U.S. Department of Energy Announces Over $9 Million in Funding and Prizes for Tribal Colleges and Universities To Advance Clean Energy

The DOE Office of Indian Energy today launched the American-Made TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize, a $4.1 million prize competition exclusively available to the 35 U.S.-based TCUs. As the Office of Indian Energy's first-ever prize, this initiative encourages student-led teams to design and implement clean energy demonstration projects that support Tribal food sovereignty.

Examples of projects may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Greenhouses heated or cooled by geothermal (ground-source) energy
• Greenhouses powered by wind or solar
• Solar arrays that provide shade for crops or grazing livestock.

Phase 1 prize submissions are due Dec. 4, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET.

As teams progress through the competition's three phases, they create project plans, complete permitting and prework, build their projects, and demonstrate their learnings. Up to 30 teams may win in Phase 1, with each receiving a $40,000 cash award and the first place TCU winner receiving a combined total of $250,000 through all three phases. All cash prizes will be distributed directly to TCUs.

"The TCU Energy and Food Sovereignty Nexus Prize will provide students with a hands-on opportunity to explore clean energy development, as well as share learnings across the Tribal community about energy and food sovereignty," said Office of Indian Energy Director Wahleah Johns.