Innovation Competition

Innovation competition 2023

RWE is one of the world's leading offshore wind companies, working with partners to deliver a globally ambitious growth pipeline in support of our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040.

As a market leader, we are dedicated to exploring and supporting innovative solutions that can not only accelerate the pace of deploying offshore wind, but also contribute to a sustainable development of offshore wind farms worldwide. As such, we are planning to drive innovative solutions in sustainable energy business by collaborating with companies, start-ups and individuals on specific research questions and pilot plants.

We are looking for solutions in three domains:

Ecology

RWE is seeking innovative solutions that enhance local ecosystems around offshore wind farms.

These solutions should reduce the negative impact or promote positive effects on marine and bird life or contribute to the multi-use of wind farm sites.

System integration

RWE is seeking for innovative offshore solutions that enhance system flexibility or minimize curtailment.

These solutions should focus on balancing the short- and long term mismatch in time & volume. Innovations can include – but are not limited to – any type of on-/offshore flexible demand or on-/offshore energy storage including software, data and AI solutions that enable flexible demand or optimise production.

Circularity

RWE is seeking innovative solutions that contribute to increasing circularity and minimizing waste during the full lifetime of an offshore wind farm.

These solutions could be in the form of design features by using different materials or structures. Solutions could also focus on decommissioning techniques that contribute to the minimization of waste at the end of life.

Winners will...

Get access to the global offshore wind portfolio of RWE, including the development teams around the globe. Winners of the previous competition were included in the bids for Hollandse Kust West sites VI & VII in the Netherlands.

Become part of the Technical Innovation programme which grants you access to leading experts and the opportunity to further develop, test & scale your solution in innovation projects.

Contribute to our growth targets and ambition to become carbon neutral by 2040.

Join the competition

We invite start-ups, scale-ups, research institutes and other individuals & organisations to propose a solution. The solution can be a hardware or software solution that should be long-term sustainable and should cause no harm to the environment. In addition to this, your solution should have the potential to reach a Technology Readiness Level of 7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment) or higher within the next 5 years.

You are asked to provide RWE with a solution that meets the above requirements. Your submission will be treated fully confidential and will not be shared with other participants in the competition. Also, RWE will reserve a maximum budget of 50.000 EUR to compensate the short-listed applicants for the preparations of the pitch event. The expected range of budget per short-listed applicant is between 2.000 & 5.000 EUR.

Apply now before 17^th of April 2023 at 23:59h

You can submit your proposal before 17^th of April 2023 at 23:59h via Email. All applicants will be informed personally about the next steps after their submission. Please make sure you attach the submission form in your Email when you apply.

Download the submission form

Next steps

00 Mar

Opening of competition

00 Apr

Closing of competition

00 Apr

Short-listing of innovators and invitation to pitch event

11 & 00 May

Pitch Event

May - Summer 00

Technical & commercial discussions

Autumn 00

Award ceremony with winners of competition

Former innovation competitions