Technology transfer officials from 13 Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories converged on NETL in Morgantown, West Virginia to exchange ideas, share successes related to efforts to move new energy technologies from laboratories to the marketplace, and meet with key NETL leaders.

Technology transfer is described as the movement of data, designs, inventions, materials, software, technical knowledge, or trade secrets from one organization to another or from one purpose to another. The technology transfer process is guided by the policies, procedures and values of each organization.

According to DOE, NETL and the other 16 National Labs “tackle the critical scientific challenges — from combating climate change to discovering the origins of our universe — and possess unique instruments and facilities, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. They address large scale, complex research and development challenges with a multidisciplinary approach that places an emphasis on translating basic science to innovation.”

NETL Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships Mike Knaggs explained that the directors of the National Laboratories, under the umbrella group known as the National Laboratory Directors’ Council (NLDC), created the National Laboratory Technology Transfer Committee (NLTT). Knaggs is currently serving as the NLTT chairman and hosted the committee’s visit to NETL.

“NLTT provides counsel on technology transfer-related matters and undertake studies and activities for laboratory directors,” Knaggs said. “The NLTT provides an interface to the DOE on department-wide efforts to increase the transition of technologies from the laboratory into commercial practice.”

The NLTT committee visited NETL in Morgantown as its annual retreat to build community, network and work on the challenges that affect all the national laboratories.

NETL officials gave the visitors an extensive tour of research facilities, and outlined some of their key technology transfer initiatives that represent a tradition of putting results to work for U.S. energy goals.

DOE National Laboratories are:

• Ames Laboratory
• Argonne National Laboratory
• Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
• Idaho National Laboratory
• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• National Energy Technology Laboratory
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Battelle Memorial Institute Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
• Sandia National Laboratories
• Savannah River National Laboratory
• National Accelerator Laboratory
• Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

NETL drives innovation and delivers technological solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future. By using its world-class talent and research facilities, NETL is ensuring affordable, abundant, and reliable energy that drives a robust economy and national security, while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle, enabling environmental sustainability for all Americans.