ARKANSAS, Nov 16 (Future Headlines)- The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) has announced the Phase I winners of the Innovating Distributed Embedded Energy Prize (InDEEP), recognizing pioneering concepts for harnessing and converting the power of ocean waves into usable energy. Nineteen teams have been awarded a total of $285,000 in cash prizes for their innovative distributed embedded energy converter technology (DEEC-Tec) concepts.

The InDEEP initiative focuses on advancing concepts related to distributed embedded energy converters (DEEC-Tec) that combine numerous small energy converters, typically less than a few centimeters in size, into a single, larger ocean wave energy converter. This approach allows for the conversion of energy from various ocean locations and wave types.

Nineteen teams have been recognized in Phase I of InDEEP, with each team receiving a $15,000 cash prize for their DEEC-Tec concepts. These concepts represent innovative approaches to harnessing ocean wave energy and advancing the development of efficient and economically viable technologies.

Teams Recognized:

Active Materials and Smart Living (Las Vegas, Nev.)

Blackfish Engineering (Braintree, Mass.)

Blue Lotus Energy (Adair, Ok.)

Chemventive (Chadds Ford, Pa.)

Condensed Wave Matter (Madison, Wis.)

Elysium Robotics (Austin, Texas)

FluxMagic (Portland, Ore.)

Michigan Technological University and Arizona State University (Houghton, Mich.)

PECWEC (Storrs/Mansfield, Ct.)

PiezOrigami Team (Blacksburg, Va.)

Pittsburgh Coastal Energy (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

PSU_EnergyHarvesting (State College, Pennsylvania)

RQR Wave Team (Longmont, Colo.)

Soft Energy (Ithaca, N.Y.)

Streaming Energy (La Jolla, Calif.)

Team FUSION (Newport, Mich.)

Water Bros Development (Charlotte, N.C.)

WaveHarvest (Dallas, Texas)

Wave Grid (Galveston, Texas)

During Phase I, participants were required to develop an initial DEEC-Tec concept, submit a brief technical narrative outlining their idea and innovation process, and complete a simplified technology performance level assessment reflecting the potential economic performance of their concept.

The initiative is now entering Phase II, where competitors will proceed to build and test a single energy converter designed to be part of a larger DEEC-Tec. The deadline for Phase II submissions is May 7, 2024.

InDEEP is funded by the WPTO and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories.

The InDEEP initiative underscores the commitment of the U.S. Department of Energy to support innovative approaches in the field of ocean wave energy conversion. By recognizing and funding promising concepts, the initiative aims to drive advancements in technology that contribute to the broader goals of sustainable and renewable energy sources. The awarded teams represent a diverse range of ideas and approaches, showcasing the potential for creative solutions in the pursuit of clean and efficient energy from ocean waves.

Reporting by Kevin Wood; Editing by Sarah White