The Department of Energy aims to strengthen place-based innovation activities by leveraging DOE national laboratories, plants, and sites for the benefit of the American people.
Consistent with provisions of last year’s CHIPS and Science Act, DOE is gathering input on how initiatives that promote and strengthen regional ecosystems can power the next wave of American innovation and economic prosperity by leveraging its national laboratory system.
Led by the DOE Office of Technology Transitions and the Office of Science, the Department has released a formal Request for Information (RFI) soliciting ideas on:
- Accelerating commercialization of breakthrough technologies
- Driving development in the industrial and technology sectors of the future, such as innovations in advanced manufacturing, and supply chains, among others
- Fostering sustainable and equitable economic growth in underinvested regions of the United States
- Creating long-term high paying jobs in existing and new industries
- Facilitating engagement and partnership with local and regional communities
- Training and educating both the current and future diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce.
According to DOE, innovation ecosystems anchored around DOE national laboratories, plants, and sites can directly support DOE’s missions, including advancing new and emerging clean energy technologies, combatting the effects of climate change, developing technologies to support our nation’s security, the cleaning up of legacy nuclear waste, and building a technically skilled workforce.
Responses are due by March 28, 2023.