ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award for industry stakeholders

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Launched in 2011, the ENERGY STAR® Emerging Technology Award raises the profile of innovative technologies that have the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions once more widely adopted. The annual Award recognizes promising technologies that may not yet meet key principles associated with categories eligible for the ENERGY STAR label (e.g., broadly available, cost effective) or may be relatively more complex to properly install and operate. As products become more mainstream, Award categories may become candidates for ENERGY STAR specification development.

Benefits of the ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award:

  • Recognition. Award winners will be featured on website and will have the opportunity to promote their accomplishments in product literature and marketing materials in accordance with EPA guidelines.
  • Match-making. With over 17,000 partners in dozens of sectors, ENERGY STAR and EPA are uniquely placed to help match award winners with partners interested in emerging efficient technologies.
  • Barrier removal. All emerging technologies face barriers to wider market acceptance. In some cases, EPA may be able to help companies develop strategies to overcome these barriers.

How Award Categories are Selected:

Award categories are selected through a transparent stakeholder process that evaluates technologies based on the following criteria. The technology must be:

  • Commercially available, but not widely adopted (<5% market share)
  • Offered by more than one supplier
  • Third party-verified to demonstrate environmental performance
  • Likely to significantly reduce greenhouse gases at competitive costs
  • Environmentally acceptable (technology use is a net plus for the environment)
  • Supported by capable partners who are adequately financed with established business records
  • Well matched to EPA/ENERGY STAR competencies and appropriate roles

As a first step, EPA seeks nominations from manufacturers and stakeholders for product categories. Next, EPA develops performance requirements for those products, and seeks applications from manufacturers. Manufacturers can be ENERGY STAR partners, but it is not a requirement. EPA is equally interested in working with companies that are entering to market with new products. Finally, after announcing the award winners, EPA works with manufacturing partners to help break down market barriers to wider adoption of the technology.

2017 Emerging Technology Award Final Criteria

Below are the 2017 Emerging Technology Award final criteria for solid-state refrigeration. Submissions for the Award are now being accepted and may be sent to emergingtech@energystar.gov.

2017 Emerging Technology Award Final Criteria (PDF, 230 KB)
2017 Emerging Technology Award Final Criteria Cover Memo (PDF, 188 KB)

2017 Emerging Technology Award Draft Criteria

Below are the draft 2017 Emerging Technology Award criteria for solid-state refrigeration. Comments on this draft are being accepted until 12/22/2016 and may be sent to emergingtech@energystar.gov.

2017 Emerging Technology Award Draft Criteria (PDF, 259 KB)
2017 Emerging Technology Award Draft Criteria Cover Memo (PDF, 57 KB)
2017 Award Call for Nominations (PDF, 142 KB)


For more information, please email emergingtech@energystar.gov.