The constant hope here is that, someday, we'll get several years of relatively consistent investment in the laboratory so we can really get on track with accelerating the introduction of these technologies in the marketplace.

It's going to be a difficult year for NREL. We're going to do everything we can to maintain our mission goals, but the fact that we have to let go some of our top people here clearly will have an impact on our ability to fulfill some of the goals that we've set.

President Bush's proposed budget will not have an impact this year. The current situation is we still have to lay off between 30 to 40 employees. But we are encouraged by the areas that were covered by the president.

The effect of course is not only in losing some good people, but also in what it says to our key scientists and researchers who remain.

The president has certainly given us new hope.

The president's visit sends a powerful message to the lab that its work on these technologies is a very important component of the administration's energy research and development policy.