​ComEd accepting innovative design ideas for "Student Innovation Contest" – Deadline is Dec. 11   

CHICAGO (Oct. 24, 2017) – ComEd wants to help grow solar energy in Illinois and is enlisting college students to help.

ComEd is launching its Student Innovation Contest and encouraging Illinois college students to design a solar dashboard that will help promote the valuable benefits of solar power to ComEd customers.

The contest is open to any individual student or team of students attending colleges or universities located in Illinois. The top submissions will win prize money as well as an opportunity to present their ideas before a panel of judges for a chance to win a grand prize of $5,000. Students must register through MindSumo and submit ideas by 4pm central standard time on Dec. 11.

"We are excited to tap into the creative minds of talented college students who have fresh and innovative ideas to promote the value of solar energy to our customers," said Val Jensen, senior vice president of ComEd's Customer Operations.

The Student Innovation Contest is part of an ongoing effort to promote the benefits of the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA), bipartisan legislation that went into effect in June. FEJA pivots Illinois to the new clean energy economy, saving and creating thousands of clean energy jobs and providing job training for the future workforce, while also creating significant consumer and environmental benefits.  FEJA is setting the stage to grow enough solar and wind energy to power one million homes. In addition, FEJA also contains significant programs for low-income communities and extends ComEd's customer assistance programs through 2021.

Contest details

The ComEd Student Innovation Contest is a two-phase contest with cash prizes.

During Phase I, participants will submit ideas through MindSumo's online platform, and the top 50 percent of entries will win a share of $1,600. The top five finalists will then be notified the week of Jan. 8, 2018, and invited to participate in Phase II of the contest for a chance to win additional prizes.

During Phase II, the finalists will formally present their ideas before a panel of judges during a "Solar Idea Summit." The individual or team with the best idea will win $5,000, second place will win $2,500, third place will win $1,500, and the fourth and fifth place individuals or teams will win $500.

ComEd's "Student Innovation Contest," is a collaboration with MindSumo, a platform where college students can apply creative and problem solving skills to help companies solve problems.

For more information and to apply please visit https://www.mindsumo.com/contests/solar-dashboard.