The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has recently appointed two new members to its independent panel of advisers.Named to the NREL National Advisory Council were Dr. James Sweeney, professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, and Bill Baxter, director of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

GOLDEN, COLO., APRIL 24, 2003 - The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has recently appointed two new members to its independent panel of advisers.Named to the NREL National Advisory Council were Dr. James Sweeney, professor of Management Science and Engineering at Stanford University, and Bill Baxter, director of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

"NREL is delighted to have these distinguished experts join us as advisers," said NREL Director Richard Truly. "Their invaluable expertise will help ensure our laboratory continues to contribute the solutions needed to meet our nation's energy future."

Before coming to TVA, a federal agency that provides electric power across a seven-state region, Baxter was chairman and CEO of Holston Gases, Inc., and commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

Sweeney is recognized as an authority on economic analysis and policy, particularly in energy and environmental matters. He is a senior fellow at both the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace and a founding member of the International Association for Energy Economics.

The NREL National Advisory Council provides external counsel to the Lab's director on prospective and ongoing research endeavors, business and operational issues and other initiatives. The council also monitors broader trends and anticipates changes that could affect NREL's mission. There are 21 members of the council, drawn from academia, industry and other stakeholder groups.

NREL is managed by Midwest Research Institute, Battelle and Bechtel. The lab is a leading center for research into photovoltaics, wind energy, plant- and waste-derived fuels, power and chemicals, energy-efficient buildings, advanced vehicle design, alternative fuels use and renewable hydrogen production, storage and utilization.