Clean Energy Trust, with the support of United Airlines, The Boeing Company and Honeywell UOP, has created a $50,000 Aviation Energy Prize for developing alternatives to traditional fossil fuels for airline and airport operations.

The prize will be awarded to a team of entrepreneurs from the Midwest at the 2014 Clean Energy Challenge on April 3, 2014. As part of the award, the team will also receive a behind-the-scenes experience to learn about how the aviation industry implements innovation. United Airlines will fly the winning team to Charleston, S.C., where they will visit the Boeing 787 Dreamliner manufacturing facility.

The prize expands the reach of the Clean Energy Challenge, Clean Energy Trust’s annual business plan competition and mentorship program for entrepreneurs, researchers and students in the Midwest with innovative ideas that can impact clean energy. The 2014 Clean Energy Challenge will award a total of $500,000 in prizes.

“Brilliant minds across the Midwest are developing ideas that could change the future of aviation,” said Clean Energy Trust CEO Amy Francetic. “The Aviation Energy Prize provides funding, mentorship and connections that can turn those ideas into thriving businesses.”

Interested teams must apply for the 2014 Clean Energy Challenge at cleanenergytrust.org/challenge. Applications will be accepted through January 8, 2014.

The Aviation Energy Prize continues the commitment that United Airlines, Boeing and Honeywell UOP made to fuel a sustainable future for the aviation industry. These companies, along with Clean Energy Trust and the Chicago Department of Aviation, formed the steering committee of the Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative (MASBI). MASBI was launched to help achieve the potential economic, environmental and energy security benefits that can be delivered by a robust advanced aviation biofuels industry.

About Clean Energy Trust

Clean Energy Trust was founded by prominent business and civic leaders to fuel clean energy innovation in the Midwest. The trust is supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Small Business Administration and donations from more than 60 investors, corporations, universities, foundations and trade groups. For more information, visit www.cleanenergytrust.org.

Acknowledgement of Support

Clean Energy Trust gratefully acknowledges the following supporters of the Clean Energy Challenge: Abbott Laboratories, Agentis, American Electric Power, CBRE, Danfoss, EDP, Ernst & Young, Exelon, Indiana University, Ingersoll Rand, The Joyce Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, MEGTEK, Midwest Energy Research Consortium, Missouri Energy Initiative, Nortech, Northwestern University, Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Purdue University, S&C Electric, Siemens, True North Venture Partners, University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Kansas and University of Michigan.

Platinum sponsors and prize contributors for the Clean Energy Challenge include: AGL Resources, The Boeing Company, ComEd, GE, GE Ventures, Honeywell UOP, Invenergy, McCaffery Interests, Skadden Arps, United Airlines, U.S. Department of Energy and Wells Fargo.