Technology Transfer Process: Background for the U.S. National Energy Strategy

This paper describes the objectives, strategies, and mechanisms used by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), other government and private technology development organizations in their technology transfer programs. Its scope is limited to listing the technology transfer mechanisms and defining the situations when these particular mechanisms are most effective. In this paper, the specificmechanisms for transferring technology, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are listed based on federal and industrial experiences in using these mechanisms. In addition, several case studies illustrating how technology transfer strategies which use multiple mechanisms have been executed successfully in the past are also included. The conclusions of this paper support those reported bythe Energy Research Advisory Board (ERAB) in 1988.