American-Made Solar Prize Round 5 Hardware Track

American Made Solar Prize graphic.

The American-Made Solar Prize is a multimillion-dollar competition designed to support U.S. solar manufacturing and address challenges to rapid solar energy deployment by incentivizing hardware and software development. Competitors may be entrepreneurial students, professors, small-business owners, company staffers, national laboratory researchers, or anyone else based in the United States with a potentially marketable solar technology solution. This challenge requires competitors to make progress quickly, form private-sector partnerships, and secure investments to bring their ideas to life.

On June 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched Round 5 of the American-Made Solar Prize with a hardware track and a software track. In the first phase of the competition, entrepreneurial individuals and teams pitch an innovative idea that addresses a critical need in the solar industry and identify market demand for it. Those selected to advance to the second phase will design a proof of concept. In the third and final phase, selected individuals and teams will develop early-stage prototypes for industry testing.

On December 7, 2021, 20 hardware track teams were selected to advance to the next phase of the competition and receive cash prizes of $50,000. Their concepts are grouped into three categories: photovoltaics (PV), systems integration, and concentrating solar-thermal power.

On April 22, 2022, 10 finalists were announced at a live, virtual event. Each team received cash prizes of $100,000 and $75,000 in vouchers to use at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Their concepts are grouped into two categories: PV and systems integration.

Round 5 Hardware Track Winners

On September 20, 2022, DOE announced two winners in the Hardware Track:

  • TECSI Solar Inc.: Solvari SR, The All-in-One Residential Solar Panel (El Sobrante, CA) – This team is developing a residential solar module that simplifies the ordering and installation process by combining the racking, flashing, hardware, and power electronics into a single product. TECSI’s all-in-one solar module eliminates the aluminum frame, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of the installation.
  • Origami Solar: Roll-Formed Steel Frames for Photovoltaic (PV) Modules (Bend, OR) – This team is developing steel PV module frames leveraging U.S.-made and formed steel. Compared to current frames made from imported aluminum, these frames lower the carbon emissions associated with making the frames and reduce PV system costs, while supporting a U.S.-based supply chain.
Winners of the Solar Prize Round 5 Hardware Track are presented with their prizes on stage at the RE+ conference.
Winners of the Solar Prize Round 5 Hardware Track are presented with their prizes on stage at the RE+ conference.

The teams will use their $500,000 cash prizes to further develop and deploy their innovations.

Finalists and Semifinalists

Timeline

  • The Ready! Contest opened on June 15, 2021. Semifinalists were announced Dec. 7, 2021.
  • The Set! Contest opened Dec. 7, 2021. Finalists were announced Apr. 22, 2022.
  • The Go! Contest opened Apr. 22, 2022.
  • DOE announced winners on Sep. 20, 2022 at the RE+ conference.

Learn More

The American-Made Solar Prize is a part of the American-Made Program and is administered by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. For questions about the Solar Prize, email challenge@nrel.gov.