To bolster the clean energy economy, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) uses a variety of funding mechanisms—including prizes and competitions—to invest in American entrepreneurs and innovation. 

These prizes and competitions support innovators in every community—whether they’re working in their garage, an office, a classroom, or a laboratory—and help advance the clean energy transition. As our nation works to meet U.S. climate goals, EERE is committed to investing in people with a variety of life experiences and skillsets. Our energy portfolio is diversifying, and diversity of thought is critical to ensuring we view problems from every angle to find solutions with the greatest impact and potential. 

Support for Clean Energy Innovators

Innovators need more than funding to support their ideas. As competitors strive to win cash prizes, they also have access to tools and resources, including technical assistance. For example, the American-Made Network—a group of more than 400 private-sector support organizations and DOE’s 17 national laboratories—are available to participants in the American-Made Challenges, providing training, teaming, mentoring, and more.

Our nation needs passionate, creative, and diverse Clean Energy Champions to develop renewable energy and energy-saving technologies that will help decarbonize the U.S. economy. Have an innovative idea that will help build our clean energy future? Find a prize competition, challenge, or other funding mechanism that is right for you: