ACCESS ALL OF THE QUADRENNIAL TECHNOLOGY REVIEW 2015 CONTENT
The last four years have been defined by dramatic change in the nation’s energy landscape. Domestic production of oil and natural gas has boomed, causing the United States to become the world leader in combined oil and natural gas production for the last three consecutive years. Electricity generation from solar photovoltaic cells has increased over tenfold and wind power has nearly doubled. Looking forward, the United States faces significant energy-linked economic, environmental, and security challenges. Climate change is one of the most pressing dangers of our time and will greatly magnify all of these challenges unless swift action is taken to reduce carbon emissions. The rapidly evolving nature of energy technology and scientific capability to address these challenges demands rigorous analysis to inform DOE's strategic decisions—a need that the Quadrennial Technology Review will address.
The 2015 Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR 2015) examines the most promising research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) opportunities across energy technologies to effectively address the nation's energy needs. Specifically, this analysis identifies the important technology RDD&D opportunities across energy supply and end use in working toward a clean energy economy in the United States. The insight gained from this analysis provides essential information for decision makers as they develop funding decisions, approaches to public-private partnerships, and other strategic actions over the next five years.
BACKGROUND
QTR 2015 builds upon the first QTR in 2011, focusing on DOE energy technology RDD&D activities and complements the work of the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), which focuses on energy infrastructure and government-wide energy policy. The 2011 QTR was developed in response to the Report to the President on Accelerating the Pace of Change in Energy Technologies through an Integrated Federal Energy Policy by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. The first QTR defined a framework for understanding and discussing energy system challenges, established a set of priorities for the Department, and explained to stakeholders the roles of DOE and the national laboratories, the broader government, the private sector, academia, and innovation in energy transformation.
HOW IS QTR 2015 DIFFERENT FROM QTR 2011?
QTR 2015 describes the nation’s energy landscape and the dramatic changes that have taken place over the last four years. Specifically, it begins by building on the first QTR and identifying what has changed in the technologies reviewed within it since 2011. It then identifies the RDD&D activities, opportunities, and pathways forward to help address our national energy challenges. QTR 2015 approaches the analysis from a strong systems perspective to explore the integration of science and energy technology RDD&D with cross cutting technology RDD&D, and conducts an integrated analysis of RDD&D opportunities.
Documents
The DOE QTR 2015 Framing Document describes the Nation's energy landscape including challenges and opportunities to facilitate stakeholder engagement in the QTR process.
January 13, 2015
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Framing Document for the Second Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR 2015)
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated the second Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR). The DOE QTR 2015 Framing Document was developed as a principle means of facilitating stakeholder engagement in the QTR process. The framing document describes the Nation’s energy landscape and challenges, important research, development, demonstration and deployment (RDD&D or RD3) opportunities across energy supply and end-uses in working towards addressing U.S. energy-linked economic, environmental, and national security challenges. All questions and comments should be sent to [email protected].
Instructions for submitting comments are provided separately. If you believe that your comments contain confidential information and should not be subject to public disclosure, please review the instructions for providing comments with confidential information.
Download the 2011 Quadrennial Technology Review, Technology Assessments, and framing document
September 26, 2011
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First Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR 2011)
Download the 2011 Quadrennial Technology Review and the 17 Technology Assessments that were carried out as part of the analysis below. These are meant to be accessible summaries of the techno-economic aspects (e.g., current deployment, historical pace of progress) and research and development (R&D) opportunities in the most important energy technologies or systems. Also available below is the QTR 2011 Framing Document which describes the analysis that was carried out.
Past Events
The Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Energy hosted the second of two webinars on QTR activities to describe work in progress on March 4, 2015. The comment process following this webinar, provides an opportunity for stakeholders and experts...
March 4, 2015
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QTR Public Webinar 2
Background
The Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting the Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR), a comprehensive assessment of science and energy technology research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RD3) opportunities to address our nation's energy-linked economic, environmental, and security challenges. The QTR is examining an “all of the above” range of energy technologies to inform the configuration of the Department's programs and priorities, industry and university engagement, and national lab activities, and will serve as a key input into the Department's forthcoming Science and Energy Plan.
Webinar and Input Process
As part of the QTR 2015 activities, the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Energy hosted two webinars to describe work in progress. Details on the first webinar are available here. The second webinar took place on March 4, 2015. Written comments are welcome and should be submitted on or before April 9, 2015 to [email protected] . The comment process following this webinar will provide an opportunity for stakeholders and experts to provide input for DOE to consider, as the Department gathers facts and information for candidate areas of RD3 in the United States. Preliminary work was presented, and policy issues, if touched upon, are separately explored by the Quadrennial Energy Review (QER).
Webinar 2 – Scheduled for March 4, 2015 from 10AM-5:30PM EST. During the webinar, an overview of the following will be provided:
| Session Topic | Session Time |
| Chapter 1 – Overview | 10:00-11:00AM EST |
| Chapter 2 – What has Changed | 11:00AM-12:00PM EST |
| Chapter 3 – Energy Systems | 12:00PM-1:00PM EST |
| Chapter 10 – Enabling Science | 1:00PM-2:00PM EST |
| Chapter 11 – Competitiveness | Postponed |
| Chapter 12 – Integrated Analysis | 3:00PM-4:30PM EST |
| Chapter 13 – Accelerating RD3 | 4:30PM-5:30PM EST |
DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
The Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Energy hosted the first of two webinars on QTR activities to describe work in progress on February 18, 2015. The comment process following this webinar, provides an opportunity for stakeholders and expe...
February 18, 2015
minute read time
QTR Public Webinar 1
Background
The Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting the Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR), a comprehensive assessment of science and energy technology research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RD3) opportunities to address our nation's energy-linked economic, environmental, and security challenges. The QTR is examining an “all of the above” range of energy technologies to inform the configuration of the Department's programs and priorities, industry and university engagement, and national lab activities, and will serve as a key input into the Department's forthcoming Science and Energy Plan.
Webinar and Input Process
As part of the QTR 2015 activities, the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Energy hosted the first of two webinars to describe work in progress. Details for the second webinar are available here. Written comments are welcome and should be submitted on or before March 30, 2015 to [email protected] . The comment process following this webinar will provide an opportunity for stakeholders and experts to provide input for DOE to consider, as the Department gathers facts and information for candidate areas of (RDD&D) in the United States. The following guidance is offered to help participants better understand the webinar and process for providing input:
Webinar 1 – Took place on February 18, 2015 from 10AM-5:30PM EST. During the webinar, an overview of the following was provided:
| Session Topic | Session Time |
| Overview of the QTR | 10:00-10:30AM EST |
| Chapter 4 – Fuels | 10:30AM-12:00PM EST |
| Chapter 5 – Grid | 12:00PM-1:00PM EST |
| Chapter 6 – Power | 1:00PM-2:30PM EST |
| Chapter 7 – Buildings | 2:30PM-3:30PM EST |
| Chapter 8 – Industry & Manufacturing | 3:30PM-4:30PM EST |
| Chapter 9 – Transportation | 4:30PM-5:30PM EST |
DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
The DOE EERE Advanced Manufacturing Office hosted a QTR webinar to obtain input from Leaders in Academia, Industry, and Government on Chapter 8, Industry and Manufacturing, and the associated Technology Assessments.
February 11, 2015
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QTR Webinar: Chapter 8 - Industry and Manufacturing
Background
The U.S. industrial sector accounts for approximately one-third of the overall energy consumption and associated carbon emissions in the U.S. About four-fifths of end-use industrial energy is consumed by the manufacturing sub-sector, which produces goods ranging from fundamental commodities to sophisticated final-use products. Many of these products have a significant energy and carbon footprint beyond the manufacturing phase, necessitating a broader systems perspective to characterize the full opportunity space impacted by technologies. The Chapter 8 systems approach includes advanced manufacturing technologies that have the potential to provide a competitive advantage over the practices widely in use, as well as clean energy technologies that have the potential to reduce the environmental impact associated with the making, use, and end-of-life of manufactured products.
A wide array of process technologies and manufacturing operations are used to convert raw materials into manufactured goods, and energy savings opportunities can be realized throughout the product life cycle. DOE has undertaken a number of Technology Assessments to help understand and quantify the current challenges and future opportunities. These Assessments consider the potential for energy savings from the implementation of state-of-the-art processes and best practices in cross-cutting technologies, as well as the opportunities that can result from the innovation, development, and implementation of next-generation technologies.
Chapter 8 will describe the systems approach and the Technology Assessments, addressing significant opportunities in the following areas:
• Reducing energy intensity and improving performance through deployment of known technologies in existing manufacturing facilities;
• Developing improved materials and processes with research, development, demonstration, and deployment RD&D; and
• Innovating new classes of transformative products, including those based on clean energy technologies.
Clearly identifying where and when there is an appropriate public value and public role is essential.
Webinar and Input Process
The webinar on February 11th provided an overview on the outline, approach, and content for Chapter 8 – Industry & Manufacturing of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR), and the method for comments and input for the Technology Assessments supporting the chapter.
The comment period, which will run through Tuesday, February 24, provides an opportunity for stakeholders and experts to provide input for DOE to consider as the Department gathers facts and information for candidate areas of RD&D of industrial and manufacturing technologies in the United States. For those who were unable to attend the webinar, the presentation and webinar recording are provided below.
Technology Assessments for Review
The 14 Technology Assessments available for review are available for download below (or will be coming soon). Please use the comment form provided and follow the instructions listed in the document to submit your feedback. Please send the comment form no later than February 24 to [email protected].
[NOTE: The deadline given in the webinar recording is incorrect. The deadline has been extended through February 24.]
Documents Available for Download
<p>Please send questions or comments on the QTR 2015 to <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.</p>