Government Grants for Alternative Energy

Government Grants for Alternative Energyrenewable electricity and fuels, and ultimately to the
In his State of the Union Address for 2007, Presidentuse of renewable electricity and fuels in homes,
George W. Bush called for a 22% increase in federalcommercial buildings, and vehicles.” The
grants for research and development of alternativefederally-backed Laboratory directly helps along the
energy. However, in a speech he gave soon after, heUnited States’ objectives for discovering
said to those assembled, I recognize that there hasrenewable alternative fuels for powering our
been some interesting mixed signals when it comeseconomy and our lifestyles.
to funding.The NREL is set up to have several areas of
Where the mixed signals were coming fromexpertise in alternative energy research and
concerned the fact that at the same time thedevelopment. It spearheads research and
President was calling on more government backingdevelopment efforts into renewable sources of
for alternative energy research and development, theelectricity; these would include such things as solar
NREL—the National Renewable Energy Laboratorypower, wind power, biomass power, and geothermal
of Golden, Colardo—was laying off workers andpower. It also spearheads research and development
contractors left and right. Apparently, the Laboratoryof renewable fuels for powering our vehicles such as
got the hint, because soon after the State of thebiomass and biodiesel fuels and hydrogen fuel cells.
Union Address, everyone was re-hired. The secondThen, it seeks to develop plans for integrated
speech of the President’s was actually given atsystem enginnering; this includes bringing alternative
the NREL. There is almost unanimous public supportenergy into play within buildings, electrical grids and
for the federal backing through research grants, taxdelivery systems, and transportation infrastructures.
breaks, and other financial incentives of research andThe Laboratory is also set up for strategic
development of alternative energy sources.development and analysis of alternative energy
The NREL is the nation’s leading component ofobjectives through the forces of economics, market
the National Bioenergy Center, a “virtual”analysis and planning, and alternative energy
center that has no central bricks and mortar office.investment portfolios structurings.
The NREL’s raison d’etre is the advancing ofThe NREL is additionally equipped with a Technology
the US Department of Energy’s and the UnitedTransfer Office. This Office supports laboratory
States’ alternative energy objectives. Thescientists and engineers in the practical application of
laboratory’s field researchers and staff scientists,and ability to make a living from their expertise and
in the words of Laboratory Director Dan Arvizu,the technologies they develop. NREL’s research
“support critical market objectives to accelerateand development staff and its facilities are recognized
research from scientific innovations to market-viablefor their remarkable prowess by private industry,
alternative energy solutions.which is reflected in the hundreds of collaborative
At the core of this strategic direction are NREL’sprojects and licensed technologies that the
research and technology development areas. TheseLaboratory now has with both public and private
areas span from understanding renewable resourcespartners.
for energy, to the conversion of these resources to