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Applications open for 2025 hydropower and marine energy collegiate competitions

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Applications open for 2025 hydropower and marine energy collegiate competitions

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) has opened applications for the third annual Hydropower Collegiate Competition (HCC) and sixth annual Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC). The competitions engage and educate students about real-world challenges facing these sectors and the many career opportunities in water power, with the goal of encouraging the next generation to join the hydropower and marine energy workforces.  

The hydropower and marine energy sectors need a skilled and robust workforce. The HCC and MECC ask students to develop solutions to complex water power challenges and offer access to real-world experience and professional connections that can give them a head start in a clean energy career. 

“These competitions offer students so many benefits, from resume-boosting experience to industry connections to a chance to envision themselves in a water power career,” said Beth Hartman, WPTO’s Strategic Innovation and Outreach Program Manager. “We hope that participants are challenged and inspired by all the potential in hydropower and marine energy presented through these competitions.” 

To give students deeper connections in the two fields, each competing team will be paired with an industry mentor. With this new competition component, students will have the opportunity to build working relationships with industry experts who can provide real-world experience, technical expertise, career advice and other insights into how to navigate the industry.

To apply, competitors must submit a short description of their team, their educational goals, and how they will ensure team diversity, among other details. Teams do not need to be fully formed to apply; faculty can register by the deadline and finish filling out their teams later. Applications for both competitions are due May 6. 

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of experts, and WPTO expects to notify teams that qualify in May 2024. Competition activities will begin during the fall semester. 

Hydropower Collegiate Competition 

During the 2025 HCC, teams will either develop solutions to convert non-powered dams to hydroelectric dams with a capacity of 100 kW to 10 MW or assess closed-loop pumped storage hydropower systems that can provide eight to 24 hours of energy storage. 

Teams will be required to complete three challenges:

Siting Challenge, where teams perform a site selection process and develop a feasibility assessment for the selected site.

Design Challenge, where teams create a conceptual design of their selected site or complete a final design for a component or system related to the development of their selected site.

Community Connections Challenge, where teams conduct outreach with the hydropower industry and a community of their choosing.   

Teams may choose to participate in two other optional challenges: 

Build and Test Challenge, where teams build and test a scaled prototype of a component of their hydropower site or system. 

Cyber in Hydro Challenge, where teams respond to a case study challenge that involves cybersecurity issues. 

Teams that complete all required stages will be eligible for up to $15,000 each in cash awards and will compete for part of the $25,000 grand prize cash pool. Teams competing in the Build and Test Challenge will be eligible for an additional $5,000 cash prize, and those competing in the Cyber in Hydro Challenge will be eligible for an additional $2,000 prize.

Marine Energy Collegiate Competition

The 2025 MECC asks multidisciplinary teams to integrate marine energy with blue economy applications such as ocean-powered autonomous vehicles, aquaculture and desalination. Teams will compete in four challenges:

Business Plan Challenge, in which teams identify a promising blue economy market and determine the best marine energy device to serve that market’s needs.

Technical Design Challenge, in which teams design a marine energy-powered device to serve consumers within the team’s chosen market.

Build and Test Challenge, in which teams build and test a scaled prototype of their concept.

Community Connections Challenge, in which teams engage with the marine energy industry and a community of their choosing. 

Teams that submit all required MECC challenge materials will be eligible for up to $20,000 in cash awards. They will also be eligible to compete for a part of the $20,000 grand prize cash pool.   

Both competitions are funded by WPTO and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The HCC is also administered by the Hydropower Foundation in partnership with NREL.