As the world continues to face pressing energy and climate issues, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories are working tirelessly to come up with solutions. However, for these innovations to have a more significant impact, they must be commercialized and scaled by the private sector. This is where the DOE Technology Transfer Working Group (TTWG) comes in. TTWG’s primary focus is to promote the commercialization of taxpayer-funded discoveries to accelerate our clean energy future.
Recently, TTWG held its two-day meeting at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)’s campus in Golden, Colorado. This meeting was attended by more than 110 stakeholders from all 17 national laboratories, license executives, commercialization managers, legal counsel, and agreement specialists. The group discussed best practices and addressed challenging technology transfer issues.
NREL Director Martin Keller and NREL Associate Laboratory Director for Innovation, Partnering, and Outreach Bill Farris shared a sense of urgency to commercialize new technologies and get them into the marketplace, where they can be adopted and generate real impact. Keller explained NREL’s three critical objectives — Circular Economy for Energy Materials, Electrons to Molecules, and Integrated Energy Pathways — which aim to tackle some of the world’s most pressing energy problems.
Farris revealed that the key to NREL’s success with commercialization and partnerships is acknowledgement of DOE’s investment in the laboratory. Without the government’s interest in this mission space, NREL wouldn’t exist. Farris also emphasized the importance of impactful partnerships, stating, “We look for partners who are doing something interesting, hard, has never been done before—those are the partners we chase.”
Overall, the meeting was a success, with TTWG taking strides towards advancing commercialization of national laboratory innovations that will have a real impact on our clean energy future. The DOE and its national laboratories must continue to prioritize technology transfer, as private sector commercialization is key to bringing innovations to the market and scaling them for widespread adoption.
Related Facts:
– The DOE has 17 national laboratories working towards solutions for energy and climate issues.
– The private sector is crucial to commercializing and scaling laboratory innovations.
– NREL’s three critical objectives aim to tackle some of the world’s most pressing energy problems.
Key Takeaway:
– Technology transfer and commercialization are crucial to scaling laboratory innovations for widespread adoption.
– Partnerships between national laboratories and the private sector are vital to bringing innovations to the market.
– The DOE and its national laboratories must prioritize technology transfer to make a real impact on our clean energy future.
In conclusion, science alone cannot solve the world’s energy and climate issues; innovation must be commercialized and scaled for widespread adoption. The DOE Technology Transfer Working Group’s recent meeting is a step in the right direction towards advancing national laboratory innovations. The private sector must continue to partner with national laboratories to bring innovations to the market and make a real impact on our clean energy future.
