Investing in the Energy Future

An Industry Guide to Licensing Technologies

at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
“The idea behind DEVap is to revolutionize 

cooling, while removing millions of metric 

tons of carbon from the air.” –Eric Kozubal

NREL Senior Engineer

PIX 17437

NREL Senior Engineer Eric Kozubal examines a prototype air flow channel of the Desiccant-Enhanced eVaporative 

(DEVap) air conditioner, which he co-invented. It has the potential of using 50 percent to 90 percent less energy 

than today’s top-of-the-line units. Credit: Pat Corkery, NREL
Transforming the energy future requires a broad portfolio of technologies. Through 

its advancement of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, the U.S. 

Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a 

leading force in this transformation. NREL bridges the gap between basic and applied 

research to translate discoveries into energy innovations with potential to become 

market-viable solutions. 

We invite you to explore the commercialization potential of NREL’s innovations. 

You’ll find opportunities to license a multitude of next-generation energy technologies. You can invest in the energy future. 

NREL and You

NREL’s R&D Competencies

■ Renewable electricity conversion and delivery systems

■ Renewable fuels formulation and delivery 

■ Efficient and integrated energy systems

■ Strategic energy analysis
“Compared to traditional 

silicon wafer photovoltaic 

technology, thin-film CIGS 

solar cells are more durable, 

flexible, and reliable, and 

cost less to manufacture.”

–Miguel Contreras

NREL Senior Scientist 

PIX 17650

NREL Senior Scientist Contreras holds one of the copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cells 

he invented. These solar cells have an energy conversion efficiency that’s just as high as polycrystalline silicon 

solar cells. Credit: Ray David, NREL
NREL researchers invent cutting-edge technologies with an innovative eye towards 

market-relevant, sustainable energy applications. We have hundreds of technologies 

available for licensing within the laboratory’s R&D program areas: 

Our Innovations

■ Advanced vehicles and fuels

■ Basic sciences

■ Biomass

■ Buildings 

■ Concentrating solar power

■ Electric infrastructure systems

■ Energy analysis

■ Geothermal

■ Hydrogen and fuel cells 

■ Photovoltaics

■ Wind

For more information about licensing opportunities at NREL, visit www.nrel.gov/technologytransfer or 

e-mail Licensing@nrel.gov. 
“Zymomonas mobilis can be used 

to ferment sugars into high yields 

of ethanol with fewer byproducts.”

–Min Zhang

NREL Senior Scientist

PIX 16318

NREL Senior Scientist Zhang examines a microorganism based on the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis she 

developed. DuPont and several small companies have licensed the bacterium for commercial use on their 

respective cellulosic biomass feedstocks. Credit: Pat Corkery, NREL
At NREL, we focus on accelerating the 

commercialization of our energy innovations. This means we work to quickly 

complete business transactions with 

companies interested in licensing our 

technologies. 

If your company is interested in licensing an NREL technology, one of our 

experienced licensing executives will 

guide you through our process, which 

includes four basic steps. 

Step 1. Protecting Proprietary Information 

To help your company make a decision 

about licensing an invention, NREL may 

need to share proprietary information 

with you. To do so, we need to ensure 

that the information is protected from 

public disclosure. It may involve developing a nondisclosure agreement. 

Step 2. Evaluating the

Licensing Opportunity 

When evaluating an opportunity, an 

NREL licensing executive will look at 

the scope and nature of the desired 

license agreement and help determine 

the necessary level of exclusivity, 

geographic scope, and field of use 

among other details. You’ll also be 

asked to submit a brief commercialization strategy outlining the product, 

the market, expected launch date, and 

expected sales within the first five years. 

Step 3. Drafting and Negotiating

License Agreement

If you elect to enter into a license agreement, an NREL licensing executive will 

work with you to create a term sheet. 

This term sheet will help to document 

the understanding between both parties 

on the primary financial and nonfinancial terms and conditions. The terms will 

then be incorporated into one of NREL’s 

agreement templates. 

The licensing executive will provide 

you with the draft license agreement for 

review by your legal counsel.

Step 4. Post-Execution

Once the license has been executed, the 

NREL licensing executive will stay in 

touch with you to keep track of your 

progress commercializing the technology and to help you resolve any unforeseen problems. The licensing executive 

will also be your primary point of 

contact for any questions about royalty 

payments.

Working with Us

For more information about NREL’s licensing process, visit www.nrel.gov/technologytransfer or 

e-mail Licensing@nrel.gov. 
“NREL’s Commercialization and 

Tech Transfer team shares the sense 

of urgency my company has around 

getting technologies moving into 

the marketplace. They paced their 

processes to match ours, we had 

straightforward negotiations, and 

we settled an agreement quickly 

and fairly—letting us get back to 

our business fast.” 

–Steve Hane

CEO, Ampulse

Ampulse CEO Steve Hane is working closely with NREL to develop inexpensive silicon solar cells using a process his 

company has licensed from NREL. Credit: Dennis Schroeder, NREL

PIX 17649
“Working with NREL was smooth and professional every step of the way.” 

–Dale Jones

President, Enertech Wind 

“The technology portfolio Planar Energy spun-out of NREL promises to revolutionize the energy 

storage industry by making large format ceramic batteries practical and cost effective. NREL has 

proven to be a powerful and flexible partner for Planar in bringing together the right talent, 

technology and leadership to build the next generation of high-performance energy storage solutions.” 

–Scott Faris

CEO, Planar Energy 

“I believe NREL is an example of how a government-funded entity should be run... In my opinion, 

any company and particularly startup companies in renewable energy MUST partner with NREL 

and to do anything else will not be the best suitable entrepreneurial approach.” 

–Fareed Sfard

CEO, Ahura Energy

“Through partnership and license agreements with NREL, we’ve been able to 

streamline the technology transfer and accelerate the development of the world 

record efficiency cadmium telluride thin-film PV technology developed at the lab. 

We’re now ready for commercial product introduction, and much of our success 

can be attributed to the early help and support that we’ve had from NREL.” 

–Fred Seymour

Vice President of Technology, PrimeStar 

“The staff at NREL were very helpful and also very patient with our questions and deliberations,” 

–Toby Evetts

Partner, Chemical Wedding 

“As a small business, we devote our resources carefully and move 

swiftly. We’ve been very pleased with the response and timeliness 

of NREL’s Technology Transfer Office, as well as their willingness 

to respond to issues that come up as we grow and expand.”

–Randy Gee

Chief Technology Officer, SkyFuel

Here’s what some of you say about your experiences working with and licensing 

technologies from NREL. 

In Your Own Words
“The Technology Commercialization & Deployment 

Fund helped us advance ReflecTech Mirror Film,

a technology used in our SkyTrough collector.”

–Randy Gee

Chief Technology Officer, SkyFuel

From DOE’s Technology Commercialization & Deployment Fund, NREL received $4 million to invest in company 

partnerships developing promising new technologies, like the thin mirror film for parabolic troughs invented by SkyFuel 

Chief Technology Officer Randy Gee (left) and NREL Principal Scientist Gary Jorgensen (right). Credit: Pat Corkery, NREL

PIX 16464
Through our commercialization 

programs, we help investors and companies find licensing opportunities, accelerate the transfer of technologies into the 

marketplace, and stimulate the formation of clean energy startup companies. 

Commercialization Assistance Program

The NREL Commercialization Assistance Program (NCAP) helps emerging 

companies overcome technical barriers 

to commercializing clean energy technology. The program specifically helps 

renewable energy and energy efficiency 

companies by providing free assistance 

or information to help small businesses 

with specific technology questions or 

needs. Learn more about NCAP at www.

nrel.gov/technologytransfer.

Industry Growth Forum 

For over 15 years, NREL’s Industry 

Growth Forums have provided clean 

energy entrepreneurs an opportunity to 

present their business cases to an expert 

panel of investors and energy executives. Since 2003, presenting companies 

have raised nearly $3.4 billion in growth 

financing. Learn more about the Forum 

at www.cleanenergyforum.com.

Privately Funded Technology

Transfer Program

To leverage the federal government’s 

investment, the Alliance for Sustainable 

Energy, which operates NREL, has introduced a privately funded technology 

transfer program. Under the program, 

the Alliance partners will invest $1.75 

million to fund basic patenting, marketing, and licensing activities. NREL will 

also use the funds to attract external 

investments, primarily for innovations 

developed under DOE programs.

Technology Commercialization Portal

NREL developed and manages the 

Technology Commercialization Portal 

for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy. The Web site 

provides streamlined searching and 

browsing of patents, patent applications, 

and marketing summaries for clean 

energy technologies available for licensing from DOE laboratories and participating research institutions. Visit the 

Technology Commercialization Portal at 

techportal.eere.energy.gov. 

Our Commercialization Programs
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401-3305

303-275-3000 • www.nrel.gov

NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

Operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

NREL/BR-7A1-48108 • September 2010

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least

50% wastepaper, including 10% post consumer waste.

Front cover photos: Pat Corkery, NREL/PIX 16555, 17133, 16560, 16952

Back cover photos: Pat Corkery, NREL/PIX 17375, 16318, 15941; Todd Deutsch, NREL/PIX 16424