Feature stories from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). en-us http://www.nrel.gov/features/ Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST renewable energy solar wind biomass hydrogen geothermal That California and Texas still lead the United States in generating renewable energy probably is no surprise. But, NREL's 2009 State of the States report shows that several smaller states from Maine to Louisiana to Utah are closing the clean energy gap, confirming that every state has renewable energy potential. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091120_states.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091120_states.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Driving hydrogen fueled SUVs for 431 miles per fill-up is no longer a California dream. Researchers from NREL and Toyota recently completed a 331 mile round trip drive between Torrance and San Diego in two Toyota Highlander Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles. And, with the fuel remaining, those SUVs easily crossed the 400 mile mark. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091113_hydrogen.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091113_hydrogen.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Foam shipping materials made from fossil fuels do a righteous job of protecting your new flat screen TV, but are brutal on the environment. Two Generation-Y entrepreneurs won the 2009 NREL Clean Energy Growth Forum with an organic, low-carbon technology using mushroom fibers to protect your most precious stuff. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091106_igf.html Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091106_igf.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) The exterior skin of NREL's newest building will do more than keep the weather out. The concrete panels actually will be part of the Research Support Facilities' heating and cooling system. It's an old idea brought back to life in the name of energy efficiency. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091030_rsf.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091030_rsf.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Gusting Colorado winds recently helped usher in a new milestone for wind technology research and development. NREL and Siemens Power Generation "flipped the switch" starting the blades on a 2.3 megawatt wind turbine installed as part of a R&D agreement for testing turbine aerodynamics, structure and reliability. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091023_large_wind.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091023_large_wind.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Rain didn't ruin the 2009 Solar Decathlon in Washington, D.C. University teams successfully operated 20 net-zero, grid-connected solar power homes for a week on the National Mall. Some used more power-generating solar panels; others relied on energy efficiency strategies. The winner was clean energy. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091016_solar_decathlon.html Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091016_solar_decathlon.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) A new quick, easy to use and free software tool created by NREL developers seamlessly combines the building energy simulation of EnergyPlus with the popular drawing interface of Google's SketchUp, helping architects design healthier structures with fewer carbon emissions and lower utility bills. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091009_openstudio.html Fri, 9 Oct 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091009_openstudio.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) The U.S. electricity grid is strained to its limit, and the nation's windiest and sunniest places are rarely near cities that generate high demand. Finding ways to string new power lines across several states is a challenge for even the most creative regulators and energy analysts determined to increase America's use of renewable energy. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091002_transmission.html Fri, 2 Oct 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20091002_transmission.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Engineers design a new auto paint, a better solar device or a sturdier vinyl siding. But how can they know if the new products deserve a five-year, 10-year or 30-year warranty? Better a leap in technology than a leap of faith. Scientists at NREL have come up with a way, the Ultra-Accelerated Weathering System. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090925_weathering.html Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090925_weathering.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Going on a diet can be good for you. And maybe a gasoline "diet" of traditional fuel blended with increased levels of ethanol will be good for the environment and economy without hurting cars and small engines. Researchers are trying to find out because new ethanol blends could play a starring role in reducing petroleum use. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090918_ethanol.html Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090918_ethanol.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) An innovative microbattery based on a NREL team's inspired digression already is bringing home major awards. But those involved with the buried anode rechargeable battery's ongoing development say the technology's greatest promise is as a building block for big batteries powering vehicles and storing wind and solar power. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090911_microbattery.html Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090911_microbattery.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) NREL is no stranger to the spotlight when it comes to the discussion of renewable energy solutions for the country. And now alumni from NREL's Executive Energy Leadership program (Energy Execs) are finding their green energy projects in the national spotlight as they put what they learned into practice. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090904_energyexecs.html Fri, 4 Sep 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090904_energyexecs.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Generating 20 percent of the nation's electricity from clean wind resources will require more and bigger wind turbines. NREL is installing two large wind turbines at the National Wind Technology Center to examine some of the industry's largest machines and address issues to expand wind energy on a commercial scale. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090821_turbines.html Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090821_turbines.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) The new NREL-led Center for Inverse Design will combine quantum theory, computation and combinatorial synthesis to turn materials design on its head. The center's success could accelerate the pace of materials discovery and trigger leaps in performance and efficiency in everything from sensors to lasers to solar panels. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090814_zunger.html Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090814_zunger.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Rather than seeing summer as a welcome break from scholarship, some dedicated students embrace the season as a time of new discoveries and learning. Eighty students from across the country recently spent 10 weeks at NREL tackling real-world problems in an internship program that benefits the lab, the nation and the students. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090807_interns.html Fri, 7 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090807_interns.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) In a breakthrough development that recently netted a coveted R&D Magazine top 100 award, a small solar company has teamed with scientists at NREL to develop massive curved sheets of metal that have the potential to be 30 percent less expensive than today's best collectors of concentrated solar power. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090803_skytrough.html Mon, 3 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090803_skytrough.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Drivers of alternate fuel vehicles now can take a popular tool on the road. The Mobile Alternative Fueling Station Locator helps on-the-go drivers find the five closest biodiesel, electricity, E85 (ethanol), hydrogen, natural gas, and propane fueling sites using any mobile device with Internet access. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090724_locator.html Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090724_locator.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) NREL's efforts to create one the of the world's most energy efficient buildings is putting a twist on an old building standard. The vertical supporting columns which will carry the weight of floors and walls in the new Research Support Facilities is made from recycled natural gas pipe. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090717_rsf.html Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090717_rsf.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Thin film photovoltaics made with semiconducting inks promise to revolutionize the solar energy industry with flexible modules that can be integrated into roofs, windows and walls of any structure. NREL has a unique new processing platform that enables scientists and industry to collaborate on efficient ways to commercialize the process. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090710_pv.html Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090710_pv.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) In a step that is likely to make a loud noise in alternative energy, a pair of scientists at NREL has worked out a simpler, faster and far less costly way to measure manganese, the metal that helps green plants split water. The breakthrough could support the development of photosynthetic systems for producing biofuels. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090702_manganese.html Thu, 2 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090702_manganese.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Want a tough job? Try being a state legislator during a recession. Now add an energy crisis and climate change to the mix. Two dozen lawmakers from Washington state to Maryland visited NREL to learn about clean energy technologies and incentives as ways to retool their economies and protect the environment. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090626_ncls.html Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090626_ncls.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Partners from the private sector, the U.S. Department of Energy, and national labs including NREL are working together to drastically reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings. This week, NREL launched a new Web site dedicated to the collaborative research project dubbed "National Accounts." http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090619_buildings.html Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090619_buildings.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Feed-in tariffs have helped to transform cloudy Germany into the world leader of installed solar power and photovoltaic manufacturing. In a trio of reports, NREL energy analysts say similar incentives could stimulate renewable energy development on this side of the Atlantic, too. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090612_fits.html Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090612_fits.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) NREL recently hosted a very green graduation ceremony -- the Veterans Green Jobs Academy saw its first class of graduates eagerly accept their diplomas before heading off to jobs in the new energy economy. A partnership with NREL to create a National Training Demonstration Center in Energy Efficiency was announced at the event, too. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090605_vets.html Fri, 5 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090605_vets.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) There's a labyrinth in the basement of NREL's newest building. The maze wasn't designed to hem in a mythical beast or to confuse workers, but it is a trap -- one that will capture the heat of the day or the cool of the night, hold onto it and then slowly release the thermal energy to help warm or cool the building. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090529_rsf.html Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090529_rsf.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Bright skies and creative designs combined for blistering speeds at the 2009 Junior Solar Sprint and Hydrogen Fuel Cell car competitions. The NREL-hosted event attracted 78 teams from 29 Colorado middle schools. For the 19th year, student teams raced solar or hydrogen powered vehicles that they designed and built themselves. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090522_sprint_race.html Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090522_sprint_race.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Senior Scientist Huyen Dinh has been with NREL a relatively short time but is tackling big projects involving millions of research dollars, worldwide collaboration with colleagues, and has welcomed a new member to her family. Motivated by her past, she takes multitasking to a whole new level. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090515_dinh.html Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090515_dinh.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Two years after a tornado annihilated Greensburg, the Kansas farm town gives NREL the city's inaugural award for helping it realize its ambition to become America's model green community with wind power and efficient new buildings. "NREL has made our lives easier and better," said City Administrator Steve Hewitt. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090501_chu.html Fri, 8 May 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090508_greensburg.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu made his first visit to NREL as secretary an especially memorable one -- announcing $110 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate construction of the Laboratory's campus, dramatically expanding NREL's capacity for renewable energy research and partnerships while showcasing some of the world's most energy efficient buildings. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090501_chu.html Fri, 1 May 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090501_chu.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) NREL soon will be joining with Ford in a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to study and develop high-efficiency thermoelectric climate systems for cars. NREL, which has been working for years to understand how cooling techniques affect fuel use and comfort, has developed unique tools to help the research. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090424_cool_cars.html Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090424_cool_cars.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Wind turbines are designed to last 20 years. But gearboxes and other key components are wearing out sooner. Engineers at NREL's National Wind Technology Center are working with industry to discover why and retool the design process to improve reliability, reduce the cost and help the nation reach its clean energy potential. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090417_wind.html Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090417_wind.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) With a variety of green transportation options to chose from, fleet managers hoping to preserve the environment along with a bottom line can be excused for sometimes being confused. Through the Alternative Fuels Data Center, NREL helps fleet managers successfully support their company's sustainability goals with a variety of online tools. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090410_afdc.html Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090410_afdc.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) After languishing for more than a decade, NREL's algae program is revitalized and expanding, as hundreds of companies try to commercialize processes to turn algae into fuel. Now researchers are focusing on a better understanding of algae biology and trying to separate myths from reality surrounding this promising source of "green crude." http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090403_algae.html Fri, 3 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090403_algae.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Hawaii and Alaska have a few things in common: Their remote locations result in high energy prices, but they also have ample clean energy resources. And, NREL experts are working with government officials and utilities in both states to deploy renewable energy technologies and integrate these new systems into local grids. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090327_embedded.html Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090327_embedded.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) NREL's South Table Mountain campus teems with wildlife. Its dry landscape is home to more than 200 plant species. The site includes cultural gems that speak to the region's past. And, NREL is growing. But growth for the future won't mean changing the nature of the place or ignoring its history. NREL staff is keeping a watchful eye to ensure that construction has minimal impact on the environment. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090320_nature.html Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090320_nature.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) New administrative offices for the U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office and NREL will be in one of the world's most energy efficient buildings. Planners have set their sights on achieving a LEED Platinum rating; employees, however, are simply dubbing the building as the "office of the future." http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090313_office.html Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090313_office.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Sometimes the most efficient path to success is to find a partner to work with along the way. NREL uses CRADAs (Cooperative Research and Development Agreements) to help the best minds in industry and government team up to find solutions for alternative energy. A recent CRADA with DuPont sought solutions to make ethanol from corn stalks. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090306_crada.html Fri, 6 Mar 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090306_crada.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) New Orleans is going green as it rebuilds after Hurricane Katrina -- with a big assist from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. New homes and public buildings are being designed with energy efficient features to reduce energy use while remaining comfortable in a muggy climate. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090227_new_orleans.html Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090227_new_orleans.html public.affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Advanced hybrid-electric vehicles are poised to transform the auto market. But excess heat can sap hybrids' advantages. Researchers in NREL's Advanced Electronics Laboratory are exploring every layer of hybrid technology to reduce heat and dramatically improve performance and efficiency while reducing costs. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090220_hybrid.html Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090220_hybrid.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Colorado's governor recently honored NREL's Chuck Kutscher with the Governor's Excellence in Renewable Energy Award. Kutscher has dedicated 30 years to NREL, is a tireless advocate of renewable energy as a climate change solution, and is a writer, a teacher and a leader in the solar industry. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090213_kutscher.html Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090213_kutscher.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Science is fun! Just ask students across the country currently competing for a trip to the National Science Bowl. But there is a not-so-hidden agenda for Science Bowl sponsors: engage the next generation of scientists and engineers. "We truly enjoy science," one of the competitors says. "With science there are so many places you can go in life." http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090206_science_bowl.html Fri, 6 Feb 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090206_science_bowl.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) It's going to be a big summer at NREL's National Wind Technology Center. The national laboratory is installing two giant turbines from GE and Siemens for performance testing that will continue for years. The research aims to make turbines taller, larger, less expensive, more reliable and more efficient. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090130_wind.html Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090130_wind.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) David Hsu came to NREL to make a difference by helping reduce the nation's dependence on oil. In the current economy, NREL is unusual: the national laboratory is hiring new employees, expanding its campus and planning for more growth to meet the nation's energy challenges. That's why NREL needs energy innovators, such as biofuels analyst Hsu. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090123_energy_innovators.html Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090123_energy_innovators.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) In the current economy, NREL is unusual: we are hiring new employees, expanding our campus, and planning for continued growth. Driving this growth is the critical need to move technologies developed at NREL into the marketplace to meet the nation's energy and environmental challenges. To meet these challenges head on, NREL is hiring energy innovators. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090116_nrel_innovators.html Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090116_nrel_innovators.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) The SkyTrough parabolic dish at NREL's South Table Mountain test site uses a reflective laminate over lightweight sheet metal to focus the sun's energy. The technology now being scrutinized by NREL engineers could make concentrating the sun's heat to generate electricity more efficient and affordable. "It's unlike any parabolic trough design used so far," says senior engineer Keith Gawlik. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090109_mesa_solar.html Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090109_mesa_solar.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Most drivers don't have a clue about the percentage of free glycerin or Group I and II metals in the biodiesel they are pumping into their tanks, and they don't have to. New biodiesel standards developed with NREL's help should boost confidence in fuel quality and support from vehicle manufacturers. NREL research provided the technical basis for setting the new standards. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090105_astm.html Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20090105_astm.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) Whether you live in a mansion or a cottage, NREL's In My Backyard can show you which solar or wind system might be right for your home almost anywhere in the U.S. In My Backyard helps calculate solar or wind resources, the economics of renewable energy systems and answers other basic questions. Researchers now have made the online tool more informative and easier to use. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081219_imby.html Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081219_imby.html public_affairs@nrel.gov (NREL Public Affairs) NREL is collaborating with laboratories on three continents to advance renewable power and fuel technologies and expand clean energy industries worldwide. The partnerships will team scientists and analysts in photovoltaics, biofuels and concentrating solar power. Expanding the lab's international profile is vital if renewable energy technologies are to reach their potential. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081212_global.html Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081212_global.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas) For Sale: A new bungalow near the American River in historic Folsom, California. With NREL's help, the environmentally friendly design cuts utility bills and peak electric demand by 80 percent, yet blends into a turn-of-the-20th century streetscape. Green Builder Magazine named the bungalow Home of the Year. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081205_smud.html Fri, 5 Dec 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081205_smud.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas) Most kids want to visit Disney World. Not David Godfrey. The San Jose teenager wants to help others -- and the planet -- by spreading the use of renewable energy. With help from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the young scientist shared his innovative ideas at NREL and got the chance to shake a wind turbine blade, zip around in advanced vehicles and explore the molecular structure of biofuels organisms. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081126_godfrey_wish.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081126_godfrey_wish.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas) Sure, the desert is sunny. But when it comes to building a solar power plant costing hundreds of millions of dollars, finding absolutely the best sunlight can make the difference in making sufficient electrons -- and a profit. NREL and industry partners have launched a new solar instrument network in the Southwest that will measure the solar resource in unprecedented detail. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081121_solrmap.html Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081121_solrmap.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas) Participants in NREL's 21st Industry Growth Forum learned that despite current market conditions, the prospect of long-term national support for renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D and the recognition of how "green collar" jobs can drive economic recovery generate an enthusiasm for clean energy's prospects that most industries would envy. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081114_growth_forum.html Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081114_growth_forum.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas) Teenagers in Jerome, Idaho, will flip the switch on a small wind turbine on the lawn next to their middle school this week with help from NREL's Wind for Schools program. The turbine will make electricity, but more important it can spark the imagination and inspire students to pursue careers in renewable energy. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081107_energy_careers.html Fri, 7 Nov 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081107_energy_careers.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas) Air travelers landing in Denver soon can look out on a field of glittering solar panels as NREL helps launch America's largest shared commercial solar testing facility. Energy companies and scientists will use the site to test, validate and demonstrate technologies before commercial deployment. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081031_solartac.html Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081031_solartac.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas) NREL is switching to a sustainable, efficient source of heat using wood thinned from Colorado forests. A new boiler facility will heat laboratory buildings by burning wood chips from trees lost to pine beetles and could displace 80 percent of natural gas used to heat the campus, offsetting 4.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide a year. http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081024_rfhp.html Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.nrel.gov/features/20081024_rfhp.html george_douglas@nrel.gov (George Douglas)