News Archives - 2008

November 13, 2008

NREL and Private Industry Begin Nationwide Solar Measuring Network

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and IBERDROLA RENEWABLES have jointly deployed the first of several solar resource measuring stations as part of a planned instrumentation network throughout the United States.

September 19, 2008

DOE to Invest $35 Million in Concentrating Solar Power Projects

The U.S. Department of Energy selected 15 new projects to facilitate developing lower-cost energy storage for concentrating solar power technology.

June 13, 2008

Wind-Tunnel Tests Assist in Structural Design of Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently released the results of extensive wind-tunnel tests on parabolic trough solar collectors. These tests and their analysis determined practical wind loads applicable to the structural design for stress and deformation.

May 29, 2008

BLM Initiates Environmental Analysis of Solar Energy Development

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has initiated a joint programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) with the Department of Energy to assess the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with solar energy development on BLM-managed public land in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

May 28, 2008

DOE and Governors to Cooperate on Western Renewable Energy Projects

The Western Governors' Association and the U.S. Department of Energy announced an agreement aimed at accelerating the development and delivery of renewable energy in the West.

May 14, 2008

JEDI Model Now Includes Concentrating Solar Power

The Job and Economic Development Impact, or JEDI, models are easy-to-use models that analyze the economic impacts of constructing and operating power generation plants at the local and state level. First developed to model wind energy development impacts, JEDI has expanded. We now offer models to analyze the job and economic impacts of biofuels and concentrating solar power plants.

May 1, 2008

NREL Releases Updated Typical Meteorological Year Data Set

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today released an updated typical meteorological year (TMY) data set derived from the 1991-2005 National Solar Radiation Data Base update. The TMY3 data and user's manual are available at http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/1991-2005/tmy3.

April 30, 2008

DOE to Invest up to $60 Million for Advanced CSP

DOE announced a funding opportunity for up to $60 million over 5 years to support the development of low-cost concentrating solar power (CSP) technology. The funding includes $10 million in FY 2008 appropriations and $10 million in the FY 2009 budget request. Specifically, the funding is available for projects from industry and academia that develop advanced thermal storage concepts and heat transfer fluids to further increase the efficiency of CSP power plants.

March 19, 2008

NREL's Mark Mehos Discusses CSP Technology in National Public Radio Interview

Mark Mehos, manager of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) program, discussed the potential of CSP as one of the guests on National Public Radio's "Science Friday" on March 14. Other guests interviewed by Ira Flatow, the show's host, included Frederick Morse, senior advisor for the United States for Abengoa Solar, and David Mills, chairman, founder, and chief research officer of Ausra Incorporated. The interview can be heard in its entirety on NPR's Web site at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88239836&sc=emaf.

February 25, 2008

Abengoa Solar and Arizona Public Service Planning 280 MW Facility in Arizona

Abengoa Solar signed a contract with Arizona Public Service Co. to build, own, and operate the Solana Generating Station--a 280-MW concentrating solar power plant near Gila Bend, Arizona, to be operational by 2011.

January 8, 2008

NREL Solicits Commercial Partner to Assist in Developing Advanced Selective Absorber Coatings for Use in Concentrating Solar Power Systems

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is looking for a commercial partner to assist in developing its heat-collection element for parabolic trough systems, with the goal of establishing a commercial product. Interested parties should contact NREL by January 31, 2008.