What's your favorite prize direction? Vote Now

Eti

The fascinating insights you’ve shared with us in the discussion about Prize Directions inspired us to explore options to expand the work on energy in this prize design and beyond. Below is a list of 10 promising prize directions listed alphabetically. These were identified as promising for different reasons -- some push the boundaries of the known, others help accelerate action against climate change, while some increase energy equity and resilience.

Please select your favorite direction and leave a comment below explaining your decision.
If you have ideas for other directions, please do share them and explain why.

Shashi

Hi @akb, @b0bbybaldi, @adventureashr, @SPSBadwal, @AnthonyMburu, @clabeaux, @Access600, @Jesse_Nyokabi, @skunsman, @agval, @pjaffeva, @mikelandmeier, @Shepard, @grhoffman7, @bernardsaw, @anis, @Febbie, @curranc - Please vote for your favorite prize direction.

Spacearch

Space-Based Solar Satellites

We know power beaming works. We need more work at the system level.

erinnvw

Wireless Power Transfers (beaming)

Wireless Power Transfer and Space-Based Solar Satellites go hand-in-and, and should perhaps be grouped together as one to prevent dividing supporters among the two choices.

Shashi

Thanks @Spacearch and @erinnvw for voting and sharing your thoughts. We have taken a note of it.

akb

Ambient Superconductors (everyday temperatures and pressures)

There's some good options there. Here's some of my favourites:
Ambient Superconductors (everyday temperatures and pressures) - I voted for this. If achieved it might radically change energy transmission and storage - and would lead to improvements in other sectors (beyond energy, e.g. smaller and cheaper MRI scanners for health). So for these reasons it might be worthy of its own XPRIZE challenge outside of the energy challenge.

Energy Internet - a robust way to share energy around the globe. Note: this could become more likely if the above option was achieved with affordable superconductors.

Long-Duration Storage (seasonal storage) - for many geographic regions this seems a necessity if close to 100% renewable energy is to be achieved.

Space-Based Solar Satellites - potential benefits include: powering the growing future in-space manufacturing industry and its infrastructure; energy collection for use on Earth; and potentially ... a dual role as a shield protecting against a small percentage of solar energy landing on Earth to prevent global warming [perhaps a few decades away this last shield option].

b0bbybaldi

Space-Based Solar Satellites

I agree with @akb on his observations, I just voted for Space-Based Solar Satellites because I personally find the idea fascinating!

Shashi

Hi @cananacar, @Cemalbasaran, @gyyang, @Ali, @nyirendalevy, @Mahmoudburai, @Simon, @X3EM, @RegenTower, @mattymatt, @AAM_AAU, @nastben, @cqkang, @ikuzle, @honghong, @paulaf, @pyliew - Vote for your favourite prize direction.

Shashi

Hi @Ajay_Gambhir, @tedsargent, @huaiwang, @paolo_mattavelli, @RicardoChacartegui, @EEI, @Zita, @nate_hausman, @aphhuang, @jmathieu, @kpalanisamy79, @liangxu, @lixianfeng, @MarianoMM, @PhilDeLuna, @sanjeevi_12, @Wangari, @Poshgero, @RenewableNexus, @Ebou - Vote for your favourite prize direction.

Wangari

Space-Based Solar Satellites

I'm intrigued by the space-based solar satellites.

akb

Ambient Superconductors (everyday temperatures and pressures)

I've pulled together some of the concepts we've discussed and drawn up a schematic for a Global Renewable Energy Network. It includes components for energy generation, transport and storage.

Shashi

Hi @khajehoddin, @zhangx, @echomann, @adam, @wkenworthy, @JSGardner, @jrugare, @hjaise, @fusuntut, @Joshua, @Bethy, @CeProSARD, @tsamo, @Ouma, @mounir, @Idda, @Ksehgal, @Agnelli317, @Magneto, @gzissis, @johnyale, @jakeblanchard, @Ruslana, @Dave2021, @CO2Cap_SysEng, @jcmontero, @Blauadler2 - Vote for your favourite energy prize direction.

Jesse_Nyokabi

Geothermal Energy

With Engineered Geothermal System becoming more economical, there is a bright future in it.

Jesse_Nyokabi

Geothermal Energy

Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)
Conventional geothermal systems are limited to specialized areas where heat, water, and porosity come together just so. But those areas are limited.

There’s plenty of heat stored down in all that normal, solid, nonporous rock, though. What if geothermal developers could make their own reservoirs? What if they could drill down into solid rock, inject water at high pressure through one well, fracture the rock to let the water pass through, and then collect the heated water through another well?

That, in a nutshell, is EGS: geothermal that makes its own reservoir.
The basic idea has always been that EGS would start off within existing hydrothermal reservoirs, where fields are relatively well-characterized. Then, as it learned, honed its technology, and brought down costs, it would branch out from “in field” into “near field” resources — solid rock adjacent to reservoirs, at similar depth. Eventually it would be able to venture farther out into new fields and deeper into hotter rock. In theory, EGS could eventually be located almost anywhere in the world.