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US DOE announces the 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition

US DOE announces the 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition The Geothermal Collegiate Competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy (source: US DOE)
Carlo Cariaga 23 May 2023

The U.S. Department of Energy is inviting eligible teams to the 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition with registration starting on the 1st of August.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced an invitation for teams from collegiate institutions to participate in the 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition (GCC). This is a competition that tasks teams to develop real-world geothermal solutions while competing for cash prizes and gaining experience in the renewable energy industry.

Registration for participants will begin by 1 August 2023. The detailed rules for the 2023 GCC can accessed via this link. Those who are interested in registering are encouraged to regularly check the Challenge Page for updates.

The Geothermal Collegiate Competition invites participation by teams of at least three students enrolled in accredited U.S.-based collegiate institutions or U.S. citizens enrolled at non-U.S.-based collegiate institutions. There is no cost to register or participate.

For this year’s competition, teams can submit proposals for either one of two tracks:

  • For the Technical Track, teams will present a qualitative justification for deploying a geothermal district heating and cooling (GDHC) system in the proposed district (community or campus) and a conceptual design of a geothermal system based upon community needs, available resources, and prospective benefits to that community.
  • For the Policy Track, teams will present a qualitative justification for deploying a GDHC system in the proposed district (community or campus), an analysis of the regulatory environment, and a financial incentives and economic assessment.

For both tracks, the Geothermal Collegiate Competition is designed for students to consider community-driven change as the fundamental requirement of any proposal

Last year’s Geothermal Collegiate Competition was won by the Sooners Geothermal Team from the University of Oklahoma (OU). The winning project was for a system that allows abandoned oil and gas wells in Shawnee, Oklahoma to be repurposed to supply geothermal energy.

Source: Email correspondence