The AEIC staff’s case studies on the federal government’s role in energy technology innovation, summarized in this document, illustrate that public-private partnerships are recurring components in the successful development and deployment of advanced energy technologies.

Oil accounts for one third of the energy consumed by the United States, most of it by the transportation sector. Continuing dependence on oil has subjected American consumers to considerable economic volatility.

For more than a half-century, gas turbine engines pioneered for military jet fighters have hung under the wings of commercial airliners. For nearly as long, these aircraft engines have been adapted to drive electricity generators, pump oil and gas, and power ships. These aeroderivative gas turbines are a part of the larger industrial gas turbine market, valued at $15.6 billion worldwide in 2010.

The outlook for North America’s natural gas supply has improved dramatically in recent years as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies have made it possible to commercially develop unconventional gas reserves, particularly shale gas reserves. These gas basins are located in diverse geographical areas, spanning at least 31 states in the continental United States.

Modern diesel engines are hugely important to the U.S. economy, especially in the transportation industry, where they are widely used in trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles. Truck transportation, which is dominated by diesel engines, directly employed over 1.3 million people and contributed $252 billion to national GDP in 2010.

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings has great potential to boost the U.S. economy, improve public health, and protect the environment. The energy used by buildings costs $418 billion annually and accounts for 39% of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. A major driver of building energy consumption is heat and cooling loss through the walls, roof, and windows.

American business relies on innovation as a core driver of success. So, how do our most successful businesses manage innovation, and what is the role of national policy in enhancing private sector R&D?