NETL Federal Project Manager Maria Reidpath highlighted federal programs designed to promote the transfer of innovative energy technologies into the marketplace at this week’s Energy Storage and Building Efficiency Conference.
The Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center (TBEIC) hosted the conference Sept. 23-24 in Warren, Ohio, for manufacturers, utilities, investors, entrepreneurs, academia and others across Ohio, the Midwest and Appalachia. The agenda included sessions on how to use advanced energy storage technologies to improve buildings’ energy efficiency and facilitate technology transfer.

TBEIC is an Ohio-based energy incubator that aids technology startups in the energy industry by providing mentoring services, facilitating business relationships and more. NETL hosted TBEIC for a visit to NETL in March 2019, and the conference offered an opportunity to further engage with TBEIC and its regional stakeholders.

Reidpath met one-on-one with interested partners and participated in a panel discussion titled “Money, Money and More Money,” which focused on private and government funding available to finance storage and efficiency projects. She shared opportunities available through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

SBIR and STTR are competitive awards-based programs that promote private-sector commercialization of federal research and development innovations in collaboration with American small businesses. The U.S. Department of Energy is among 11 federal agencies that participate in these programs, which provide about $2.5 billion a year to stimulate economic investment.

NETL’s mission is to discover, integrate and mature technology solutions to enhance the nation’s energy foundation and protect the environment for future generations. The Lab’s Technology Transfer office uses a variety of partnership and licensing mechanisms, including SBIR and STTR awards, to move Lab-developed innovations into the marketplace for maximum public benefit.

Click here to learn more about opportunities for technology transfer at NETL.