Feeder of the Future Prize

The Feeder of the Future Prize is a $100,000 innovation competition supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), administered through the American-Made Challenges program. It seeks to transform traditional electric power distribution systems by promoting the design of next-generation feeder circuits. These feeder circuits must be capable of adapting to the rapidly changing energy landscape, which includes the growing deployment of distributed energy resources, dynamic electric loads, and advanced grid-interactive devices. The competition is part of the broader Digitizing Utilities Prize series, which focuses on modernizing the electric grid to meet evolving reliability, cybersecurity, and resiliency requirements. The prize is structured as a single-phase contest with a focus on three primary tracks based on geographic and demographic energy use scenarios: Rural, Suburban, and Urban. In the Rural track, competitors must address challenges faced in areas with dispersed infrastructure and greater outage frequency. Suburban entries must account for high adoption rates of behind-the-meter technologies like solar and battery storage, as well as increasing electrification of transport. Urban designs are expected to accommodate dense populations, multi-source substations, and complex charging infrastructure while maintaining system resilience and minimizing cost growth. A total of up to 10 winning teams will be awarded $8,000 each, while up to 8 runners-up will receive $2,500 each. Competitors may submit up to three entries in total, with a maximum of two per track. Submissions must be in the form of a complete digital package including a narrative, a public-facing video, and a summary slide. Submissions must articulate how their proposed feeder design improves upon traditional systems by addressing load variability, cybersecurity, cost efficiency, modularity, and overall system robustness. Optional letters of support may strengthen a submission, particularly if they demonstrate implementation partnerships or endorsements from relevant stakeholders. Eligibility for the prize is limited to individuals, businesses, nonprofits, academic institutions, and state or local government entities based in the United States. Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents or legally authorized to work in the U.S., and all organizational entities must maintain a primary place of business within the country. Foreign nationals affiliated with countries of risk or participants in foreign government talent programs are disqualified from entry. DOE employees, contractors, national lab staff, and other specified federal employees are also ineligible. Submissions for the prize were opened on September 17, 2025, and the deadline to enter is January 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Judging will take place from February 2 to February 21, 2026, with winners expected to be announced by April 16, 2026. All competition details, updates, and entry instructions are managed via the HeroX platform. Submissions will be judged by a panel of federal and non-federal experts, and decisions will consider both merit-based scoring and DOE program policy factors such as geographic diversity, innovation uniqueness, and economic impact. Participants can access support and mentorship through the American-Made Network, which connects competitors to a national ecosystem of accelerators, labs, investors, and experts. The goal is to help refine and scale proposed designs that can have real-world application in future feeder deployments or upgrades. By supporting innovations that address current limitations and anticipate future grid needs, the Feeder of the Future Prize is positioned to catalyze meaningful advances in U.S. power distribution systems.

Focus on system modularity, security, adaptability, and customer-centric design. Emphasize real-world applicability and innovation.