Canberra is a national leader in renewable energy generation and is on track to transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2020. In response to the growing social and environmental concerns about the impact of climate change, further plans have been developed to reduce the ACT’s total carbon emissions to net zero by 2045. Achieving this will require a dramatic change in consumer habits and will require new innovative solutions to taper off the territory’s reliance on fossil fuels in the energy intensive transport sector and natural gas in the domestic and commercial sectors.

The ZeroCO2 Renewable Energy & Sustainability Hackathon looks to accelerate this transition to net zero emissions by creating innovative new business solutions for both the domestic and commercial sectors across the ACT. Solutions can fall into any category of renewable energy or sustainability and will be judged on their commercial viability and environmental impact. Some suggested categories to focus on include:

Traditional renewable energy & battery storage
Domestic waste disposal (water or household waste)
Managing grid ramping challenges
Sustainable food production
Sustainability in manufacturing
Trade waste
Sustainable transport & active travel
Smart cities
Water conservation
Sustainable buildings
Education initiatives

The challenge is not redesigning the wheel, we are not encouraging teams to develop a new type of solar cell in the 30hr period (although if you do congratulations!) the goal is to utilise existing technologies in an innovative way (and test the idea with consumers) to create a huge environmental impact contributing to the ACT’s goal of zero emissions by 2045.

In addition to a $10,000 prize pool, the winning team will be provided with complimentary access to the Canberra Innovation Network’s Idea to Impact program plus desk space and coaching for up to 3 months. This will provide the winners with a strong platform to apply for further grants to develop and test their concept in the ACT before exploring opportunities for applying their concept across Australia and/or globally.

Clich here for more information.