The energy-related inventions program: Commercial progress of participants through 1988
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (USA)
This report provides information on the recent commercial progress of inventions supported by the Energy-Related Inventions Program (ERIP). It describes the results of the latest in a series of ERIP evaluation projects that have been completed since 1980. It focuses on the economic impacts of the program, notably sales and employment benefits. The period of interest is 1980 through 1988. The evaluation is based on data collected through telephone interviews describing 133 ERIP sponsored inventions. By the end of 1988, at least 88 ERIP inventions had entered the market, generating total cumulative sales of more than $400 million. With $21.4 million in grants awarded from 1975 through 1988, and $53.8 million in program appropriations over the same period, ERIP has generated a 19:1 return in terms of sales values to grants, and 7:1 return in sales versus program appropriations. It is estimated that 24% of all ERIP inventions had achieved sales by the end of 1988. While it is difficult to make exact comparisons between these percentages and other indicators of the success rates of technological innovations as a whole, the ERIP figures remain impressive. Employment benefits, tax revenues, sources of funding, and spin-off technologies are also discussed. Over time, second generation technologies and alternative applications of ERIP inventions have grown in importance as by-products of the program 21 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/CE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 7079968
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/CON-301; ON: DE90014771
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
EVALUATION
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GRANTS
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MEASURING METHODS
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