FAQs
The Empire Technology Prize (ETP or the Prize) is a $10M prize to encourage the development and demonstration of minimally disruptive retrofit solutions to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of tall commercial and residential buildings (7+ stories) in New York State.
Any incorporated organization with two or more employees is welcome to apply to and participate in the Empire Technology Prize. Applicants may be based anywhere in the world, regardless of their native language, but must be capable of, or have a designee capable of, preparing materials and communicating with the Prize organizers in English.
We also welcome applications from partnerships of two or more organizations that intend to participate jointly–for example, an internationally-based manufacturer and a U.S.-based distributor could partner to ease U.S. market entry for the manufacturer.
While we recognize the importance of technologies that improve building efficiency (and thus may lower the heating load), they are out of scope given the narrow focus of the Empire Technology Prize.
We are focused on centralized heat pumps that generate steam (219°F/104°C) or high temperature hot water (180°F/82°C) or distribution solutions that make it easier to adopt low temperature heat pumps (≤120°F/49°C) without the need to remove existing distribution systems.
Information on solution eligibility can be found in the Minimum Criteria and Evaluation Scorecard. Please review the Minimum Criteria carefully to determine whether your product aligns with one of the two Focus Areas of the Prize.
The Prize was launched on October 11, 2023. Applications will close on March 22, 2024. Finalists will be announced in June 2024. Finalists will have one year (June 2024-June 2025) to advance their solutions as far as possible along the ETP Progress Chart. Finalists will be evaluated from July-September 2025, and the winner will be announced in September 2025. See more information on the Prize Timeline.
The program phase of ETP will run for one year between July 2024 and June 2025. During this period, the prize organizers will organize and execute topical programming for the benefit of the finalists. Program elements may include but are not limited to: market feedback from NY engineers and buyers; meetings with potential demonstration partners and investors; recommendations for NY preferred 3rd party testing and certification; introductions to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) for partnership opportunities; and connection to local community groups.
The total prize pool for the Empire Technology Prize is $10 million. Up to seven finalists will be selected for the program and will receive up to $1 million each – $250,000 when selected for the program and an additional milestone award of up to $750,000. A Demonstration Funding Pool of $2 million – up to $500,000 per demonstration project – will be held in reserve to help offset the cost of demonstrations in target buildings in New York. The overall Winner of the Prize will receive an additional $1 million at the conclusion of the program. See the Application Packet for more information on the prize disbursement and necessary accomplishments required for milestone payments.
There are no restrictions on the use of prize monies from the Finalist, milestone or Winner awards. Finalist companies may use these monies for any purpose. Monies from the Demonstration Funding Pool may only be used towards qualified demonstration projects in target buildings in New York State, as determined by the Prize Organizers.
The winner of the Empire Technology Prize must demonstrate their solution’s potential to significantly decarbonize commercial or residential tall buildings (7+ stories) in New York State. Solutions will be evaluated based three key criteria: the potential GHG reduction by 2040 (based on the technical potential of the solution, anticipated date of market entry, and applicable square footage within New York’s tall buildings), ability to supply the product (based on production feasibility, materials used, and current or future plans in New York State), and projected market demand (based on ease of implementation, cost effectiveness, market interest in New York State, and ancillary benefits).
For more information on scoring methodology, please see the Evaluation Criteria document. For insights into the NY market and building stock, please see the Market Characterization document on the Resources page.
The launch of the Prize was announced by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and is brought to you by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and supported by Wells Fargo. The Prize is administered by The Clean Fight with technical guidance from RMI.
To be eligible under Focus Area #1, heat pump solutions must be centralized and capable of generating low-pressure (less than 15 psi) steam or high temperature hot water at the following temperature ranges:
Low-pressure steam: greater than or equal to 219℉/104℃
High temperature hot water: greater than or equal to 180℉/80℃
Heat pump solutions must also utilize low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and be capable of operating at a whole-system coefficient of performance (COP) of 1.5 or greater. Solutions must also be compatible with the existing distribution systems of New York’s tall buildings. Please see the Focus Areas: Technical Challenges and Insights for more detailed information on eligible heat pump solutions.
The Prize is focused on centralized heating systems to create new pathways for building decarbonization for New York’s tall buildings. While low temperature centralized and distributed zone level heat pumps are readily available, heat pumps capable of meeting the high temperature needs of New York’s primary distribution systems (low-pressure steam and high-temperature hot water) do not exist in the U.S. market. The Prize’s focus on centralized, high-temperature heat pumps and distribution solutions to enable the use of lower temperature heat pumps seeks to create new pathways to decarbonization through building retrofits.
The Empire Technology Prize is not focused on a specific building or demonstration site. Rather than focus on specific sites, the Prize aims to develop products for the 1.4 billion square feet of tall (7+ story) buildings in New York State that are heated by steam or high temperature hot water. Finalists may be able to tour potential demonstration sites once selected into the program.
Details on the space constraints and load of the “reference building” used to evaluate Focus Area #1 (heat pump) applicants can be found in the Heat Pump GHG Impact Calculator and on page 18 of the Applicant Packet.
More information on the total applicable market (TAM) for ETP solutions can be found in our Market Insight and Characterization resource.
Companies based anywhere in the world may apply to the Prize. Applying companies must be able to prepare materials in English, and we require at least one member of the applying team be able to communicate in English at a level that allows them to participate effectively in the Prize.
Interested parties will submit their application online using this link. The application has three components: a registration form, an optional abstract, and the full application. Applicants must fill out a Registration Form by March 15, 2024, to register their interest in the Prize. Applicants may choose to submit an optional Abstract describing their proposed solution for feedback by February 23, 2024. Applicants will complete the full Application, including details on their technology designs and expected performance, manufacturability, and expected cost. Applications will close on March 22, 2024. View the application packet, and application form.
The Registration Form enables applicants to register their intent to enter the Empire Technology Prize. The Registration Form also allows Prize organizers to collect essential information on applicants, including contact details. Registration Forms are required to move onto the Full Application and must be submitted by March 15, 2024. Start your application.
The Abstract is an opportunity for applicants to receive short, templatized feedback on their proposed solution, including on whether the solution is likely to meet the minimum criteria of the Prize. Completing the Abstract will enable applicants to tweak their solutions prior to submitting the Full Application. While submitting the Abstract is optional, applicants should note that it is the only chance to receive feedback before the applications are scored. Abstracts must be submitted by February 23, 2024 if applicants choose to complete them.
There is not a specific format for the Abstract. The Abstract should be a short (1 page) document that outlines the applicant’s proposed solution to the Prize, any preliminary data, technical specifications, and other relevant information. The Abstract may also include 1 page of diagrams illustrating the solution. Please see the Competition Rules for more details.
In general, there are no specific formats for Prize-related documents that applicants must follow. We have a flexible approach to these documents (and any others associated with the Prize) to make the application as applicant-friendly as possible. Applicants may reuse existing documents in the application as long as they contain all relevant information requested. Please contact ETP@thecleanfight.com if you have specific questions on document requirements.
Yes, joint applications are accepted. For Focus Area #1 (Heat Pumps), the lead applicant should be the manufacturer of the heat pump. For Focus Area #2 (Distribution Solutions), the lead applicant should be the manufacturer or primary solution provider. Representatives from each party to the application must be in the core team, and changes are allowed during the Prize program. All parties other than the lead applicant must provide a short letter of support in the full application. Joint applicants can seek guidance from the Prize Organizers on group formation and lead applicant selection.
The other party or parties in a joint application may include distributors, other manufacturers, research institutes, individual experts, and architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms. It is up to the applicant to decide the capacity in which other parties are engaged. Manufacturers without a U.S. presence may benefit by partnering with a distributor with an established business in New York State.
Any Prize award, including Finalist payments, milestone awards, and demonstration funding, will be given to the lead applicant by default. However, joint applicants can align on the distribution amount and process among all parties. If the desired award recipient is different from the lead applicant, joint applicants must inform Prize Organizers of the award recipient upon their selection as a Finalist in June 2024.
The Heat Pump Calculator Tool can be found attached in the email where you were notified of the Full Application and in the “Messages” tab of your Submittable submission page. The calculator can also be downloaded directly.
Ancillary benefits are evaluated in the Market Demand Factor of the Evaluation Scorecard. Scores are awarded based on the number of benefits the solution provides, beyond the core objective of reducing space heating carbon emissions. Please note that energy and carbon saving related to non-space heating end uses will not be factored into calculating the GHG reduction potential for the solution.
Higher scores will be given to the solutions with more ancillary benefits. This subfactor is less influential to the final Market Demand Factor score than the other three subfactors. Please find more details on page 7 of the Minimum Criteria and Evaluation Scorecard resource.
Credible engineering analysis is a prerequisite for the solution stage alignment in the minimum criteria. We define credible engineering analysis by Focus Area:
For Focus Area #1, applicants must have sufficient analysis/data to credibly generate the efficiencies and capacities required in the Heat Pump GHG Impact Calculator that is used in the Full Application.
For Focus Area #2, applicants must have sufficient analysis/data to demonstrate the ability to meet space heat loads using lower supply temperatures (targeting 120F). Engineering analysis of a solution would also suffice.
If your proposed heat pump can produce both steam and high temperature hot water, we recommend that you submit it as a steam heat pump. Steam heat pumps are likely to score slightly higher than high temperature hot water heat pumps given their greater applicability to the New York market.
Please see page 5 of the Minimum Criteria and Evaluation Scorecard for more information.
In short, the Empire Technology Prize’s focus areas are designed to address a gap in the market for easy-to-adopt electrification solutions for New York State’s steam- and high temperature hot water-heated tall buildings (7+ stories). 70% of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions and a third of New York State’s come from buildings. Space heating is one of the largest sources of emissions from New York’s buildings, 80% of which have steam or high temperature hot water distribution systems.
Current solutions to decarbonize steam- or high temperature hot water-heated buildings require removing the existing high temperature hot water or steam distribution systems, plus replacing the boiler with a low temperature heat pump. ETP aims to address demand for easy-to-adopt electrified heating solutions by incentivizing innovators to develop them for the New York market. This is a $10B market in New York State and $40B market in the United States. See the markets actors who have signed our letter in support of the need for these solutions.
Yes! In New York, there are 137,000 buildings 7+ stories, totaling 1.4 billion square feet that operate on steam or high temperature hot water. The estimated market for these solutions is worth $10 billion in New York alone, and $40 billion in the United States. Many of New York City and State’s most prominent real estate owners and operators have expressed interest in these solutions.
Our world class demonstration partners, who will work with finalists to look for opportunities to pilot their solutions in New York buildings, include Columbia University, Empire State Realty Trust, Fairstead, L + M Development Partners, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), Rudin, Tishman Speyer and Vornado.
In addition, see the market players who have signed our letter in support of the need for these solutions.
Throughout the application process or Program, applicants and finalists may share new inventions or designs considered intellectual property (IP). The Prize Organizers and Sponsors are committed to respecting participants' IP. Here's how IP will be handled:
Applicants and Finalists keep complete ownership and rights to their IP
Anyone involved with the Review Committee, Judging Panel (as defined), or granted access to applications and plans must sign non-disclosure agreements
Applying for the Prize means taking on some risk; applicants must protect any IP in their application or participation materials
Applicants and Finalists must make sure their application materials do not violate third-party IP rights
We recommend applicants consult a patent attorney and consider provisional applications
While Prize Organizers and Sponsors are serious about keeping application materials, they cannot guarantee complete secrecy. When applicants submit their application materials, they agree not to hold the Prize Organizers, Sponsors, Evaluators, or any related parties responsible if any shared information accidentally becomes known to unauthorized individuals. For more details on our IP approach, please see the Competition Rules.
While the Prize Organizers and Evaluators will protect proprietary and confidential information to the best of their ability, information submitted to the Empire Technology Prize may be subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).
Applicants and finalists should clearly mark confidential and proprietary information that it provides to Prize Organizers on each page where it occurs. Applicants and finalists must provide a written request to exempt such information from disclosure under FOIA and/or FOIL on the basis that the disclosure of such information in the public domain could irreparably harm the applicant or finalist’s business interests. Prize Organizers, Evaluators, and NYSERDA will honor these requests to the best of their ability but cannot guarantee the confidentiality of all information submitted.
For more details on our approach to proprietary and confidential information, please see the Competition Rules.
To follow the progress of the Empire Technology Prize, you can check this website and follow the social media channels of The Clean Fight and NYSERDA. Sign up for our newsletter for updates on the Prize.
For partnership opportunities, please contact etp@thecleanfight.com.
Check our resources page for additional details on the focus areas, application, competition rules, minimum criteria and evaluation. For any questions not covered in these resources or FAQs, please contact etp@thecleanfight.com.