Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced its intent to launch the Manufacture of Advanced Key Energy Infrastructure Technologies (MAKE IT) Prize. The prize will make available approximately $30 million in total funding to catalyze domestic manufacturing of critical clean energy technology components, moving manufacturing facilities from planning to shovel-ready, and enabling strategies for vibrant manufacturing activity in communities.

The prize was developed by the DOE Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) in partnership with the Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF).

The MAKE IT Prize will have two tracks:

  • Facilities Track: U.S.-based entities interested in building domestic manufacturing facilities for critical clean energy components will be eligible to participate in Track 1. Each winner will receive up to $5,000,000 towards developing facilities to the point of being shovel-ready for construction.
  • Strategies Track: Teams working to promote clean energy manufacturing activity in their regions will be eligible to participate in Track 2. Each winner will receive up to $250,000 for creating a roadmap to bring clean energy manufacturing to their region and providing demonstrated interest from at least one manufacturing developer.

Organizations interested in establishing clean energy manufacturing facilities or developing strategies to promote clean energy manufacturing in their regions should follow the MAKE IT Prize pages on HeroX, the official competition platform:

DOE intends to launch the prize and open the application period in summer 2023. Subsequent updates and announcements for the MAKE IT Prize will be posted on HeroX.

The MAKE IT Prize is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is part of the American-Made program. The American-Made Program fast-tracks innovation through prizes, training, teaming, and mentoring, connecting the nation's entrepreneurs and innovators to America's national labs and the private sector.

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