In the early 18th century, the British Parliament offered a £20,000 award to anyone who could reliably calculate a ship's longitude at sea.
John Harrison successfully solved the problem, but nearly died waiting to be paid.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harrison The Virgin Earth Challenge is a prize of $25m for whoever can demonstrate to the judges' satisfaction a commercially viable design which results in the removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases so as to contribute materially to the stability of Earth’s climate.
http://www.virginearth.com/I prefer the Virgin challenge to the government sponsored model, but both are types only add to the chances of something innovative coming to light.
Those who would pay the award have no costs unless the invention is successful, and inventors have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
The curious (and suspicious) thing about this story is that there may well be battery designs that fit the description but are being held in secret.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovonics>
It would be really unjust if those who've kept the technology from us were waiting for just such an occasion to release it, then take $300 million of our money for releasing it.
Maybe John has friends in such places?