AI for Energy

Developing Artificial Intelligence Solutions for Carbon Reduction in the Energy Sector
Sponsored by

Overview

The energy sector faces pressing challenges and needs to act with urgency. Policy commitments to a net-zero future, such as the Paris Agreement, mean the transformation to a low-carbon economy must come at pace. Major disruption to the electricity sector is on the cards as governments ramp up renewables and transition away from fossil fuels.

As we move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, grid operators, developers and consumers are harnessing artificial intelligence (AI), paving a path for a smooth transition to greater use of renewables. AI’s ability to provide better prediction capabilities is enabling improved demand forecasting and asset management, while its automation capability is driving operational excellence – leading, in turn, to competitive advantage and cost-savings for stakeholders.

Supported by other emerging technologies, such as the internet of things (IoT), sensors, big data and distributed ledger technology, AI can unlock the vast potential of renewables. Failure to embrace it would leave the renewable energy sector falling behind.

Initiative Summary

The initiative is an inclusive and Pan-Nigeria learning hackathon and industry seminar focused on solving specific local problems and driving data-driven decision making in the Energy sector with broad-based social and business impact. The event is aimed at building an ecosystem for local talent development and sectoral application in Energy with the broader objective of:
  • Increasing employability of young Nigerians through hands-on exposure to data science in a real-world capacity
  • Building solution-orientation where theories are applied and deployed
  • Enhancing quality of machine learning skill set available in the country, while deepening local content agenda
  • To drive real-world application that solves specific business problems whilst finding an intersection between theory and practice.

Structure/Format of major stages of the initiative

Activity Format
Team selection & formation Virtual
Seminar/Hackathon briefing Virtual
Hacking/Solution development Virtual
Mentorship Virtual
Final pitch event Hybrid: The physical event will be streamed live. Finalists that cannot travel down will send in a recording of their demo and pitch and will be available online to answer questions from the judges.
 

Prizes/Rewards

1st prize: N1,500,000

2nd prize: N1,000,000

3rd prize: N500,000

Expression of interest

Apply as a team

Each team has a minimum size of three and a maximum size of four. Ensure that you have a very strong team in line with selection criteria to stand a greater chance of being selected. Apply as a team here

Apply as an individual

If you cannot create a team, you can apply as an individual. If selected, you will be automatically added to a newly formed team in line with the selection criteria. Apply as an individual participant here

Information Pack

Hackathon Information Guide

All you need to know to be a part of the AI for Energy hackathon.
Download the AI for Energy Seminar and Hacakthon Information Pack

Hackathon Guidelines

Definitions: “Data Science Nigeria”, “Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to project initiators and/or sponsor while “you”, “yourself” refers to the Hackathon participant or the parent/legal guardian of any minor or under-aged Hackathon entrant. By entering you agree to be bound by these rules.

Application/Entry periods: Application for the online hackathon starts on the 23rd of July, 2021 and closes on the 6th of August, 2021 by 11:59 pm West Africa Time (WAT). After the selection of participants, entries for the working prototype/solution opens on the 16th of August, 2021 and closes on the 3rd of September, 2021 by 11:59 pm West Africa Time.

Eligibility: To participate, you must be an undergraduate or graduate student of a Nigerian tertiary institution with valid proof. You must also be at least 18 years of age or have written consent from a parent or legal guardian.

Participants selection criteria and general conditions:
  • Verifiable skill and experience in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Data Visualization, Database Management, Front-end development, business development etc. via Kaggle, Zindi, GitHub etc.
  • Willingness to work in a team
  • Demonstrated experience of taking up similar challenges
  • Minimum age of 18. Minors will have to submit legal consent from guardians
  • Team’s familiarity or understanding of the problem space
  • Diversity of the team (members with different skillsets and at least one member with a verifiable understanding of the problem space)
Other key considerations:
  • Inclusive talent selection across all the geopolitical zones in Nigeria
  • Gender inclusion and opportunity for the physically challenged students
Solution submission requirements:
  • A testable prototype with basic UI/UX
  • Proper documentation of the solution
  • A recorded pitch and demo video

Hackathon Process

Application:
You can apply to be part of the hackathon as an individual or as a team. Each team contains a minimum of 3 members and a maximum of 5 members. Selected individual applicants will be paired to form new teams. The application portal will be opened on the 23rd of July, 2021 and will close on the 6th of August, 2021 by 11:59 pm West Africa Time (WAT).

Mandatory live virtual seminar and hackathon briefing session:
If selected, you will be invited to attend a mandatory live briefing session on the 14th of August 2021, where the hackathon theme and focus will be discussed by experts and more details of the hackathon will be shared. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions to gain more clarity about the challenge.
Note: Any team that fails to attend the briefing session will be automatically disqualified and replaced with another team on the waitlist.

Team – Mentor pairing:
To provide your team with expert support and guidance through the solution development stage, each team will be assigned a mentor on the 11th of August, 2021. The mentors will be required to play an advisory role throughout your participation in the competition.

Solution development:
Each team will have a minimum of 3 weeks, from the 16th of August to the 3rd of September, 2021 to develop and submit a solution. You are allowed to use any programming language, open-source platform, APIs, design and development tools in the development of a solution.

Change of solution focus:
You are allowed to change the focus of your solution development should you want to from the start of the hackathon till the 20th of August, 2021.

Solution submission:
The deadline for solution submission is the 3rd of September, 2021. Each team is required to submit a testable prototype with little or basic UI/UX, proper documentation of the solution and a recorded pitch and demo video

Announcement of finalists:
After the solution submission rounds, top teams with the highest-ranked solutions will be announced on the 13th of September, 2021 and invited to the final pitch and award ceremony.

Final pitch and award ceremony:
Top-ranked teams from the hackathon will be invited to pitch and demonstrate their solutions to a live audience and a panel of judges on the 18th of September, 2021. The top-ranked 3 teams from the hackathon will be awarded cash prizes and rewards.

Hackathon Structure

Judging Criteria

Relevance

Does it solve any of the identified problems?

Understandability

Can the solution be easily understood?

Value-Sensitivity

Does it align with the values/ethics/morals of its users?

Performance

How well does it profer solutions to the problems?

Usability

How easy is it to use?

Data Quality

What is the quality of the data used in the solution?

Reproducibility

How easy is it to rebuild the proffered solution?

Testability

How easy is it to test the solutions or verify modifications?

Changeability

How easy is it to modify or improve its functionality?

Documentation

Is the solution documented in line with the template provided?

General conditions, terms and release of liability

By submitting a solution/prototype, you grant us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyse your Submission and all its content in connection with this project, and use your submission in any media whatsoever now known or later invented for any purpose deemed fit by the project initiators.

To the extent allowed by law, by participating in the competition, you agree to release and hold harmless, Data Science Nigeria, Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture and their respective partners from and all liability or any injury, loss, or damage of any kind arising in connection with any prize won. Read full terms and conditions here.

This project is proudly sponsored by

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