Why Does ITV Focus on Field Validation?
Validation of the performance of next-generation technologies in a real-world operational setting compared to a bench-scale setting:
- Accelerates product commercialization by informing research and development and providing better information to help investors make more informed decisions.
- Mitigates the risks associated with testing new technologies.
- Encourages the broader integration of new, high-impact technologies into the industrial and manufacturing space/
What Types of Technologies Will Be Considered Under This Program?
ITV aims to validate cost-effective, emerging technologies in the industrial sector that have significant potential to enhance operational productivity, optimize performance or product quality, and improve market competitiveness. Emerging technologies refer to applications of equipment, hardware, software, systems, or other innovations that are at one of the following development stages:
Pre-Commercial Technology - Technology that is not yet fully available on the open market and has a value proposition of price that is still being defined.
Early Commercial Technology - Technology whose value and risks are understood by specialists for some applications, but the supply chain and/or full-scale production have not yet been fully established.
New Applications - Technology will be demonstrated in a different sector or use case than conventionally deployed.
Underutilized - Technology is commercialized, but adoption within the United States or within a relevant industry is not widespread.
As a technology-agnostic initiative, ITV welcomes both sector-specific technologies and cross-cutting solutions applicable across the industrial landscape.
How Does My Organization Benefit from Participating in ITV?
There are two types of organizations that can participate in ITV: technology developers and host sites. Technology developers provide the equipment or technology to be tested. Host sites provide the facility where the installation will occur, manage the installation, and provide performance data from both the existing baseline system and the newly installed technology. Participating in the program has several benefits for each party.
Technology Developers
- Improve market credibility with unbiased performance results from DOE national laboratory staff
- Gain insights to drive product development and commercialization
- Mitigate risk for future partners
Host Sites
- Understand the performance and risks of emerging technologies before deploying them at scale across your portfolio
- Gain a competitive edge and optimize operations
- Offset the cost of operational improvements
To participate, ITV requires host sites and technology vendors to team up and apply jointly -- organizations cannot apply individually.
Who Can Participate?
The ITV program is open to all technology developers or industrial sites who have teamed up and wish to test innovative pre- or early-commercial operational optimization technologies in their plants.
What Are My Expected Contributions for Participating in the ITV Program?
For each validation project, both host site and technology developer are expected to fulfill several key responsibilities.
Host Site Responsibilities
- Provides the facility where the installation will occur and manages installation
- Continues engagement for the duration of the study
- Provides input to national lab on test bed design, project plans, and evaluation reports in a timely manner
- Shares data and information on impacted systems as needed to conduct the analysis
Technology Developer Responsibilities
- Provides the technology for validation and supports installation
- Continues engagement for the duration of the study
- Provides input to national lab on test bed design, project plants, and evaluation reports in a timely manner
- Shares data and information on impacted systems as needed to conduct the analysis
What Are the Terms of Participation?
Project details and costs are to be negotiated and agreed upon according to the solicitation's requirements. The host site and technology developer team will install the technology at the host site. The host site and technology developer will provide input on the validation plan and evaluation report and agree to provide guidance on installation of the DOE-provided validation equipment. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) team will first develop a baseline of the current system, and then measure the performance improvement of the new technology after it is installed. The findings will be published in a publicly available report that does not reveal sensitive plant processes or site performance information.
What is a Typical Project Lifecycle for an Industrial Technology Validation Project?
An adequate measurement and verification period may vary significantly and will depend on the technology being tested and the availability of baseline data. A schedule will be developed prior to the start of the project, but projects are anticipated to last approximately 12-24 months. A typical schedule is included below:
- Planning (1-2 months)
- Baseline (3-8 months)
- Implementation (1-2 months)
- Post-Implementation (4-12 months)
- Reporting (3-4 months)
Who Should I Contact With Additional Questions?
Email us at ITV-Support@lbl.gov for questions. See additional FAQs on ITV's current funding opportunity.