EnergyTech University Prize

Sponsored by the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP) is a collegiate competition challenging multidisciplinary student teams to develop and present a business plan that leverages lab-developed and other high-potential energy technologies. EnergyTech UP awards cash prizes to teams that successfully identify an energy technology, assess its market potential, and propose a strategy for commercialization.

Student teams compete for more than $250,000 in total cash prizes as they explore business opportunities for lab-developed or other high-potential energy technologies, assess commercialization opportunities through market analysis, and present a viable business plan to industry judges. Throughout the competition, they receive mentorship and materials to help them succeed.

The top teams compete for a share of $100,000 in prizes funded by OTT. In addition, six DOE Technology Offices offer up to $25,000 each in bonus prizes for the best teams in their respective fields. The six offices include: the Geothermal Technologies Office, Solar Energy Technologies Office, Office of Nuclear Energy, Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Building Technologies Office, and the Water Power Technologies Office.

Understanding that energy is often inherently local, teams first present at their closest regional Explore Events in February 2022, where Regional Winners and Technology Bonus Prize Semifinalists are identified. These teams are provided exclusive mentorship and free access to OTT's Energy I-Corps curriculum to help students refine their ideas throughout February and March. Finally, the regional winners pitch their complete business plan at Carnegie Mellon University Energy Week in March 2022.

The EnergyTech University Prize, in partnership with American-Made Challenges, is designed to be approachable, equitable, and scalable nationwide. Distinct from many startup competitions, winners are chosen based on the strength of their proposal, not the strength of their background.

National Winners and Technology Bonus Prize Finalists

The following teams have been selected as National Winners and Technology Bonus Prize Finalists.

TEAM	SCHOOL(S)	STATUS
Mechanochemical Recycling of LCO Batteries	Stanford University	First-Place National Winner
Self-Powered Autonomous Robot for Power Lines	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	Second-Place National Winner
Structural Piezoelectric Supercapacitors	University of Miami	Third-Place National Winner
Future Heat	The University of Utah	Technology Bonus Prize Winner
Pantheon	The State University of New York at Binghamton	Technology Bonus Prize Winner
Mesophase	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Technology Bonus Prize Winner
Alpha Nur	The University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Technology Bonus Prize Winner
Solar Shepherds	Appalachian State University	Technology Bonus Prize Winner
Electromaim	The George Washington University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	Technology Bonus Prize Winner

Regional Winners and Technology Bonus Prize Finalists

The following teams were selected as Regional Winners and Technology Bonus Prize Finalists.

Region	Regional Winners and Technology Bonus Prize Finalists
Appalachia and South	Regional Winner: Super Compact Wireless Charging Infrastructure (Self-Res Power), The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
California	Regional Winner: Mechanochemical Recycling of LCO Batteries, Stanford University
Carolinas	Regional Winner: Self-Powered Autonomous Robot for Power Lines, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Technology Bonus Prize Finalist: Solar Shepherds – Agrivoltaics Solutions, Appalachian State University
Great Lakes	Regional Winner: Natrion, Boston College, Indiana University, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Technology Bonus Prize Finalists: Alpha Nur, The University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Mid-Atlantic	Regional Winner: Lignolix: Unlocking the Value of Lignin, University of Delaware Technology Bonus Prize Finalists: ElectroMain, The George Washington University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Washington University in St. Louis
New York Tri-State Area	Regional Winner: Smart i-Floor, University of Connecticut Technology Bonus Prize Finalists: Pantheon, A Carbon-Negative Cement Replacement, The State University of New York at Binghamton
Northeast	Regional Winner: Plug-and-Play Nuclear Energy Generator, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Technology Bonus Prize Finalists: Mesophase Steam Condensers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northern Plains	Regional Winner: Recycling of Spent Lithium Ion Batteries, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Southeast	Regional Winner: Structural Piezoelectric Supercapacitors, University of Miami
Texas	Regional Winner: Magnetic Gears – FluxWorks, Texas A&M University
West	Regional Winner: Deployable Off-grid CSP Solar Thermal Desalination, University of Hawai'i Technology Bonus Prize Finalists: Future Heat, The University of Utah

Technology Bonus Prize Semifinalists

The Technology Bonus Prize Finalists were selected from the following semifinalists, selected for each of the regions.

REGION	Technology Bonus Prize Semifinalists
Appalachia and South	REMS, Mississippi State University Biofuel and Graphene from Biomass Wastes, Mississippi State University Hydrocarbon-to-Geothermal Well Conversion and CCS, Tulane University Eco-Friendly Energy Storage for Renewable Sources, Missouri University of Science and Technology
California	Low-Cost Carbon Capture, Ready for Scale-up, California Institute of Technology Leading Renewable Energy – Small Modular Reactors, University of California San Diego and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Fundusol, Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University
Carolinas	Appalachian Biochar, Appalachian State University GEOEXPLORE, Duke University Mifi-DC Systems – Microreactors for EV Trucking, Duke University Solar Shepherds – Agrivoltaics Solutions, Appalachian State University
Great Lakes	Affordable Housing Community Energy Storage, University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Kentucky Carbonbusters, Purdue University Alpha Nur, The University of Chicago and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Thermo Elephant Group, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Mid-Atlantic	Geothermal Cooling Solves Heat Stress Deaths, University of Maryland Flow Solutions, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University ElectroMain, The George Washington University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Washington University in St. Louis Nuclear Heat Exchanger for Brine Treatment – Radical Energy and Materials, The Pennsylvania State University Skibo Thermal Energy Storage Solution w/CSP, Carnegie Mellon University Electrospun Photocatalytic Mats for Hydrogen Power, The Ohio State University
New York Tri-State Area	Pantheon, A Carbon-Negative Cement Replacement, The State University of New York at Binghamton Tri-Sol: A 3-in-1 Solar Skylight System, University of New Haven
Northeast	Electricity Production with Negative Emissions, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mesophase Steam Condensers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Plug-and-Play Nuclear Energy Generator, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Roll-Up Roll-On Solar Panels, The University of Vermont
Northern Plains	Geothermal Descaling Advanced Technology, University of North Dakota Iowa State Mobile Microgrid, Iowa State University
Southeast	BitPump – Crypto Mining Heat Pump, Georgia Institute of Technology and George Mason University Combining Latest Tech to Accelerate PV Adoption, Georgia Institute of Technology Capturing Ammonia in Wastewater Applications, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Texas	Bison Underground – A Beneficial Synergy, Carbon Capture and Soil Health, The University of Oklahoma GeoEnergy, The University of Oklahoma Plug and Play SMR-Hydrogen Microgrid, The University of Texas at Dallas Solar Mineralis, The University of Tulsa
West	Future Heat, The University of Utah A.B.O. Sustainable Rare Earth Elements, University of Alaska Anchorage Energy Pod for Long Duration Energy Storage, Arizona State University

Learn More

Watch the EnergyTech UP Informational Webinar recording.
Sign up to compete on HeroX, the official competition platform.
Learn about DOE-developed energy technologies.
Send questions about EnergyTech UP to ott.energytechup@nrel.gov.