The American-Made Data-Driven Distributed (3D) Solar Visibility Prize from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) is designed to incentivize innovators to develop models and algorithms that can provide accurate and real-time information about distributed solar generation in electric power distribution networks. The prize seeks to promote awareness and adoption of distribution system state estimation (DSSE) algorithms and software tools to improve the visibility of distribution systems and their operating conditions. Having near real-time data on distribution systems allows grid planners and operators to make better operational decisions, optimize solar energy resources, and enhance the reliability and resilience of electric power distribution networks that have large amounts of solar generation.
DSSE tools are tested and judged through the Open Energy Data Initiative for Solar Systems Integration (OEDI SI) platform, a SETO-funded, open-source, cloud-based web portal platform that provides a uniform public data repository for integrating the synthetic and field measurement data coming from multiple sources. The prize aims to accelerate the adoption of the OEDI SI platform among grid operators.
The 3D Solar Visibility Prize launched in May 2024 and builds on the Solar Forecasting Prize, which incentivized solar forecast providers to develop and potentially commercialize tools that generate probabilistic forecasts of solar irradiance, and the Net Load Forecasting Prize, which was designed to increase adoption of the state of the art in net load forecasting. On November 26, 2024, SETO announced the seven selected teams. Three winners were each awarded grand prizes of $50,000 and four runners-up were each awarded $25,000.
This prize is a component of the new Grid Resource Integration Technologies (GRIT) prize series, a joint effort from DOE’s Office of Electricity (OE) and SETO. The GRIT prize series catalyzes research and development on grid modernization through large-scale integration of renewable technology, distributed resources, and stationary storage. Another part of the GRIT series is OE’s Science Synthesis Prize, a competition to expand the renewable energy research community and generate new and comprehensive knowledge on the current state of science in renewable integration.
How it Works
The American-Made 3D Solar Visibility Prize is open to U.S.-based for-profit and nonprofit private entities, academic institutions, and nonfederal government entities, such as states, counties, Tribes, and municipalities. Competitors develop a DSSE tool to perform calculations using DOE-provided synthetic measurement data and will submit their DSSE tool results for two distribution system networks for 14 consecutive days through the OEDI SI platform. The OEDI SI team compares the performance of DSSE calculations against a set of uniform metrics and reference DSSE models to select the top-performing teams.
This prize offers up to $250,000 total in cash prizes for up to seven competitors: three winners and four runners-up.
Winners
Grand Prize Winners
- PAL Lab (Tempe, Arizona)
- Reliable Autonomy LLC (Basking Ridge, New Jersey)
- ThinkLabs (New York, New York)
Runner-Up Winners
- GoBugFree (Apex, North Carolina)
- GridInnova (Storrs Mansfield, Connecticut)
- Pokes and Mustangs (Stillwater, Oklahoma)
- Team Watt Wizards (Boston, Massachusetts)
Timeline
- The competition opened on May 8, 2024.
- An informational webinar was held on May 29, 2024. Watch the recording and download the slide deck (PDF).
- Competition registration materials were due July 10, 2024.
- A technical webinar for registered competitors was held on July 17, 2024.
- The OEDI SI practice week started on August 5, 2024.
- DSSE result submissions for the competition started on September 2, 2024.
- DOE announced winners on November 26, 2024.
Additional Information
- Learn more about the 3D Solar Visibility Prize.
- Download the rules for the competition.
- Join the American-Made Network.
- For questions about the 3D Solar Visibility Prize, email [email protected].
- Learn about other American-Made Challenges in the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO).
- Learn about SETO's open funding opportunities.
The American-Made 3D Solar Visibility Prize is a part of the American-Made Challenges and is administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.