X Prize Foundation Oil Cleanup Challenge

The X Prize Foundation has just announced its latest competition- the Oil Cleanup X Challenge.

Basically, the competition will reward teams from around the world that come up with the most innovative solutions to removing spilled oil from the surface of the ocean, at the spill site. Offshore E&P and tankers are among the spill sources for which cleanup solutions are sought.

Proposals will be evaluated by a team of experts. The top teams will then demonstrate their solutions at the OHMSETT oil spill testing facility in New Jersey, USA. The winning team gets $1 Million, the runner up $300,000, and the third place finisher $100,000. Teams are invited to pre-register now, with the final rules for the competition being posted in September of this year. The competition will be open until April, 2011.

As for the X Prize Foundation, readers may recall that several years ago they launched a $10 million competition ( the Ansari X Prize ) to build a small spacecraft capable of transporting three people 100 kms above the earth's surface. The current competition is called the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X Challenge, after the competition's benefactor, who is the President of the Schmidt Family Foundation, which supports the development of clean energy and the wise use of natural resources.

X Prize Foundation Launches Oil Spill Competition

The X Prize Foundation in the United States is offering a $USD 1.4 million prize for the best solution to cleaning up oil spills at sea. Click here for details on the year-long competition, including how to enter your team.