USAEE Virtual Case Competition
The United States Association for Energy Economics (USAEE) Virtual Case Competition is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for student teams to apply their knowledge of economics, engineering, and policy analysis.
Competition participants demonstrate their skills and ideas for potential employers, contribute to solving challenges in the field of energy economics, and compete for monetary prizes. Teams of two to five students are eligible to register for the competition. Registration dates and instructions will be available here once announced. Participating teams will collaborate on a designated case problem and submit a written report detailing their methods and solution to USAEE.
Finalist teams will be invited to attend the 43rd USAEE/IAEE North American Conference — for which finalists' registration fees will be waived — to receive their prizes at the annual USAEE awards luncheon. The conference was held November 15–18, 2026, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown.
Prizes:
- First place team: $3,500
- Second place team: $2,500
The competition is open to students from all over the world. Teams need not be USAEE/IAEE members to register and submit an entry. Any combination of students is permitted (mixed majors, mixed undergrad/grad, mixed universities). Additional competition details can be found on the registration form.
Support for the case competition, including prizes, is provided by the new competition sponsor, THE NEW YORK INDEPENDENT SYSTEM OPERATOR, INC. (NYISO). In addition, a NYISO representative will serve as a judge on the case competition evaluation committee.
NYISO a not-for-profit corporation responsible for operating New York's bulk electricity grid, administering the state's competitive wholesale electricity markets, conducting comprehensive long-term planning for the state’s electric power system, and advancing the technological infrastructure of the electric system serving the Empire State.
