News and Feature Stories
The following news stories take an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how NREL is advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
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February 2024
Feb. 26, 2024
NREL Requests Proposals From US Manufacturers of Small and Medium Wind Turbine Technology
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has issued a request for proposals under the Competitiveness Improvement Project to support commercialization and market expansion of small and medium wind turbine technology.
Feb. 26, 2024
NREL Research Maps Path to Clean Skies and Better Health
A noticeable change filled the air this summer—an actual change in air quality. Wildfires in Canada produced smoke-filled skies and wood-burnt, chemically scented air.
Feb. 21, 2024
Q&A With Kerry Rippy: Why You Should Be Optimistic About Industrial Carbon Emissions
In NREL's latest Manufacturing Masterminds Q&A, Kerry Rippy explains why she chose chemistry over literature, why carbon capture cannot be our only decarbonization solution, and how the mining industry could reduce emissions with the rocks it already digs up.
Feb. 21, 2024
News Release: NREL-Led Workshop Points to Path for Clean Energy Future
Participants in a workshop organized by NREL agree on the importance of mitigating degradation rates for the continuing rollout of clean technologies.
Feb. 20, 2024
Clean Bus Planning Awards Support Fleet Electrification With Custom Transition Plans
Transit and school bus fleets across the nation are working hard to incorporate clean transportation solutions that help communities meet decarbonization goals and improve local health outcomes.
Feb. 20, 2024
IN² Demonstration: Electrification—One Building at a Time
Through its IN2 demonstration, NREL is helping BlocPower assess how its technical capabilities can perform in the field.
Feb. 20, 2024
News Release: 40 Presenters for 2024 NREL Industry Growth Forum Aim To Break Ground in Cleantech
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory announced the list of 40 presenters for the 2024 NREL Industry Growth Forum today.
Feb. 19, 2024
Behind the Blades: How Angel McCoy's Background in Meteorology Propels Offshore Wind Forward
Angel McCoy started her career as a meteorologist, which put her on the path that led to her current role at NREL supporting the regulatory process for offshore wind energy in the United States.
Feb. 19, 2024
Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework Tool Shines in Solar Cybersecurity Assessment
The Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework (DER-CF) emerges as a crucial tool in assessing and fortifying solar cybersecurity, offering a comprehensive platform for self-assessment and addressing vulnerabilities in behind-the-meter DER systems, with ongoing enhancements promising a more secure energy future.
Feb. 15, 2024
2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition Winners Innovate To Meet Community Energy Needs
The winners of the U.S. Department of Energy 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition rose to the top by innovating to meet community energy needs through clean, renewable geothermal heating and cooling.
Feb. 13, 2024
NREL Collaborates on $15 Million Multilaboratory Efforts To Advance Commercialization of Carbon Dioxide Removal
DOE tapped NREL to support a new $15 million research effort to improve the measurement, reporting, and verification of carbon dioxide removal technologies, an industry with the potential to help mitigate climate change by addressing existing carbon emissions and removing them from the atmosphere.
Feb. 13, 2024
Unleashing the Power: BatMan Project Revolutionizes Battery Manufacturing
A recent battery manufacturing project—affectionately coined BatMan—has developed a novel laser patterning process to alter the microstructure of battery electrode materials.
Feb. 12, 2024
News Release: Benefits of Heat Pumps Detailed in New NREL Report
Millions of U.S. households would benefit from heat pumps, but the cost of installing the technology needs to come down to make their use a more attractive proposition, according to researchers at NREL.
Feb. 12, 2024
Making Solar Work for Everybody—How NREL Helps Envision a More Just Energy System
Solar energy can provide opportunities for renters to develop equity through community solar projects or create avenues for workforce development, lower utility bills, and increased energy resilience.
Feb. 9, 2024
New Webinar Series Will Showcase Real-World Projects Powered By NREL's Grid Planning and Analysis Tools
The new Powered By webinar series hosted by NREL's Grid Planning and Analysis Center (GPAC) can be your new go-to resource.
Feb. 8, 2024
NREL and Partners Receive Funding To Decipher Microbial Behavior in Bioreactors at Scale
A research team led by NREL recently received funding for their project that will study and model the behavior of microbes in bioreactors and reasons for potential failures at industrial scale.
Feb. 5, 2024
Martin Keller Named Lab Director of the Year by Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer
The Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for Technology Transfer recently awarded NREL Director Martin Keller its 2024 Laboratory Director of the Year Award.
Feb. 5, 2024
IN² Demonstration: Startup Transforms Transformers for Electric Vehicle Charging Efficiency
For its demonstration with IN², CorePower is partnering with Eaton, a power management company, to test a transformer designed for an electric vehicle charging application, especially mass EV charging for things like vehicle fleets.
Feb. 1, 2024
Can Ocean Energy Power Carbon Removal?
In a new study, NREL researchers analyzed the benefits and drawbacks of promising marine carbon management techniques.
Feb. 1, 2024
15 Finalist Teams Announced for AlgaePrize 2023–2025 Competition
This year's AlgaePrize finalist teams include students from high schools, community colleges, and universities from 11 states across the United States and Puerto Rico.
January 2024
Jan. 30, 2024
Announcing the Teams Racing to the Finish in the Solar District Cup
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition announced today that 60 teams from 53 schools are advancing as finalists in the Class of 2023–2024, including 17 teams from 17 schools that joined the competition for the one-semester division since December.
Jan. 29, 2024
Shashank Yellapantula Receives American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Fellow Designation
Shashank Yellapantula, senior staff scientist in NREL's Computational Science Center, was recognized as a 2024 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Associate Fellow.
Jan. 29, 2024
On the Ground in Colorado, NREL Is Simulating Sustainable Aviation Fuel Combustion During Flight
A cross-disciplinary research team is gathering meticulous fuel chemistry data to equip the aviation industry with an ultra-detailed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) combustion simulation. Powered by supercomputers, the "virtual jet engine" can predict how SAF performs during flight and provide insights on how to tune it to maximize its safety and performance.
Jan. 26, 2024
New Analysis Highlights Geothermal Heat Pumps as Key Opportunity in Switch to Clean Energy
A new analysis from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and NREL found that installing geothermal heat pumps in around 70% of U.S. buildings could save as much as 593 terawatt-hours of electricity generation annually.
Jan. 26, 2024
Top 10 Things To Know About Power Grid Reliability
In the latest installment of the Tell Me Something Grid series, NREL's Paul Denholm shares what you need to know about the reliability of the U.S. power grid and why renewable energy can keep the lights on.
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