLE Conductor Manufacturing Prize to encourage such breakthrough conductivity-enhanced materials. Up to 4 Grand Prize winners will be selected in this three-stage, three-year contest.
CABLE Conductor Manufacturing Prize Stage Overview
Stage 1:
Competitors submitted their breakthrough concepts to develop and manufacture new, affordable, electrical conductivity-enhanced material. Ten winners each received $25,000 in cash awards and a stipend for third-party testing of their material in Stage 2 of the prize. Stage 1 of the prize helped inform DOE about the minimum conductivity enhancement and other property benchmarks, as well as the types of support that competitors will likely need from DOE national laboratories or other American-Made Challenges Network providers in Stages 2 and 3 of the prize.
Stage 2:
In Stage 2, competitors will provide a sample of their material for electrical conductivity testing and preliminary plans to scale up and manufacture the material according to prize requirements. Seven competitors received $200,000 in cash awards and $100,000 in noncash voucher support to work with a DOE national laboratory or other American-Made Challenges Network provider in Stage 3.
Stage 3:
Competitors successful in Stage 2 will develop three larger samples of their conductivity-enhanced material, which will be sent to three different testing organizations. The requirements for these samples will be finalized and available after Stage 2 closes. Competitors must also provide substantial background information on how the sample was made and plans to commercialize the material. The three testing organizations will evaluate each material sample for conductivity and other characteristics. Scores will be based, in part, on the conductivity enhancement (size and extent of breakthrough), other important material characteristics, and leapfrog manufacturability and affordability. Up to four competitors will split a total prize pool of at least $2,000,000.
You can review the official rules here.
Challenge Guidelines
Please review the official rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing.
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Note the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is evaluating all funding opportunities, including prize challenges, to ensure appropriate resources are allocated efficiently, and that the Department's initiatives are in line with the statutory mission of DOE and the policies and priorities of the Administration and DOE. DOE is undertaking this evaluation in accordance with all laws, regulations, and fiscal responsibility, as efficiently as possible.
