American-Made – Geothermal Manufacturing Prize, deadline Aug. 26, 2020

American-made Geothermal Prize (source: DOE/ NREL)

The American-Made Geothermal Manufacturing Prize (Geothermal Prize) is designed to spur innovation and address manufacturing challenges fundamental to operating in harsh geothermal environments. This prize further supports the ability of the geothermal industry to reach the target of 60 GWe of geothermal capacity by 2050  as outlined in the recently released GeoVision study .

As part of the American-Made Challenges series, the Geothermal Prize unites the world’s best-in-class research base with the unparalleled entrepreneurial support system of the American-Made Network. Consisting of pioneering maker spaces, dozens of energy incubators, universities, and 17 DOE National Laboratories, the Network is primed to create a sweeping portfolio of innovations to demonstrate the promise of additive manufacturing.

Prize Stages

Competitors in the Ready!, Set!, Make!, and Geo! Contests participate in four escalating challenges. The contests provide a total of $4.65 million in incentives—$3.25 million in cash prizes, $1 million in vouchers, and $400,000 in field testing costs—to incentivize driving additively manufactured geothermal innovations from concept to prototype testing in two years through an accelerated schedule.

The Prize Structure

The Geothermal Prize is a series of four progressive competitions that harness the rapid advances that additive manufacturing can provide in tool design, fabrication, and functionality. It incentivizes innovators and entrepreneurs to discover new advanced manufacturing solutions. This rapid, scalable approach to prototype development not only provides cash prizes, but also engages America’s unique innovation ecosystem to help participants achieve their goals.
Learn about competing in the Geothermal Prize

Important Dates

• Prize Announced: January 2020
• Rules Feedback Request: January 2020
  Rules feedback closed April 3, 2020.
• Ready! Contest April 29, 2020
  Submissions due August 26, 2020
• Set! Contest (anticipated November 2020)
• Make! Contest (anticipated May 2021)
• Geo! Contest (anticipated January 2022)