Global Competition and Technology Transfer by the Federal Laboratories: An Assessment of Technology Transfer Mechanisms of Selected National Laboratories with a Special Focus on Solar/Renewable Energy Technologies: Executive Summary

摘要

The report is presented in five chapters. It begins with an overview of the general problem and an introduction to the special case of renewable energy. Then, in Chapter Two, a broad canvas is presented for considering technology transfer as technology development to solve priority social-technical problems faced by our society; and important historical features in America's past are presented along with speculation about their relevance to the present and future. Chapter Three describes the four selected national laboratories and their current efforts at enhancing technology transfer. Chapter Four pulls together key findings from the lab descriptions and other sources and presents them as continuing issues and guiding principles. Finally, in Chapter five, recommendations are made to SERI, the Solar Energy Research Institute, for both the short range and long range. Long-range recommendations foresee a changed, more supportive climate and budget for solar/renewable energy and speculate about a far-reaching role for those technologies in a national effort at societal revitalization, redevelopment and renewal. (ERA citation 12:028713)