THE NUMERATOR
The power of DOE's patents
The Energy Department's 17 research laboratories have always been wellsprings of new ideas. And thanks to technology transfer efforts, private industry has licensed the labs' research findings, which boosts the economy and generates patent royalties for DOE. In 2008, laboratory patents brought in almost $44 million, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report.
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The top five patent-licensing labs last year were:
|
| Lab |
Patents
licensed |
Royalties |
| Brookhaven |
498 |
$9.5 million |
| Los Alamos |
187 |
$1.5 million |
| Sandia |
164 |
$3.5 million |
| Lawrence Livermore |
108 |
$9.4 million |
| Argonne |
88 |
$3.9 million |
Source: GAO’s "Technology Transfer: Clearer Priorities and Greater Use of Innovative Approaches Could Increase the Effectiveness of Technology Transfer at Department of Energy Laboratories”
About the Author
Joab Jackson is the senior technology editor for Government Computer News.