Energy Storage Innovations Prize Round 2

Overview

• Title

  Energy Storage Innovations Prize Round 2

• Source

  US Department of Energy

• Federal or State

  Federal

• Total Amount

  $300,000

• Number of Awards

  10

• Award Range

  $10,000 - $50,000

• Cost Share

  No

• Status

  Active

Topics

Eligibility

• Audience

  Businesses, Education, Individuals, Local Government, Nonprofits, State Agencies, Tribes

• Eligibility

  Eligible Entities

  The competition is open to individuals; academia, non-federal government entities, small businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurs, and other inventors who are working on nascent or emerging energy storage innovations that address less conventional use cases (e.g., serving communities in remote environments, extreme operating conditions) all subject to the full requirements in the Official Rules.

  Competitors are subject to the following requirements:
  • An individual prize competitor or a team may only submit a single submission.
  • An individual prize competitor (who is not competing as a member of a group) must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  • A group of individuals competing as one team may win, provided that the online account holder of the submission is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  • Private entities must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the U.S.
  • Academic institutions must be based in the U.S. and is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.

  Eligible Activities

  The Prize aims to gain insights into niche markets and inform DOE’s strategy on transformative energy storage technologies to accelerate grid modernization for all consumers, while achieving needed reliability, affordability, resilience, and energy security. Conventional use cases are not of interest for this prize. Please see the Official Prize Rules for Table 2: Non-Exhaustive List of Example Energy Storage Technologies.

Application Process

• Application Link

  Apply Now

• Pre-Application?

  No

• Requirements

  Competitors are required to submit a benefit-cost analysis (BCA) of their energy storage solution.

• Disbursement Method

  Unspecified

Important Dates

• Application Open Date

  Dec 18, 2025

• Application Close Date

  Mar 13, 2026

• Application Close Time

  2:00 PM PST

• Period of Performance Start

  Jul 9, 2026

Resources & Contacts

• Contact

  DOE recommends posting questions in the Forum; this way, others who may have the same question will be able to see it. Applicants can also reach out to the Prize Administrator directly at energystorageinnovationsprize@nrel.gov

• Resources

  Department of Energy Announces Energy Incubator Prize Selections | Department of Energy