NREL scientists honored for record number of new innovations in 2015

Wednesday May 4, 2016 Tags: Golden, NREL, DOE, David Danielson, David Ginley, Cory Kreutzer, EERE, Derek Vardon, Jason Woods, Molly Kocialski, Bill Farris, SPX Heat Transfer

GOLDEN -- Researchers and staff at the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Research Lab (NREL) were recognized for 169 new innovations during the DOE’s annual Innovation and Technology Transfer Awards.

The event marked a record-breaking number of scientific and engineering inventions in fiscal year 2015 and a 33 percent increase over the previous year, NREL said.

The annual event acknowledges NREL's innovation and partnering successes and honors the scientists and engineers behind them, including this year's Distinguished Innovator David S. Ginley and Rising Stars Cory Kreutzer, Derek Vardon, and Jason Woods.

The laboratory also recognized precision-engineered products manufacturer SPX Heat Transfer LLC for its commercialization successes. 

In opening remarks before the awards presentation, Dr. David Danielson, assistant secretary for DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), recognized NREL's most innovative and impactful work this year leading to the commercialization of clean energy technologies.

"NREL continues to be a global epicenter for game-changing clean energy innovation,” said Danielson. “Our world-class researchers at NREL have once again set a new annual record for the number of new inventions, and I am so proud of the whole team for taking their innovation game to a whole new level over the past year.

"The researchers being honored today truly embody the spirit of EERE's National Lab Impact Initiative - under which we are laser-focused on expanding the industrial impact of the work at DOE's National Labs."

Danielson joined Molly Kocialski, director of the Rocky Mountain United States Patent and Trademark Office, who noted the connection between her office's mission of promoting, fostering, and protecting American innovation in the global marketplace and NREL's mission of developing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advancing science and engineering, and providing knowledge and innovations to integrate energy systems.

"As this event demonstrates, NREL continues to be a powerhouse of science and engineering innovation," Kocialski said. "The inventors recognized today exemplify the opportunities of moving intellectual property from the laboratory into the marketplace." 

"NREL's scientists and researchers have been leading clean energy innovations for more than 35 years, and last year's invention record demonstrates the impact our technologies are making," said NREL's Associate Lab Director of Innovation, Partnering and Outreach Bill Farris.

"We congratulate today's winners and celebrate their accomplishments."