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Popular NREL Publications

The following documents are the 50 most popular downloaded publications from NREL in the last year.

  1. Consumer's Guide: Get Your Power from the Sun (Brochure)
    Understanding solar electric and photovoltaic (PV) systems, investing in a PV system, selecting a provider, and connecting to the grid.

  2. R.E.A.C.T.: Renewable Energy Activities — Choices for Tomorrow; Teacher's Activity Guide for Middle Level Grades 6-8
    An activity booklet for sixth through eighth graders developed by the Education Office at NREL covering energy topics such as wind power, hydropower, biomass, and solar energy.

  3. Elements of an Energy-Efficient House
    A fact sheet that explains the elements of an energy-efficient house.

  4. Borrower's Guide to Financing Solar Energy Systems: A Federal Overview, Second Edition (Booklet)
    A brochure on photovoltaic power systems and solar thermal systems, as well as available federal financing options.

  5. Junior Solar Sprint: An Introduction to Building a Model Solar Car (Revised)
    An introduction for middle school students on how to build a model solar car.

  6. Wind Energy Benefits
    A fact sheet detailing 10 wind energy benefits, including environmental impact, rural benefits, and increasing independence from volatile fossil fuel markets.

  7. Look Back at the U.S. Department of Energy's Aquatic Species Program: Biodiesel from Algae; Close-Out Report
    A comprehensive look at the Aquatic Species Program and the production of biodiesel from high lipid-content algae grown in ponds, using waste CO2 from coal-fired power plants.

  8. Lessons Learned from Existing Biomass Power Plants
    Summary information on 20 biomass power plants, which represent some of the leaders in the industry. In each category an effort is made to identify plants that illustrate particular points. The project experiences described capture some important lessons learned that lead in the direction of an improved biomass power industry.

  9. Axial Flux, Modular, Permanent-Magnet Generator with a Toroidal Winding for Wind Turbine Applications
    A report covering the test case of a prototype generator presented at an industry conference.

  10. International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol: Concepts and Options for Determining Energy and Water Savings, Volume I (Revised)
    This protocol serves as a framework to determine energy and water savings resulting from the implementation of an energy efficiency program. It is also intended to help monitor the performance of renewable energy systems and to enhance indoor environmental quality in buildings.


  1. Concentrating Solar Power: Energy from Mirrors

  2. PV FAQs: What Is the Energy Payback for PV?

  3. Biodiesel Production Technology: August 2002—January 2004

  4. Pitch-Controlled Variable-Speed Wind Turbine Generation

  5. Consumer's Guide: Heat Your Water with the Sun (Brochure)

  6. Energy Savings Modeling and Inspection Guidelines for Commercial Building Federal Tax Deductions, Second Edition

  7. Solar Water Heating

  8. Policymaker's Guide to Feed-in Tariff Policy Design

  9. Zero Energy Buildings: A Critical Look at the Definition; Preprint

  10. Fun with the Sun: Teacher's Activity Guide for Elementary Grades K-2

  11. Passive Solar Design for the Home

  12. Wind Energy Myths

  13. Role of Energy Storage with Renewable Electricity Generation

  14. National Solar Radiation Database 1991-2005 Update: User's Manual

  15. Renewable Energy Prices in State-Level Feed-in Tariffs: Federal Law Constraints and Possible Solutions

  16. Technical Support Document: Strategies for 50% Energy Savings in Large Office Buildings

  17. Conserving Energy and Heating Your Swimming Pool with Solar Energy

  18. PVWATTS Version 2 — Enhanced Spatial Resolution for Calculating Grid-Connected PV Performance: Preprint

  19. Consumptive Water Use for U.S. Power Production

  20. Solar Position Algorithm for Solar Radiation Applications (Revised)

  21. Users Manual for TMY3 Data Sets (Revised)

  22. Feed-in Tariff Policy: Design, Implementation, and RPS Policy Interactions

  23. Junior Solar Sprint: So...You Want to Build A Model Solar Car (Revised)

  24. Renewable Energy Policy in China: Overview; Renewable Energy in China

  25. Life Cycle Inventory of Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel for Use in an Urban Bus: Final Report

  26. Weatherize Your Home—Caulk and Weather Strip

  27. Careers in Renewable Energy

  28. Trombe Walls in Low-Energy Buildings: Practical Experiences; Preprint

  29. Life Cycle Assessment of a Natural Gas Combined Cycle Power Generation System

  30. Battery Power for Your Residential Solar Electric System: Better Buildings Series Solar Electric Fact Sheet

  31. Assessment of Offshore Wind Energy Resources for the United States

  32. Impact of Vehicle Air-Conditioning on Fuel Economy, Tailpipe Emissions, and Electric Vehicle Range: Preprint

  33. Small Hydropower Systems: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC) Fact Sheet

  34. Annual Report on U.S. Wind Power Installation, Cost, and Performance Trends: 2006

  35. Procedure for Measuring and Reporting Commercial Building Energy Performance

  36. Potential for Biofuels from Algae (Presentation)

  37. Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States: Executive Summary

  38. Large-Scale Offshore Wind Power in the United States: Assessment of Opportunities and Barriers

  39. Boiler Blowdown Heat Recovery Project Reduces Steam System Energy Losses at Augusta Newsprint

  40. Cogging Torque Reduction in a Permanent Magnet Wind Turbine Generator: Preprint