DOE Awards Over $11 Million Through MAKE IT Prize to Boost Domestic Clean Energy Manufacturing Development and Opens New $32 Million Round of the Prize

Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the winners in two tracks of the Manufacture of Advanced Key Energy Infrastructure Technologies (MAKE IT) Prize and the opening of the next iteration of the prize. DOE awarded $9,000,000 to two winners of the Facilities Track’s Phase 2: Shovel Ready, $1,250,000 to five winners of the Strategies Track’s Phase 3: Activate, and $1,000,000 to ten winners of the Strategies Track’s Phase 2: Create. 

The MAKE IT Prize was developed by the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) in partnership with the Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) to catalyze the domestic manufacturing of critical clean energy technology components. Including this announcement, the MAKE IT Prize has awarded more than $33 million to date to enable clean energy manufacturing. 

“The MAKE IT Prize is strengthening our country through expanded clean energy manufacturing,” said DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions Dr. Vanessa Z. Chan. “Expanding our capacity to manufacture critical components domestically will benefit energy companies, regional economies, and communities across the nation.” 

The MAKE IT prize consists of two separate tracks: the Facilities Track and the Strategies Track. The Facilities Track aims to move clean energy manufacturing facilities from planning to shovel-ready for construction. Through these facilities, competitors will add hundreds of jobs and generate millions of dollars of economic activity in their regions.  The Strategies Track is focused on building interest, engagement, and community involvement around manufacturing clean energy technologies. Teams in this track are building powerful networks of partners, engaging dozens of organizations to help develop strategic plans, and attracting clean energy manufacturing to their regions. Each track has multiple phases and timelines to encourage competitors to make progress throughout the prize. 

DOE also opened a new iteration of the MAKE IT prize today. MAKE IT Prize Round 2 will offer a prize pool of approximately $32 million and will aim to catalyze the development of new manufacturing facilities for critical energy technology components. 

MAKE IT Prize Facilities Track  

Competitors in the MAKE IT Prize Facilities Track were tasked with working to establish a manufacturing facility for specific clean energy technology components. In Phase 1: Scope, each team created detailed plans to construct or repurpose a manufacturing facility for clean energy components, and in Phase 2: Shovel Ready, teams demonstrated readiness to break ground for the construction of their facility.  

New Facilities Track Phase 2 Winners 

After previously announcing three winners of Phase 2: Shovel Ready, and its interest in potentially supporting additional high-quality submissions, DOE is announcing the final two winners of this phase. The teams were awarded $4.5 million each in this phase for proving they are ready to build a clean energy manufacturing facility, including having secured a location, financing, permits, and community partners. The teams previously received $500,000 during Phase 1: Scope, bringing their total prize winnings to $5 million throughout the prize. Congratulations to the newest Phase 2 winners!  

• Anderson Clean Energy (Anderson, SC) – Bosch is repurposing their facility located in South Carolina for domestic manufacturing of electrolyzer stacks for the North American market. 
• Million-Mile Fuel Cell Trucks (Billerica, MA) – Boston Materials is expanding its operations to manufacture bipolar plates, potentially solving a key issue of fuel cell trucks with advanced materials, patented technologies, feedstocks and factories that are 100% US-based. 

This final Phase 2 announcement concludes the Facilities Track of the MAKE IT Prize. A total of $29 million has been awarded through this track to bolster the nation’s domestic clean energy supply chain. 

MAKE IT Prize Strategies Track  

Teams in the MAKE IT Prize Strategies Track are asked to create comprehensive roadmaps to attract clean energy manufacturing to their regions and to secure at least one commitment from a manufacturer to establish a clean energy manufacturing facility that brings quality local jobs to their region. This announcement concludes Phase 2: Create and only Round 2 of Phase 3: Activate remains.  

Strategies Track Round 2 Phase 2 Winners 

Winners of Phase 2 in the Strategies Track earned $100,000 each for working with their regional stakeholders to create compelling concept roadmaps to bring clean energy manufacturing and economic development to their regions. This group is the second and final group of winners to be announced from this phase. Congratulations teams! 

• Delaware Sustainable Clean Energy Coalition (Newark, DE) – This team planned a comprehensive roadmap to enable the community to build economic stability and resilience through cleantech industries and workforce development. 
• Son Solar Mississippi (Mendenhall, MS) – This team will create a roadmap to establish clean energy manufacturing, economic development, and job creation in the low-to-middle income rural community of Mendenhall, MS. 
• Innovate Jonesboro (Jonesboro, ME) – This team developed a clear and actionable plan for a thriving clean energy manufacturing industry for job creation and economic growth in Washington County, ME. 
• Joliet Commercialization Coalition LLC (Joliet, MT) – The Joliet Commercialization Center establishes the region as a leading center for clean energy manufacturing, leveraging its unique resources and community strengths. 
• Make It Mohawk Valley (Mohawk, NY) – This team wants to showcase the Mohawk Valley as a place clean energy manufacturers can thrive with their collaboration, outreach, and location. 
• Rosebud Sioux Tribe MAKE IT Team (Rosebud, SD) – This team drives economic growth by integrating clean energy manufacturing and workforce development on the Rosebud Reservation. 
• The Metal Fuels Alliance (Ashland, VA) – This team’s mission is to drive innovation in aluminum power system technologies, promote industrial decarbonization, and enhance energy security, and is supported by large electric and gas utilities, aluminum power system manufacturing companies, community organizations, and other energy stakeholders. 
• Project 81 (Chickasha, OK) – Project 81 aims to establish advanced manufacturing incubators along US Highway 81 in Oklahoma to modernize the existing manufacturing base. 
• WE-MADE (Edinburg, TX) – This project will gather manufacturers, community representatives, and relevant organizations to develop a strategic roadmap for wind energy manufacturing. 
• Northern AZ Regional Energy & Educational Tech (St. Johns, AZ) – The Regional Energy and Educational Tech Center aims to establish a national clean energy manufacturing hub, provide economic stability and skilled job opportunities for rural residents, and create a collaborative ecosystem for sustainable growth. 

These Phase 2 winners will now advance to Round 2 Phase 3, where they’ll work to finalize their roadmaps and get commitments from manufacturing partners before the May 2025 submission deadline.  

Strategies Track Round 1 Phase 3 Winners 

Phase 3 winners were awarded $250,000 each for creating customized regional roadmaps for attracting clean energy manufacturing, demonstrating the necessary stakeholder engagement and partner commitments to bring clean energy manufacturing to their communities, and securing commitments from clean energy manufactures. Congratulations to these five teams! 

• Illinois Clean Tech Economy Coalition (CTEC) (Chicago, IL) – CTEC has created a grid modernization technology manufacturing cluster roadmap for the Chicago metropolitan area to drive inclusive economic growth. 
• NextCorps (Rochester, NY) – NextCorps is creating a hub providing regional economic benefits for clean energy entrepreneurs while repurposing unused manufacturing facilities. 
• Post-COVID Clean Energy Supply Chain Manufacturing Roadmap for a Vibrant Northeast Ohio Region (Cleveland, OH) – This team is organizing a strategic push for clean energy in Northeast Ohio, building on its manufacturing heritage to attract, retain, and grow resilient, sustainable industry. 
• Berkshire Clean Tech Consortium (Pittsfield, MA) – The Berkshire Innovation Center and its partners are building a cluster of clean tech manufacturing in Western Massachusetts that will play an integral role in the regional ecosystem. 
• Project Hermes: Advancing Tulsa's Clean Energy Manufacturing (Tulsa, OK) – Project Hermes is enhancing domestic clean energy manufacturing and regional quality of life by accelerating local ecosystem growth. 

While these five Phase 3 winners have been announced, more Phase 3 awards are up for grabs for the remaining competitors planning to submit their final materials in May 2025. DOE is eager to see all MAKE IT Prize Strategies Track winners advance their strategic plans and partnerships. 

Launching Round 2 of the of MAKE IT Prize  

DOE is excited to launch a second iteration of the MAKE IT Prize. MAKE IT Prize Round 2, now open, offers a prize pool of approximately $32 million and will aim to catalyze the development of manufacturing facilities for critical energy technology components, moving facilities from planning to shovel-ready. Manufacturers of components for the following areas are encouraged to visit the website to learn more and read the official prize rules: 

• Upgrades to the electric grid 
• Long-duration energy storage 
• Industrial decarbonization 
• Carbon capture and storage 
• Direct air capture 
• Clean hydrogen 
• Advanced nuclear power 

The first deadline for the prize, for teams to submit a statement of intent, is April 2025. Follow the prize for future updates. 

Learn More 

Between the two rounds of the MAKE IT Prize, DOE anticipates awarding over $60 million in federal funding to teams to support domestic manufacturing and supply chain security.  

To learn more about the MAKE IT Prize and be notified about future winner announcements, follow the Facilities Track and Strategies Track on HeroX, the official prize platform.  

The MAKE IT Prize was developed by the DOE’s OTT, OCED, and EERE and is funded by the Technology Commercialization Fund through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The prize is administered through the American-Made program, a fast track to clean energy innovation that accelerates the transition from ideas into real-world clean energy solutions.