Sometimes the line gets very blurred. As the political winds of change blow in Washington, Megan says it is sometimes necessary to alter the way NREL's work is communicated to members of Congress. For example, in these spartan fiscal times members are interested in non-traditional ways of funding the laboratory's work. I think they kind of went, 'Whoa. One of NREL's major selling points is its effort to place renewable energy technologies out into unique market segments.
Wind energy is very close to market prices.
But it is quite competitive in international markets where it is cheaper to put a free standing solar panel up, rather than string two miles of transition line into an isolated African village. Those kinds of applications are making the market grow pretty rapidly. Energy Department Secretary Hazel O'Leary is traveling to these countries and one of her biggest pushes is for renewable energy in these small remote areas that can't get electricity. Right now that's our largest market. If we don't win over the market, foreign competitors will.