Dan Arvizu
At NREL, the Keynote is Innovation
February / March 2008
Volume 6 Number 1
Unprecedented is a word we keep hearing at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory During the past 12 months, we've seen nothing less than historic progress. Most notably, Congress demonstrated its resolve to keep renewable energy research moving forward by providing major funding increases in 2007 to the Department of Energy's energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. This enables our three-decade-old laboratory to realize its long-held vision of transforming the NREL campus into not only the leading efficiency and renewables research center in the world, but also a sustainable energy showcase. Our new facilities, growing staff, and forward-thinking programs will help develop market-relevant energy technologies, pushing toward a clean energy future.
At NREL, we are keenly aware that energy innovation means little if the new technologies never reach the marketplace. It's crucial, therefore, to ensure that the knowledge, practices, and tools needed for commercialization get into the hands of investors, entrepreneurs and industry partners.
Expanding Commercialization Opportunities
While many clean energy technologies were still in their infancy, NREL started laying the groundwork for what would one day become a robust industry. We've watched the market expand while coordinating our Industry Growth Forum—€”the premier forum on clean energy investment. The 20th NREL Industry Growth Forum in November 2007 hosted more than 430 participants, including investors and startups representing renewable technologies from photovoltaics (PV) and wind to biofuels and geothermal. The forum helped participants develop a better understanding of the expanding energy market and what clean energy businesses must do to succeed.
With DOE funding, we've recently started a new commercialization pilot program that supports the collaboration between our researchers and companies to develop commercial products based on NREL innovations. The program addresses the commercialization "valley of death" that sometimes exists between lab-developed technologies and products in the private sector. We expect that it will increase the market impact of NREL technologies. DOE is also piloting a program that provides an opportunity for a venture capitalist to establish an entrepreneur in residence at NREL. The entrepreneur in residence will work alongside our researchers to identify promising clean energy.
No Growing Pains
To meet the nation's crucial research objectives for clean energy technologies, NREL is designing and building new facilities on its campus. A $101 million increase to NREL's budget, part of the 2007 appropriation, has made it possible for NREL to move forward with these construction projects. These facilities will support President Bush's renewable energy initiatives in solar, biofuels and other renewable energy technology development, as well as DOE Secretary Samuel Bodman's Transformational Energy Action Management Initiative, an effort to maximize energy efficiency and renewable energy generation throughout the DOE complex.
The first on the construction list is the new Research Support Facility. This office complex promises to be one of the greenest buildings ever developed. It will be built in accordance with the U.S. Green Buildings Council's standards and is expected to achieve its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum rating—€”the highest designation. Through the use of energy-efficient features like advanced daylighting, super insulation, low-emissivity windows and other innovative technologies, the facility will have lower operating costs and little to no carbon footprint.
The next facility scheduled for construction is the Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility. This will expand NREL's biomass-to-ethanol research capabilities by allowing the laboratory to work simultaneously on multiple projects with multiple partners. It will also significantly enhance NREL's ability to meet aggressive new national targets for developing renewable fuel technologies.
As we grow, we have publicly committed to reducing our greenhouse emissions by 75 percent from 2005 to 2009. We achieved "carbon neutrality" in all of our operations for the second consecutive year. Further, NREL plans to operate its facilities using more green power in the near future. To develop its own power, the lab is constructing a Renewable Fuels Heating Plant (RFHP) and a Mesa Top PV Array.
The RFHP, using biomass such as wood chips from forest thinnings along Colorado's Front Range, is expected to reduce NREL's use of natural gas by up to 75 percent. DOE, on behalf of NREL, has set up an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with a third party provider, Ameresco Energy Services Company. Under the ESPC, Ameresco will pay for the construction; then, NREL will repay the company with its energy cost savings.
The Mesa Top PV Array will produce 1200 megawatt hours of electricity for solar energy annually to power NREL facilities. The installation could provide as much as 7 percent of the electricity NREL uses. The PV project is made possible through a Solar Power and Services Agreement between SunEdison and the Western Area Power Administration. SunEdison will finance, build, own, and maintain the system. The agreement provides solar energy services to DOE for use at NREL.
Perhaps in one of the most exciting of the new year's developments is the 2008 fiscal year budget. Congress approved and provided the initial installment for a new $93 million Energy Systems Integration Facility. This facility will serve the marketplace by engaging major industry players in a collaborative partnership to accelerate the widespread use of renewable technologies onto the U.S. power grid.
Developing Tomorrow's Energy Leaders Today
In 2007, we inaugurated an NREL Executive Energy Leadership Program for a group of selected regional business and government leaders. The six-month program offered in-depth, day-long sessions on renewable energy technologies, policies, and markets to help participants develop new energy initiatives for their organizations.
Two company participants—€”both major commercial developers/builders—€”have embarked on embedding renewable energy technologies in their respective business models. One has focused on counseling clients about how to become green. And the other has gained city funding to support his organization's goal to become a net zero energy facility.
Ultimately, we believe this program could result in future partnerships and favorable policies for renewable energy integration into everyday life.
As we've learned at NREL, it's important for federal laboratories and industry to work closely together on moving clean energy technologies along the pathway from innovation to commercialization. This will not only help boost investment and expand the marketplace for these technologies, but also addresses our nation's energy and environmental goals—€”the greening of America.
Dan Arvizu, Ph.D., is the director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo.
Copyright © 2012 | Innovation America