The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE's) Office of Electricity (OE) today launched its new American-Made High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Prize. HVDC is a key technology that can increase the electric grid’s capacity to receive, transmit, and deliver a large amount of energy, and can be more efficient compared to today’s existing solutions. The $200,000 prize will lead to improved grid integration of renewables as well as long-distance electricity transmission to population centers.
“OE’s work in HVDC will help the Biden-Harris Administration meet its clean energy goals. One reason HVDC is so important is it better connects renewables to the grid, such as offshore wind, because it can transmit electricity over longer distances,” said Gene Rodrigues, Assistant Secretary for Electricity. “HVDC transmission also improves grid resilience and flexibility.”
Ideas generated by the prize will help solve the technology gaps that hinder HVDC deployment in the United States and build new innovative solutions to technical challenges in HVDC through the development of new hardware, controls, and advanced concepts. The prize will also accelerate the nation’s focus on HVDC by expanding and diversifying the problem solvers in this field to small businesses and universities.
Up to four winning teams of the HVDC Prize will receive a $50,000 cash prize. The deadline to enter is June 7, 2023.
