U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Energy Education & Workforce Development

Competitions

Illustration of a silver trophy.

Energy competitions can be a fun way to apply your understanding of science. Whether you're a seventh-grader interested in testing your understanding of energy efficiency and renewables, or an engineering student who wants to design a home for the Solar Decathlon, you can find a wide range of energy-related contests for all ages. Check out the links in this section and get ready to see how your design, engineering, and knowledge stack up against your peers.

Here you will find:

  • Opportunities for K-12 Students: Students can demonstrate their skills in a wide range of energy competitions that challenge them to build an electric car, design a school of the future, and much more.
  • Opportunities for University Students and Professors: College and graduate students, along with their professors, can apply their technical prowess in competitions that challenge them with projects ranging from designing a more energy-efficient paper industry to constructing a solar-powered house.

Better Buildings Alliance
The Better Buildings Alliance is transforming the way commercial buildings use energy. BBA invites building owners, managers, and operators to work with the Building Technologies Program (BTP) and with each other to identify and implement best practices, key decision-making tools, and advanced technologies for significant energy savings in their portfolios.

Under the 2013 National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition, six regional competitions will take place, beginning with the Ohio Clean Energy Challenge on January 29, 2013. The six regional awardees will create and administer a network of student-focused business creation competitions, with the goal to inspire young entrepreneurs to found innovative, clean energy companies. The six regional competitions will encourage students from across the country to develop successful business plans and join a new generation of American clean energy leaders. Read more.


Photograph of an electric-powered racecar, at an event, with people inside the car and standing nearby.