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Innovating Distributed Embedded Energy Prize

Let’s forge a wave-powered future together! New wave energy technologies have the potential to power much of the nation’s grid.

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Summary

Overview

 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is launching the Innovating Distributed Embedded Energy Prize (InDEEP) to encourage innovation in distributed embedded energy converter technology (DEEC-Tec, pronounced “deck tech”) to generate new, precommercial materials for wave energy conversion. This prize will challenge innovators from within and beyond wave energy to design and develop novel materials for marine energy applications that will lay the foundation for generating electricity at the grid scale. 

This three-phase, two-year competition is offering a combined cash prize pool up to $2.3 million. Teams will also receive technical support, teaming support, and other forms of mentorship throughout the prize to enable their success.

Wave energy is the most abundant and geographically diverse marine energy resource in the United States. The total available wave energy resource in the United States is equivalent to approximately 34% of all U.S. power generation in 2019.

To help build energy resilience in coastal cities and support President Biden’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, InDEEP seeks innovations that blend materials and renewable energy research to help convert wave energy to usable electricity. This prize is the first step in exploring DEEC-Tec’s potential for ocean wave energy conversion. 

Competitors will use innovative methods to identify DEEC-Tec components and materials that have high techno-economic potential for wave energy converters. Successful concepts developed through this prize are those that show the greatest techno-economic potential to contribute to grid-scale power systems. 

To facilitate multidisciplinary connections between teams, competitors are encouraged to leverage the teaming platform. Use of this platform will also contribute to a team's final leaderboard score. 

 

Prize Phases 

 

Prize Goals 

  • Leverage WEC innovation methods to systematically develop DEEC-Tec concepts that could bring value to the ocean wave energy conversion industry. 
  • Build a solver community by engaging and facilitating collaboration between diverse innovators inside and outside the marine energy industry and related DEEC-Tec disciplines. 
  • Encourage development of novel DEEC-Tec concepts with high potential relevant to ocean wave energy conversion by supporting an interdisciplinary set of competitors as they move from ideation to design.
  • Refine wave energy converter innovation methods to incorporate ideas from beyond the field of wave energy based on feedback from the prize.

 

 


Guidelines

 

Who can participate?

This prize aims to engage distributed embedded energy conversion experts from a wide variety of fields and disciplines, like piezoelectrics, polymers, and actuators. Innovators within and beyond the wave energy industry are encouraged to create and join multidisciplinary teams in designing and completing proof-of-concept testing of DEEC-Tec concept(s) that are applicable to ocean wave energy conversion. 

To ensure success regardless of knowledge or background in marine energy, competitors will receive multiple types of support throughout the prize, including training in innovation methods, connections with commercialization mentors, and an introduction to marine renewable energy. 

Please see the official prize rules for participant eligibility and resource materials.


Leaderboard

The leaderboard is a representation of engagement throughout Phase I. The final scores represented on the public-facing leaderboard will contribute directly to the final numerical score a competitor receives on their submission. Individual scoring components are included in the official prize rules, and teams can receive up to 6 points per scoring criteria, for a maximum of 18 additional points, that will be calculated and weighted into final scores for their appropriate category. 

Specific engagement activities will be offered and updates will be shared on the leaderboard as teams complete these activities. Teams will not earn points for leaderboard activities prior to completing the initial eligibility confirmation on HeroX. It is the responsibility of the team to notify the prize administrator to transition points to another team, should teams pursue partnerships and a change in the team captain whose name is associated with these engagement changes. 

Timeline
Updates14

Challenge Updates

Submissions Due Today!

Aug. 25, 2023, 5 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

The submission deadline is 5pm ET Today!

 

There is still time to connect with an energy mentor. Please reach out to Kim Nielsen from Ramboll KIN@ramboll.com with any last-minute questions.

 

You can also reach out to Yet2 at InDeepChallenge@yet2.com if you have questions about your submission.

 

As a reminder, if you have any changes to your leaderboard team, please notify the administration team at InDEEP@nrel.gov BEFORE 5pm ET today.

 

Good luck!


Reminder: Q&A Session Today at 1:30 pm ET

Aug. 22, 2023, 9:30 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

We encourage potential participants to join us for a 1-hour Q&A Session today and take the opportunity to ask questions. Link to the session below.

 

August 22nd from 1:30-2:30 pm ET – Session Link

 

Join the session and feel free to ask any remaining questions you have about the submission requirements.

 


Submissions due Friday, August 25!

Aug. 21, 2023, 1:04 p.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

There are just 4 days left to pull together your application for the Innovating Distributed Embedded Energy prize (InDEEP)! 

 

Visit the Resources page where you can find helpful links to resources like the Teaming Platform, past webinar slides and recordings, Technical Narrative Template, and the Technology Performance Level (TPL) Assessment Feedback Form.

 

Join Us! We encourage potential participants to join us for a 1-hour Q&A Session tomorrow and take the opportunity to ask any remaining questions before the submission deadline on Friday.

August 22nd from 1:30-2:30 pm ET – Session Link



 


Reminder: Q&A Session Today at 1:00pm ET

Aug. 17, 2023, 9 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

We encourage potential participants to join us for a 1-hour Q&A Session today and take the opportunity to ask questions. Link to the session below.

 

August 17th 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET – Session 1

 

If you are unable to make today's session will be holding a second webinar on August 22 from 1:30-2:30pm ET.

 

Join the session you are available to participate in and feel free to ask any remaining questions you have about the submission requirements.


2 Week Reminder!

Aug. 11, 2023, 9:59 a.m. PDT by NREL Prize Moderator

2 weeks to go and it’s not too late to take advantage of available resources. Submissions are due August 25, 2023.

 

Energy Mentor

There’s still time to meet with an Energy Mentor with a few remaining slots. Book a 30-minute meeting with Dr. Ronan Costello from Wave Venture to ask questions and/or get feedback on your application.* Sign up for a time slot.

 

TPL Assessment Feedback Form

An important reminder that as a part of this prize, the team is collecting feedback from competitors on the use of the Technology Performance Level (TPL) Assessment Tool. If you have questions about the Assessment Feedback Form, please post them or any other concerns on the forum. Responses to this questionnaire also contribute to your leaderboard score!

 

Teaming Platform

Sign up for the teaming platform to facilitate connections between competitors for InDEEP.

 

Upcoming Q&A Sessions

Join us for a 1-hr session as we cover commonly asked questions.

August 17th 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET – Session 1

August 22nd 1:30 – 2:30 pm ET – Session 2


Forum18
Teams250
Leaderboard
Resources
FAQ
Upcoming Webinars and Recordings
Training Materials