H2Os Prize | Topcoder

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OVERVIEW

Optimize hydropower operations so that hydropower can better complement variable renewable energy resources, like wind and solar, that help power the grid!

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is launching the Hydropower Operations Optimization (H2Os) Prize to encourage the development of new solutions that can help advance hydropower’s contribution to the grid. This competition will run in three distinct phases where Topcoder members can employ modeling, data analytics, and machine learning to schedule hydropower operations that respect water management operations and constraints in coordination with existing grid scheduling practices.

CHALLENGES AND PRIZES

The three-phase competition is offering a combined cash prize pool of up to $75,000. Each phase will have increasing complexity and all phases are open to new and returning competitors.

PHASE 1
PHASE 2
PHASE 3

Runs from April 6 - May 20, 2022*

and the winner announcement will be on the first day of the next challenge.

$10,000

Prize pool up to

$3,000

Grand prize

$1,000

Prizes for up to 7 other winners

*All dates are subject to change including contest openings, deadlines, and announcements.

Runs from July 7 - August 19, 2022*

and the winner announcement will be on the first day of the next challenge.

$15,000

Prize pool up to

$7,500

Grand prize

$1,500

Prizes for up to 5 other winners

*All dates are subject to change including contest openings, deadlines, and announcements.

Runs from September 29 - November 11, 2022*

and the winner announcement will be on January 6th, 2023.

$50,000

Prize pool up to

$30,000

Grand prize

$10,000

Prizes for 2nd and 3rd place winners

*All dates are subject to change including contest openings, deadlines, and announcements.

WHY THIS MATTERS

As the U.S. grid evolves and integrates more variable renewable energy resources, like wind and solar, hydropower will need to adapt to changing grid conditions and support the reliability and resiliency of the grid while also meeting water management needs, such as water supply, environmental flow requirements, and management of nuisance flooding.

Hydropower technologies are versatile and can be dispatched quickly. They can operate flexibly, reliably, and sustainably, but grid operators often limit existing hydropower resources based on conservative estimates of hydropower availability and water management practices.

As part of WPTO’s Hydropower and Water Innovation for a Resilient Energy System (HydroWIRES) Initiative, the H2Os Prize encourages innovators to leverage both advanced modeling as well as data analytics and machine learning capabilities to develop solutions that can help hydropower systems coordinate with existing grid scheduling practices and offer the full set of hydropower resource capabilities without negatively impacting the water system.