The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the launch of the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) to help expand the commercial impact of DOE research.
The office will work closely with the national laboratories and engage with industry to commercialize technology and strengthen the global competitiveness of U.S. industries based on scientific and technological innovations.
The Office will serve as a DOE-wide functional unit that coordinates the commercial development of DOE’s research outputs and will be responsible for the statutorily-created Energy Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF), a nearly $20 million fund that will leverage the R&D funding in the applied energy programs to pursue high impact commercialization activities.
The new organization will additionally be responsible for delivering a Technology Transfer Execution Plan to Congress and reporting annually on the Department’s technology transfer and partnership activities.
“Through technology transfer, commercialization, and deployment activities, the Department of Energy has made significant contributions to economic growth in the United States,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “The Office of Technology Transitions will give the Department the opportunity to increase the American people’s return on investment in federally-funded science and energy research.”
The Department of Energy spends more than $10 billion on research and development each year, conducted primarily at universities and Federal laboratories. This investment supports research that is creating the foundation for discovery and innovation, enabling the transition to a low-carbon economy, and is maintaining American nuclear security.