DOE Supports and Expands NREL's Commercialization Efforts

Through the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Technology Commercialization Development Fund (TCDF) Program, NREL can expand its collaborative efforts between researchers and companies to develop commercial products based on NREL innovations. Commercial partners will share 50% or more of project development costs, which will typically range from $150,000 to $1 million.

Both NREL researchers and outside industry can submit proposals for commercially beneficial projects. Projects will be selected based on their fit with the program, the value of NREL's intellectual property position, and the potential for near-term commercial impacts.

"This program gives us some wonderful tools to address the commercialization 'valley of death' that exists between technologies in the laboratory and products in the private sector," says Tom Williams, NREL's technology transfer director. "We expect the program to increase the market impact of NREL's technologies and support faster, more nimble partnering with industry to make this happen."

For this program, NREL has received $4 million from the TCDF for fiscal year 2008. It's one of three DOE laboratories, along with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which received $2.5 million, and Sandia National Laboratories, which received $700,000.

Contact Matthew Ringer at 303-384-7747 about submitting a proposal.