Solar Prize Round 5 Hardware Track

The latest round of the Solar Prize is now open. More than $4.2 million will be distributed to competitors over this three-phase competition designed to catalyze innovations in U.S. solar hardware and software technologies with the capability to be commercialized in 3 to 5 years. Learn more about the launch of the Solar Prize Round 8!

Do you have an innovative idea that can help transform the solar industry? We invite you to join the Solar Prize Round 8. Please note that if you have previously competed in the Solar Prize, you will need to apply with a new or significantly improved solution. See the Solar Prize Round 8 rules for more details.

Round 8 also offers complimentary application support through the Power Connectors, organizations that are available to teams applying to the Solar Prize. Find Power Connector contact details on HeroX.

As a competitor, you could win up to $650,000 in cash prizes, as well as up to $90,000 in technical support vouchers over the course of the prize’s three contests, Ready!, Set!, and Go!. Past winners have found these vouchers invaluable to connect them with the American-Made Network, comprising more than 475 members—including universities, facilities, incubators, investors, and national labs.

Teams can also compete in the optional Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest for additional cash awards. Those who advance solar in underserved communities could earn part of the $200,000 bonus prize pool! 

Similar to last year, teams whose submissions in the Ready! Contest that aren’t selected to advance but warrant further thought and development could win the Power Up Contest. Up to 10 teams may be selected to split a $100,000 prize pool and receive tailored business support from Power Connectors to advance their startup and idea. 

If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the ranks of Solar Prize competitors, follow the prize on HeroX to stay in the know about upcoming dates and deadlines!

After successful final pitches at the RE+ Conference on Sept. 20, five Solar Prize Round 5 teams took home top honors and cash awards for their innovative solar concepts. During the final Go! Contest, teams worked on developing and testing their product or prototype, building their network, and making a long-term plan for the success of their concept. 

The following Hardware Track winners were awarded $500,000 cash and $75,000 in vouchers to help the team bring their concept to fruition. 

Origami Solar, Bend, OR: This team is developing steel PV module frames leveraging U.S.-made and formed steel. Compared to current frames made from imported aluminum, these frames lower the carbon emissions associated with making the frames and reduce PV system costs, while supporting a U.S.-based supply chain.

TECSI Solar, El Sobrante, CA: This team is developing a residential solar module that simplifies the ordering and installation process by combining the racking, flashing, hardware, and power electronics into a single product. TECSI’s all-in-one solar module eliminates the aluminum frame, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of the installation.

Software track winners, below, received $200,000 each, and $50,000 in vouchers. 

illu, Sunnyvale, CA: This team is building a mobile and desktop tool for operations and maintenance workflow management that will assist field technicians and simplify distributed solar maintenance.

SolarGrade, Carlsbad, CA: This team is building a management platform to improve inspection, operations, and maintenance of PV systems leveraging field technician inputs and data analytics.

In addition, Midday Tech from San Francisco, CA, was awarded $100,000 for their winning submission to the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest, which focuses on advancing solar in underserved communities. Midday Tech is building a platform to connect consumers who purchase voluntary carbon offsets with high-impact rooftop solar projects in underserved communities.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in Round 5 and contributed their innovative ideas for energizing solar innovation. The prize administrators are so proud of the work you’ve all accomplished throughout this competition and look forward to seeing your continued success.

Don’t forget, Round 6 is open and accepting submissions now through Oct. 6. We highly encourage Solar Prize newcomers and alumni to apply! 

The conclusion of Round 5 of the Solar Prize will take place Sept. 20 at RE+, the nation’s largest conference for renewable energy professionals. Conference attendees are invited to watch team pitches during the day, visit their booths in the conference Expo Hall, and hear the Solar Prize winner announcements that evening.

Learn more about ways to connect with the Solar Prize at RE+. 

During the competition’s final event, Go! Demo Day, Hardware Track finalist teams will present a short pitch on their technology to industry peers at 2-3:30 p.m. in the Grid Edge Theater. If you’re attending the conference, we invite you to come hear about all the innovative concepts these finalist teams have developed over the last year! Attendees can also learn more about each Hardware Track team’s concept at team booths located around the Expo Hall. 

The American-Made program will also host a booth on the show floor, and attendees are invited to learn more about the Solar Prize Round 6 and other American-Made Challenges from prize administrators from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Select Solar Prize alumni from Rounds 2-4 will have booth spaces as well and will showcase the progress they’ve made since completing the competition.

On the evening of Sept. 20, the final winner of the Solar Prize Round 5 Hardware Track will be announced and awarded $500,000, plus $75,000 in vouchers to help the team bring their concept to fruition. The winner announcement will take place at the RE+ conference at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. You can also watch the livestream of the winner announcement on the American-Made Challenges Twitter feed.

Stay tuned to find out who wins!

Congratulations to the finalists moving on to the Go! Contest of the Solar Prize Round 5, announced today at the American-Made Earth Day Celebration. Ten Hardware Track teams were each awarded $100,000 in cash prizes and $75,000 in vouchers to advance their innovation from proof-of-concept to prototype in the final contest.   

Semifinalist teams showcased their concepts during the virtual Round 5 Set! Demo Day event, where they were asked to show progress in developing and demonstrating early-stage proofs-of-concept. A panel of industry experts reviewed the teams’ pitch videos and conducted a 10-minute question-and-answer session with each team to discuss their innovations in more detail before selecting the finalists.

Now, after months of diligent work from the teams and careful deliberation by the judges, the finalist teams have been announced:

• Gismo Power (Sarasota, FL) – This team is developing a portable carport that has an integrated solar PV system and electric vehicle charger and can be stored in a garage during periods of harsh weather.  As a portable electric appliance, it can be taken with the owner when they move homes.
• Leap Photovoltaics (San Francisco, CA) – This team is developing a silicon solar cell that uses silicon particles instead of traditional silicon wafers. These particle-based cells have the potential to be much lower in cost compared to incumbent technologies and can be manufactured with a U.S. supply chain. 
• Mana Monitoring (Lahaina, HI) – This team is developing a plug-and-play energy management system that synchronizes on-site solar energy generation with electric vehicle charging. The goal is to charge electric vehicles from the locally produced solar power as much as possible and reduce the use of grid power during expensive peak hours.
• Origami Solar (Bend, OR) – This team is developing steel PV module frames manufactured using a roll-forming process. Compared to current frames made from aluminum, these frames can reduce PV system costs due to cheaper materials and higher manufacturing speeds.
• Portable Solar (Miami, FL) – This team is developing an awning PV panel mounting system that can seamlessly integrate into the manufacturing process and distribution channels of the manufactured home industry. This could reduce the cost of residential solar for manufactured homes.
• RCAM Technologies (Los Angeles, CA) – This team is developing 3D-printed concrete gravity anchors that are manufactured on-site for floating solar panel installations. This allows for the production of highly optimized anchor designs for each solar system.
• Smartville (Carlsbad, CA) – This team is developing an energy storage system that combines recycled electric vehicle batteries with a novel power conversion system and state-of-the-art battery controls. These battery controls enable the system to use different makes and models of electric vehicle batteries and can extend their useful lifetime as compared to traditional battery controls.
• Solar SCADA (Denver, CO) – This team is developing a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system that combines all the sensors, calibration, communication, and data feeds needed to operate a solar energy system into standalone, ready-to-use packages. The SCADA system is low cost and quick to install, targeting the commercial and industrial solar sector.
• Sun Deck Solar (Roswell, GA) – This team is developing a solar-powered electric vehicle charging station that utilizes a self-assembling design to reduce installation costs.
• TECSI Solar Inc. (El Sobrante, CA) – This team is developing a solar panel designed for residential use, which simplifies the ordering and installation process by combining the racking, flashing, hardware, and power electronics into a single product.

The finalists will present their technologies one last time at Go! Demo Day in September 2022. Ultimately, only two teams will win the final prize, each receiving an additional $500,000 cash prize and $75,000 support voucher to help them bring their technologies to market.

Congratulations to the finalist teams and all of the Solar Prize Round 5 competitors! 

Tomorrow—find out which teams advance in the Solar Prize Round 5 at the American-Made Earth Day Celebration!

Solar Prize Round 5 Demo Day Q&A sessions are wrapping up and finalists are being selected! Tomorrow, we’ll find out which teams win cash prizes and move on to the Go! Contest as finalists. Hear the live virtual finalist announcement tomorrow, Friday, April 22, at 12 p.m. ET during the American-Made Earth Day Celebration! 

During this event, the American-Made team, along with key energy industry players, will highlight the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in a more sustainable, inclusive, and just energy future. 

In addition to the Solar Prize Round 5 finalist announcement, this virtual event will feature guest speakers, prize announcements, education sessions, networking opportunities, and more. In addition to the finalist announcement, the celebration will also include updates from many other prizes, guest speakers, networking sessions, and more. 

Even if you aren’t competing in the Solar Prize Round 5, you’re invited to join this event to network with industry peers and attend education sessions!

Register here for the American-Made Earth Day Celebration tomorrow, April 22 to find out which Hardware and Software Track teams advance as finalists. We hope to see you there!