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Response Technology Adoption Workshop

Key decision points and decision-makers graph.
Key decision points and decision-makers determine if a new oil spill response technology reaches commercialization. 

AUGUST 14, 2015 -- Catherine Berg, NOAA’s Scientific Support Coordinator for Alaska was invited to participate in the Oil Spill Recovery Institute’s Technology Adoption Workshop.

This highly interactive workshop was designed to gain an understanding of the key decision points and decision-makers that determine whether a new oil spill response technology reaches commercialization, the common obstacles to achieving this, and some ways of overcoming those obstacles. What are the key decision points as a technology progresses from research and development to commercialization and application and what are the most common pitfalls, and the best indicators of success?

Participants came from a wide range of perspectives, including technology developers, manufacturers, government, non-governmental organizations, and the companies and organizations that purchase spill response equipment. Participants were given the opportunity to share their insights on technology development and discussions focused on the process involved in getting new technologies from concept to market.

Preliminary findings included: development and use of a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) framework with defined terminology to provide a more universal understanding of a technology’s readiness for application; the need for regulatory drivers and incentives to advance response technology; and a need to enhance and facilitate relationships from researchers to manufacturers to response end-users.

For further information, contact Catherine.Berg@noaa.gov.
 

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Last updated Tuesday, November 8, 2022 1:49pm PST