Do the current problems provide a “marketable” moment?
This is a marvelous and critical juncture. The public conversation has changed a great deal recently. It’s become more bipartisan. Renewable energy, rather than being what I would call a “religion,” is being seen as a business opportunity. A lot of people at NREL fervently believe in renewable energy. But, in fact, it will never win the day unless markets are developed. And that gets right to business. Q: Today, Japan leads the world in solar sales and Germany leads in wind. Both are multibillion-dollar industries growing at more than 20% annually. What role did NREL budget cuts during the 1980s play in terms of slowing the development of these industries in the U.S.? A: I think we missed an opportunity to reap the benefits of stable support for new technology. As you mentioned, for example, photovoltaics is one of the fastest-growing industries. I wouldn’t say an opportunity was lost. But there was an opportunity to steadily fund this technology for the last couple of decades, and tha
