MAKE IT Prize Helps Fuel US Clean Energy Boom
$30 Million Challenge Powers Domestic Manufacturing for Solar Power, Wind Energy, and Energy Storage, Creating Jobs and Boosting Disadvantaged Communities
The United States is poised for a clean energy boom, with the new investments flowing from 2021's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act expected to unlock around $3 trillion in clean energy economic activity driven by the private sector. That growth creates a need for all kinds of technologies, including those related to clean hydrogen and hydrogen fuel cells, electric grid updates, long-duration energy storage, as well as carbon capture and storage.
What is more, these are all components that can be manufactured domestically, offering a significant opportunity to create skilled, well-paid jobs for millions of Americans.
To help seize this opportunity, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Manufacture of Advanced Key Energy Infrastructure Technologies (MAKE IT) Prize. Developed by the Office of Technology Transitions in partnership with the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, this approximately $30 million challenge is intended to boost domestic manufacturing of essential components for clean energy technologies—particularly in disadvantaged communities. Through two distinct, multiphase tracks—the Facilities Track and the Strategies Track—the MAKE IT Prize aims to help U.S. manufacturing facilities progress from the planning stage to help actually build manufacturing facilities around the United States and encourage active manufacturing in the nation's communities.
"As U.S. clean energy scales up, we're anticipating a significant increase in demand for clean energy technology components that the current domestic market cannot meet," said DOE Commercialization Program Manager Rebecca Szymkowicz. "Through the MAKE IT Prize, we hope to speed up the development of our manufacturing capabilities so they can meet the coming demand—and so that the benefits of clean energy manufacturing are delivered equitably."
The Facilities Track: From Planning Stage to Shovel-Ready
The MAKE IT Prize Facilities Track, which is currently accepting statements of intent from new teams looking to participate in the track's secondary timeline, aims to speed up the development of domestic manufacturing plants, transitioning them from the planning stage to being ready for construction. For teams who are participating in this track's primary timeline, the Facilities Track is currently accepting submissions for Phase 1: Scope.
Open to U.S.-based entities interested in manufacturing, this track invites participants to develop feasible plans for facilities that will produce specific components or processes related to clean energy technologies—and show that they are ready to start producing those components and implementing those processes. These components and processes can relate to areas like hydrogen fuel, long-duration energy storage, the electric grid, and carbon capture.
Winners can receive up to $5 million for their work.
"The goal of the Facilities Track is to strengthen the domestic supply chain for components essential for advancing clean energy technologies," Szymkowicz said. "With that in mind, we're looking for competitors to demonstrate that they are ready to manufacture clean energy components at scale."
The deadline to submit a statement of intent for the Facilities Track's secondary timeline is 5 p.m. ET on Feb. 1, 2024. That is also the deadline for primary timeline teams who are already competing to submit their Phase 1: Scope deliverables. Watch the recording of the Facilities Track informational webinar to learn more about this track and how to apply for the secondary timeline.
The Strategies Track: Nurturing the Clean Energy Manufacturing Ecosystem
The MAKE IT Prize Strategies Track is currently accepting submissions for the second round of Phase 1 and the first round of Phase 2. Phase 1 is open to all applicants, whereas Phase 2 is open to the winners of the first round of Phase 1, who were recently awarded a total of $650,000, shared among 13 winning teams.
The Strategies Track seeks to attract clean energy technology manufacturing to communities, especially in disadvantaged communities. This track invites U.S.-based organizations to create plans for boosting clean energy manufacturing, economic development, growth, and quality of life in their communities.
Winners can receive up to $400,000 for creating a road map to bring clean energy manufacturing to their region and for providing evidence of demonstrated interest from at least one manufacturing developer.
"The Strategies Track is looking for nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, economic development organizations, and other groups that will nurture not only individual manufacturing facilities but the larger ecosystem in which these facilities exist—and in a way that works for those communities," Szymkowicz said. "This could involve things like workforce development programs, special services for businesses, or other things that that make the area appealing for manufacturers, workers, and the community as a whole."
The deadline to apply for Round 2 of the Strategies Track is 5 p.m. ET on Feb. 15, 2024. Watch the recording of the Strategies Track informational webinar to learn more about this track and how to apply.
Cross-Track Collaboration Welcomed
As teams participating in the Facilities Track scout possible sites for their manufacturing facilities and teams participating in the Strategies Track seek out potential manufacturers for their regions, prize organizers encourage them to collaborate.
"We'd love to see, for example, Facilities teams connect with Strategies teams to discuss establishing their facilities in the Strategies teams' communities," Szymkowicz said. "This kind of partnership—between those who build and operate clean energy manufacturing facilities and those who foster the larger clean energy manufacturing environment—will strengthen not only the participating teams but the communities that host these facilities."
Launched in early 2023, the MAKE IT Prize is part of DOE's 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 laboratories and the private sector.
The MAKE IT Prize is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through the Technology Commercialization Fund. The DOE Office of Technology Transitions, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy have collaborated to launch the MAKE IT Prize.
Ready to help transform your community into a clean energy manufacturing hub? Visit the MAKE IT Prize homepage to join the challenge.