Resilient Energy Systems

NREL supports increased resilience and security in the energy sector and dependent systems through analysis, decision support, and advanced energy technology validation and market expertise.

Aerial view of a ground-mounted solar PV and battery system with power lines in the background.

Our Work

NREL offers a wide range of services, including whole-community strategic energy planning, on-site technical assistance, energy-efficiency design and rebuilding strategies, and expert guidance in building a road map to resilience for communities preparing for natural disasters and other potential threats. We draw on our extensive technology development and market expertise to analyze and promote resilience in energy systems and dependent services at the building, community, regional, and national levels. specialize in assisting remote communities in the United States and abroad with incorporating clean energy into disaster resiliency and recovery planning. Our capabilities include:

  • Energy planning decision support for increased resilience and security, including integration with other services (e.g., water, transport, emergency response)

  • Analysis, integration and application of microgrids

  • Business model and valuation analysis for resilience

  • Photovoltaic plus storage analysis and application

  • Energy and water systems analysis and technology development
  • Energy strategies for climate change mitigation and adaption.

NREL's Disaster Resilience and Recovery Projects

Greensburg, Kansas

New Jersey and New York

New Orleans, Louisiana

Disaster Resilience and Recovery

We work directly with federal agencies, emergency managers, community leaders, and home and business owners to deliver technologies, tools, and long-term energy solutions for each phase of disaster resilience planning and recovery. Our technical assistance focuses on comprehensive energy solutions that address the full spectrum of multijurisdictional resilience planning—before and after disaster strikes.

Preparedness and Planning

We help private industry; federal, state, and local governments; tribes; nonprofit organizations; and communities assess and plan for regionally specific vulnerabilities and interdependencies associated with the impacts of potential threats, providing reliable, third-party expertise on how to:

  • Improve resistance and resiliency (microgrids, building efficiency, islanding capabilities, etc.)
  • Plan for secure, sustainable, and safe communities
  • Establish policies and codes that support sustainability, security, and safety.

Recovery and Rebuilding

We work with community leaders, business owners, and residents to identify ways to incorporate energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in communities recovering from natural disasters, identifying opportunities to:

  • Deploy on-site technology demonstrations (e.g., emergency back-up power)
  • Incorporate energy efficiency, sustainability, and renewable energy measures into disaster recovery efforts
  • Design sustainable, resilient buildings.

Microgrids and Resilience

We help partners determine the value of resilience and develop pathways to cost-effectively develop advanced, resilient microgrid systems. To quantify the energy resilience of renewable energy and storage for microgrids, we use Renewable Energy Integration & Optimization (REopt™) model. Learn more about REopt and the REopt Lite web tool.

Our Partnerships

NREL Partnership Develops Off-Grid Energy Access through Quality Assurance Framework for Mini-Grids

NREL has teamed with the Global Lighting and Energy Access Partnership and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Power Africa to develop a Quality Assurance Framework for isolated mini-grids.

NREL Enhances Energy Resiliency at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

NREL has partnered with the Marine Corps on a single-building microgrid demonstration project and a larger, installation-wide microgrid. 

Publications

Quantifying and Monetizing Renewable Energy Resiliency

Valuing the Resilience Provided by Solar and Battery Energy Storage Systems

Microgrid-Ready Solar PV - Planning for Resiliency

Resilient Renewable Energy Microgrids

Increasing Resiliency Through Renewable Energy Microgrids

Becoming Resilient: Disaster Planning and Recovery

We can help ensure the resiliency of your organization's energy systems.

Work With Us


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