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The U.S. Government is turning to the nation’s university students with a nationwide competition that it hopes will yield the next generation of American renewable energy entrepreneurs.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the $2 million National University Clean Energy Business Challenge is part of the Obama Administration’s effort to create clean energy jobs in America and “win the future” by nurturing new ideas in the renewable energy industry.
"Fostering innovation at America’s universities and producing our nation’s next generation of clean energy entrepreneurs is vital to ensuring our nation’s competitiveness in the clean energy economy of tomorrow,” said Secretary Chu.
Individuals or teams of students will compete in regional competitions to create new clean energy businesses, with winners selected to battle it out for a National Grand Prize, to be held at the Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington D.C. next year.
Students participating in the competitions will have access to mentors from the energy industry and business community, along with university and national lab-based researchers.
America’s universities are rich sources of clean energy innovation and the $2 million initiative, facilitated by the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), is aimed at increasing both the quality and quantity of start-up businesses created with university-based energy technologies.
"This investment will train a new generation of scientific and technical leaders and support the Administration’s continued effort to ensure that America has the workforce we need to secure our energy future, create jobs here at home, and win the future," Secretary Chu said.
