The Quadrennial Technology Review contains the seventeen Technology Assessments (TAs) meant to be accessible summaries of the techno-economic aspects and R&D opportunities in the most important energy technologies or systems.
What is the QTR?
- The Quadrennial Technology Review offers high-level views of the technical status and potential of various energy technologies.
With 17 National Labs, hundreds of funded projects at research facilities, and thousands of the world’s top scientists, the Energy Department is driving a significant amount of the research and development taking place across a diverse range of energy technology issues -- from basic science to energy production and efficiency.
The Department’s Quadrennial Technology Review (QTR) provides a bird’s eye view of today’s energy technology landscape and outlines the Department’s role in shaping that landscape’s future. The Review covers vehicle efficiency, vehicle electrification, alternative hydrocarbon fuels, building and industrial efficiency, grid modernization, and energy producing technologies like solar, water, wind, nuclear, and geothermal.
The QTR breaks down the technological potential of relevant energy technologies into a consistent, comprehensible format. With slight variations, the sections outline in non-technical terms the past, present, and future of a given technology based on current, published sources. In describing the technologies’ future potential, the Review highlights key R&D opportunities, provides a summary of agreements and disagreements regarding current roadmaps, and describes other factors that could impact the pace of progress.
You can find the Quadrennial Technology Review and regular QTR Assessments at energy.gov/qtr.
