Alternative Energy Development - NREL Activities Exposed

President George W. Bush, in his State of the Unionstrategy. These goals start from the understanding
Address for the year 2007, called for an increase inof renewable energy resources, to the translation of
the federal grant for the research and developmentthese to renewable fuel and electricity and finally to
of an alternative source of energy by 22%.the utilization of these in homes, vehicles and
However, I picked up mixed signals about thecommercial buildings. The laboratory, federally backed,
funding, in a speech the President gave soon after todirectly helps achieve the objectives for unveiling
those assembled.new alternative fuels for improving our economy and
Perhaps the mixed signals can be drawn from thepowering our lifestyle.
fact that simultaneously the President was insistingThe NREL has been established to provide expertise
on more backing from the government for thein several areas pertaining to the development of
research and development of alternate energy. Thealternative energy. It directs research and
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden indevelopment initiatives in renewable sources of
Colorado (NREL) was letting go of contractors andelectricity including geothermal power, biomass
workers with fine abandon. But it can be supposedpower, wind power and solar power. It also steers
that the laboratory understood the message, for notthe research and development of vehicle-powering
long after the State of Union Address, they were allfuels like biodiesel fuels, hydrogen fuel cells and
re-hired. In fact, the President?s second speech wasbiomass. It also aims at supervising an integrated
delivered at the NREL itself. There can be said to besystem-engineering plan that includes activating
undisputed public support for tax breaks, researchalternative energy in buildings, delivery systems and
grants and financial incentives for research andelectrical grids, and infrastructure transportation. The
development of sources of alternative energy,laboratory also targets the analysis and development
through federal backing.of the objectives of alternative energy through
The NREL is the chief component of the "virtual"economics, structuring the portfolio of alternative
National Bioenergy Center, which is a center with noenergy investment, and market planning and analysis.
actual office. The NREL was established exclusivelyIn addition, a Technology Transfer Office furnishes
to achieve the objectives of the United Statesthe NREL. This office maintains a team of engineers
alternative energy and so the Department of Energyand laboratory scientists who make a living by the
can advance. Dan Arvizu, the Director of theapplication of their expertise including various
laboratory, says that the staff scientists and fieldtechnologies developed. The competence of the
researchers sanction the objectives of the criticalstaff and facilities of NREL can be observed by the
market towards accelerating research whether it benumber of collaborative projects as well as licensed
scientific innovation or feasible alternative energytechnologies shared by the laboratory and their
solutions. He goes on to say that NREL's technologypartners, both private and public.
and research development goals are the roots of this