Environmental Technology Research & Development Continuum

EPA has developed a guide (called the "Environmental Technology Research & Development Continuum") to the EPA programs that address environmental technology, and the type of support these programs provide along the path from development to commercialization.

EPA opportunities have been mapped onto the Continuum to help encourage academic, public, and private sector developers to invest time and money in the creation of new, cost-effective environmental technologies.

Successful environmental technologies progress along the research and development (R&D) continuum from basic research to full-scale commercialization and utilization. Technologies that fail to perform or are economically infeasible are dropped. This continuum generally includes six stages (This is not always a step-wise process and the boundaries between these six dependent activities are often blurred.):

1. Basic research and proof of concept;
2. Technology development;
3. Demonstration at either pilot or full scale;
4. Verification of performance at commercialization stage;
5. Commercialization by the private sector; and
6. Diffusion/utilization by customers

In the Continuum, click on the Program Name to get a brief overview, the target media areas, the purpose and type of support provided by EPA, the activity costs (if any), the approximate FY06 funding, and the responsible EPA office."