Applications Open for Collegiate Competitions Aimed at Inspiring Future Water Power Workforce - CleanTechnica

The article announces the opening of applications for two annual collegiate competitions—the Hydropower Collegiate Competition (HCC) and the Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC)—both managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO). These competitions invite college teams to develop real-world solutions addressing challenges in hydropower and marine energy, offering hands-on experience, industry mentorship, and cash prizes. The submission deadline is September 19, 2025. The HCC focuses on hydropower innovation amid a workforce nearing retirement, encouraging students to engage with themes like in-conduit, non-powered dam, and pumped storage hydropower systems. Teams complete five required challenges—including site selection, design, community engagement, poster presentation, and a quick pitch—and an optional build-and-test challenge. Up to 15 teams will compete for a total prize pool exceeding $20,000, with awards for completing required and