Collaboration across vertical boundaries: lessons learned from the US DOE's SPI programme

Abstract

The US Department of Energy has launched three vertically–integrated alliances to promote the development of high–temperature superconductivity (HTS) energy products. These alliances, part of the Superconductivity Partnership Initiative (SPI) programme, are novel to the US in that they integrate R&D, manufacturing and marketing. Each SPI arrangement focuses on a specific HTS–related product (fault current limiter, generator and motor, respectively) with assistance from DOE laboratories. These arrangements present unique challenges to managers and offer insights into collaboration and commercialization of publicly–developed energy technology.