Grid Modernization News

Feb 27, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

NREL has named Amanda Kolker as the laboratory program manager for geothermal energy.

Feb 23, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

When it comes to concentrating solar power (CSP) research, Mark Mehos has seen the industry growth and solar boom firsthand. CSP technologies—capturing sunlight to produce heat that drives thermoelectric generation systems—had their beginnings in the mid-1980s, at the dawn of his 35-year career at NREL.

Feb 23, 2022, 17:00 by Anya Breitenbach

When Americans turn on a faucet, they rely on public treatment systems to ensure the water is safe to drink. Recently, Mars Materials was granted an option for an exclusive license to use NREL's renewable acrylonitrile technology in producing polyacrylamide flocculants for commercial use in water treatment systems.

Feb 22, 2022, 17:00 by Erik F. Ringle

Petroleum, coal, and natural gas are not the only starting points for making fuels and chemicals. In fact, growing supplies of renewable electricity open exciting new doors for making identical products at potentially a fraction of the climate cost.

Feb 17, 2022, 17:00 by Caitlin McDermott-Murphy

Three NREL teams win prestigious REMADE awards to remake recycling, improve manufacturing, and build a circular economy.

Feb 16, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

The transportation industry is on the cusp of rapid evolution, with vehicle electrification, automation, and ride sharing transforming the age-old paradigm of privately owned and operated gasoline vehicles.

Feb 15, 2022, 17:00 by Erik F. Ringle

Like traffic signals controlling cars through the center of town, microorganisms use metabolic signals to control the flow of energy and nutrients.

Feb 15, 2022, 17:00 by Jeffrey Wolf

A new report from Blokable, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) details actionable pathways to developing and building net zero energy (NZE) housing without increasing costs yet still reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. IN2 is managed by NREL's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center.

Feb 15, 2022, 17:00 by Lindsey McGuirk

The Indian Health Service (IHS) serves 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives annually on a mission to raise physical, mental, and spiritual health. One of the biggest hurdles is staffing.

Feb 14, 2022, 17:00 by Caitlin McDermott-Murphy

Why aren't waves powering your home right now? The ocean is an inhospitable place for technology. Now, a new cost-effective, resilient wave energy design adapts to changing seas and could help power up the wave energy industry.

Feb 13, 2022, 17:00 by Rebecca Martineau

As the predominant choice for high-powered personal electronics, electric vehicles, and grid-scale storage solutions, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries continue to dominate the marketplace. To meet clean energy goals of the future, researchers must develop safe and sustainable recycling processes for these batteries.

Feb 9, 2022, 17:00 by Alison Reidmohr

We can currently link models and simulations across the national laboratory complex, but imagine connecting these models with equipment, devices, and scientists so they can work together as if side by side instead of thousands of miles apart.

Feb 8, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

Concentrating solar power (CSP) has long held promise as a renewable energy technology. CSP uses mirrors, or heliostats, to harness the power of the sun by heating and storing an inexpensive medium such as sand, rocks, or molten salt for on-demand energy dispatch.

Feb 7, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

On Jan. 11, 2022, U.S. senators and hydropower experts referenced NREL's hydropower research to argue for an expansion of the U.S. hydropower industry.

Feb 2, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

Winning thousands in cash prizes is just one of the many benefits that comes with being a finalist in an American-Made Challenges (AMC) Prize competition.

Feb 1, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

Planning for an unexpected event is a significant challenge, but it is one that NREL's researchers in the Resilient Systems Design and Engineering Group within the Energy Security and Resilience Center are working to address. NREL researcher Jordan Cox describes NREL's innovative approach to analyzing system vulnerabilities, measuring risk, and keeping communities safe.

Feb 1, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

REopt, a free, techno-economic decision support model, helps users optimize energy systems for buildings, campuses, communities, and microgrids. Once called REopt Lite, the REopt tool is dropping the "Lite" in 2022 to better reflect its true status as a heavy-hitting and comprehensive optimization tool.

Jan 31, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

A pilot study demonstrates SolarAPP+ ability to expedite solar installs.

Jan 30, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

Math, mentors, and Mother Nature all had a hand in leading Craig Turchi toward his new role as the manager of NREL's Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Program.

Jan 26, 2022, 17:00 by User Not Found

Ten times stronger than steel, nearly half the weight of aluminum, far stiffer than fiberglass—carbon fiber carries a package of advantages, making it a preferred material for use in luxury sedans and Formula One racecars alike.