IMPORTANT REGISTRATION NOTE:
Registration for the Fall 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition is closed in on October 4, 2023. All teams who wish to compete in either the Policy or Technical Track must have registered by this date.
If you are competing, make sure you have completed the registration form by clicking "Begin Entry":
- Signing up as a team on HeroX is the first step, but the team captain must also click "Begin Entry" and complete the registration form to fully register.
- The registration form asks which track you want to participate in (policy vs technical), as well as team member names, emails, majors, school name, etc.
- Email if you have questions.
Welcome to the Fall 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition (GCC)! Stay up to date on competition announcements and details by clicking the "follow" button at the top right of the page.
- Through the Geothermal Collegiate Competition, the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) encourages students to develop innovative solutions for geothermal energy application challenges and build career skills for the clean energy workforce.
- Fall 2023 GCC prize amounts:
- 1st place, Technical Track: $10,000
- 1st place, Policy Track: $10,000
- 2nd place, Technical Track: $6,000
- 2nd place, Policy Track: $6,000
Registration opened on August 1, 2023, and will close on October 4, 2023. Click "Solve This Challenge" and fill out the registration form to enter!
Teams must have at least three undergraduate and/or graduate members and students of any discipline can participate. Final competition deliverables will be due in December 2023.
New to the Fall 2023 GCC, there are now two competition tracks: Technical and Policy.
- Technical Track teams present a technical plan for deploying a geothermal heating and cooling system for a proposed community or campus of their choosing, including a conceptual design of the needed geothermal system based on community needs, benefits, and available resources.
- Policy Track teams present a high-level plan for installing a geothermal heating and cooling system in a community or campus, focused on an analysis of the regulatory environment and an assessment of economic considerations for the project.
Please review the official rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing.
Specifics to note:
- This competition is open for undergraduate and/or graduate students pursuing any major or minor. GTO aims to raise awareness of geothermal resources among communities and the public through this competition, thereby broadening the geothermal stakeholder base.
- The Geothermal Collegiate Competition invites participation by teams of at least three students enrolled in accredited U.S.-based collegiate institutions or U.S. citizens enrolled at non-U.S. based collegiate institutions. In this case, “collegiate institution” refers to any school of post-secondary or higher education, including but not limited to community colleges, technical colleges, and traditional four-year and graduate-level universities. See “Who Can Enter” in the Geothermal Collegiate Competition Rules for more information on eligibility.
- There is no cost to register or participate.
- Additional details are available on the Geothermal Collegiate Competition webpage.
If you want to receive updates on the prize or have any questions, please use the "Follow" feature on this HeroX platform or message us directly at .
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.
