The American Energy Data Challenge is a year-long effort to amplify open data and citizen data using public innovation, but we’re already able to announce our first round of winners.

The Challenge is a collaboration among several offices throughout the Energy Department, driven by common objectives of open government, open data and fostering innovation. During the first round, we had over 100 submissions from people across the country, a great panel of expert judges and over a thousand people voting to choose the popular choice winners in each of our three contest categories. 

It was great to see creative submissions that drew upon the diverse open data resources that the Energy Department has to offer, from my own Energy Information Administration to renewable and fossil fuel data, as well as consumer and electric grid data.  We asked the public to think outside the box and help government do more than it can by itself, and we’re very pleased with the results.

The first contest of this series -- the Energy Ideas Challenge -- sought new ideas for using energy data to create high-value innovative apps, mission-driven services and insightful knowledge that will contribute to solving real-world issues in the public and private sectors. Winners of the contest are named below.

Best Idea for an Existing Dataset: Finding new and innovative uses for data available today

• First Prize ($1,500): Home Energy Score API
• Second Prize ($1,000): Intelligent PV Selection that Considers Usage, Rates and Size
• Third Prize ($500): The Transparent Cost Database Enables Energy Innovation
• Popular Choice ($1,000): Online Forum to Make Financial Energy Incentives More Effective

Best Idea for a "Wish List" Dataset: Data not available today that would be fuel for innovation

• First Prize ($1,000): Leveraging Natural Gas Data
• Second Prize ($500): Community Energy Use Mapping
• Third Prize ($250): A Real Time Residential Energy Dataset
• Popular Choice ($250): Green Energy Tracker

Best "Killer Idea" for an Energy-Focused Application or Service -- every killer app begins with a killer idea:

• First Prize ($1,500): Ohmconnect: Residential Demand Response using Smart Meters
• Second Prize ($1,000): Residential Solar Calculator
• Third Prize ($500): Power Gambit: A Country-wide Energy Prospecting Game
• Popular Choice ($1,000): Oroeco – Earn Rewards for Living your Values

Congratulations to all of our winners!

Data and information are invaluable national assets that increase in value when they are made easily accessible to the public. Visit the American Energy Data Challenge website and take a look at all the great submissions. If you register while you’re there, you will be among the first to know when Contest Two -- Apps for Energy II -- is launched in mid-January. To everyone who submitted an idea and everyone who voted, thank  you. 

Learn more about the American Energy Data Challenge at energychallenge.energy.gov.