“This place is one of the most exciting places… the people are passionate about
their work and they see where it’s really going to make a difference.
Now, all scientists are passionate about their work and so forth but here, it’s something
special because the people really believe that what they’re doing is going to change
the world.”
“NREL is first and foremost a scientific and technical organization…
we focus on renewable energy-related research and development.”
“Our work has always been focused on innovative, novel approaches to improve the efficiency
and lower the cost of converting solar radiation into either electricity or what we call solar
fuels.”
“We feel like we’re at the forefront of this field, really able to make advances both
in some practical aspects but also just in the fundamental science that I think other
people in the field really appreciate.”
“Deliberate science is the science we do at NREL where we focus outstanding science
on critical problems that are very important to solving our energy challenges in the future
for the United States and the world.”
"You have to look at the fundamental underpinnings of any technology to see how far you can stretch
things.”
“and then, you can figure out why and once you figure out why, you’re able to solve
the problem…”
“For me specifically, it’s not so much about building and characterizing the solar
cells themselves – but understanding how they work.
I think if you understand how they work, you have a much easier path toward making them
better.”
“I know we’re breaking new ground in everything that we do in that field and it actually translates
really well because we’ve made actual solar cells out of these materials.”
"Deliberate science is taking the knowledge and experience of our researchers and focusing
them on a particular challenge that’s important for our nation’s energy future, for economic
development or energy security.”
"This is the future seed-corn that we come up with new ideas, innovative ideas…”
“We like to think that in a sense everything we do is deliberate in that it’s intentional
and we do everything for a reason.”
“The important thing is we relate our deliberate science – our more fundamental, exploratory
science to the applied programs and work on the challenges that are necessary to take
the technologies forward and create total new technologies for the future.”
“Really the basic science shapes the way applied science works afterwards.
So, the information that we develop during our basic research can then be used during
the applied part of the research and then, that goes on to commercialization.”
“We always are grounded in that realization or that final intent of being able to link
this up to the real world.”
“I think almost everyone loves the fact that they get to both do wonderful basic science
that’s fundamental to the next generation of technologies and they get to be involved
in applying that science to the things that are going to be important in the nearer term
and that are so critical for the world’s future.”
“We publish in the most prestigious journals… we are creating new innovations, first of
a kind science and technology but what really sets NREL apart is our ability to take those
new discoveries and move them all the way to the marketplace by partnering with commercial
companies and doing that applied research.”
“As we look at the future, the world is going to need lots of new energy and I think
we want it to be clean energy… and so, I think the types of science we’re doing is
going to one, make it available and then also, bring the cost down to something that is compatible
with other energy sources so that people will make the choice to use clean energy.”
“I really like contributing to this and there’s the old expression, you stand on
the shoulders of giants… but I also like to become part of that foundation that we
can build on.”
“It really means that we contribute to the core of human knowledge and innovation throughout
the world…
not just in the United States.”