The US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office has opened applications for the 2026 Hydropower Collegiate Competition (HCC), a nationwide contest challenging student teams to develop solutions for the future of hydropower.
The competition invites undergraduate and graduate students from a range of disciplines – including engineering, environmental science, business, and public policy – to propose innovations in areas such as converting non-powered dams, advancing pumped storage hydropower, and developing in-conduit hydropower systems.
Up to 15 teams will be selected to compete in a series of challenges, including site evaluation, conceptual design, community engagement, and rapid-fire pitches. Teams may also opt to build and test scaled prototypes of their projects.
The contest offers a total of $320,000 in prizes. US-based institutions are eligible for cash awards, while international teams may participate without prize funding.
Applications are open through fall 2025, with selected teams announced in October. The competition will run through the 2025–2026 academic year and conclude with final presentations in spring 2026.
Launched in 2022, the Hydropower Collegiate Competition aims to expose students to hydropower career opportunities and help address an industry workforce gap as nearly one-quarter of the current US hydropower workforce nears retirement.
Students and institutions interested in applying or partnering with a lead team can find details and application materials on the HeroX platform.
