The government fears these types of discussions. Your question has 2 parts First the technical (lightning as free energy) which I have no expertise but learn from other comments. Second is why we aren’t focusing which can be applied to a lot of questions.

For the second question it’s about “money” and research follows the money and that is why when the government is willfully or ignorantly blind they will put no money and therefore no interest into researching a topic. The flip side is a single minded pursuit of a solution like windmills or solar panels and batteries.