Global Partner Programs

NREL plays a leading role in supporting several multilateral initiatives and partnerships designed to advance the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency in ways that increase economic and sustainable development and energy resilience and security.

NREL conducts its international programs in support of many U.S. agencies, companies, and international sponsors.

U.S. International Programs

Net Zero World Initiative

The U.S. government partners with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories (led by NREL), industry, think tanks, universities, and philanthropies around the world to accelerate global energy system decarbonization by assisting countries in creating and implementing highly tailored, actionable technical and investment plans that put net zero within reach. Learn more about the Net Zero World Initiative.

U.S. Department of Energy Programs

NREL partners with various DOE programs and the Office of International Affairs to support cooperation with international partners to accelerate progress toward DOE science and technology and energy market goals.

USAID-NREL Partnership

NREL partners with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable power in the developing world. Learn more about the USAID-NREL Partnership.

Collaboration with State Department and Other U.S. Agencies

U.S. partners include the Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce; Environmental Protection Agency; Trade and Development Agency; Millennium Challenge Corporation; and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, among others.

Clean Energy Ministerial Programs

NREL supports the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), a high-level global forum to promote policies and programs that advance clean energy technology, to share lessons learned and best practices, and to encourage the transition to a global clean energy economy.

Clean Energy Solutions Center

The Clean Energy Solutions Center helps governments design and adopt policies and programs that support the deployment of clean energy technologies. The Solutions Center and its expansion site, the Clean Energy Finance Solutions Center, offer no-cost expert policy and finance technical assistance; web-based trainings; and clean energy policy and finance reports, data, and tools. The Solutions Center is co-led and co-funded by DOE through support from the U.S. Department of State, the Australian Department of Environment and Energy, and Swedish Ministry of Environment and Energy.

21st Century Power Partnership

NREL coordinates development of the 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP), which aims to enable power system transformation through peer learning and collaboration across regulators, grid operators, and others on policies and programs that advance use of smart grid solutions and clean energy technologies. A multilateral effort of CEM, 21CPP provides a platform for public-private collaboration to advance integrated policy, regulatory, financial, and technical solutions for the large-scale deployment of renewable energy in combination with deep energy efficiency and smart grid solutions. 21CPP is engaged in deep technical collaboration with Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa to support power system transformation.

International Smart Grid Action Network

NREL provides technical and policy advisory support for the International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN), an International Energy Agency (IEA) implementing agreement with representation from more than 20 major economies around the world. NREL coordinates international smart grid knowledge management activities, such as the ISGAN smart grid glossary, and is leading development of periodic policy briefs on topics such as smart grid cybersecurity and smart grid contributions to renewable energy integration.

Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) have the potential to mitigate emissions from industrial processes and power production. As part of a CEM initiative, NREL supports analysis and communication of enabling policies, financing, feasibility, and economies of scale of CCUS technologies and their integration as part of a portfolio of clean energy solutions. Learn about the CCUS Initiative.

Nuclear Innovation: Clean Energy Future

Coordination between advanced nuclear energy and renewable energy could result in flexible provision of electricity and thermal process heat. As part of the Nuclear Innovation: Clean Energy Future Initiative, NREL collaborates with Idaho National Laboratory and others to consider the integration and application of flexible nuclear, small modular reactors, and coordinated operations with renewable energy technologies.

International Energy Collaborative Programs

International partners include research institutes around the world, along with United Nations agencies; the World Bank and regional development bank; various foundations; the governments of Australia, Canada, Mexico, Sweden, Denmark, and other governments; the European Commission; the Global Green Growth Institute; International Renewable Energy Agency; International Energy Agency; Sustainable Energy for All; Renewable Energy Network for the 21st Century; Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership; International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation; World Resources Institute; and many others.

Caribbean and Pacific Islands

With support from the State Department, NREL is providing technical assistance to island nations in strengthening their electricity grids and scaling up renewable energy deployment. This includes helping Barbuda, Dominica, and other Caribbean islands with rebuilding their electricity grids and renewable energy generation.

The Global Power System Transformation Consortium

NREL currently manages the secretariat responsibilities for the Global Power System Transformation (G-PST) Consortium. The G-PST Consortium brings together key actors from around the world to foment a rapid clean energy transition by providing coordinated and holistic support and knowledge infusion to power system operators across five pillars of focus: system operator research, system operator technical support, workforce development, technology adoption, and open-source data and tools. To learn more, visit the G-PST Consortium website.

International Energy Agency

NREL provides technical support for IEA Technology Collaboration Programs in the areas of biomass, buildings, solar, wind, hydrogen, and smart grids, and provides cross-cutting analysis and policy support for IEA assessment and country programs. We have also collaborated with the IEA Gas & Oil Technology Collaboration Programme to organize events on the nexus of renewable energy and oil & gas industries.

International Renewable Energy Agency

NREL collaborates with the International Renewable Energy Agency on several tasks, including studies of renewable energy costs, technology innovation, a global solar and wind resource atlas, support for renewable energy strategies for Pacific Islands, and renewable energy training and policy advice.

North American Renewable Energy Integration Study

NREL is supporting collaborative work across the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States to conduct a joint assessment of opportunities for scaling up and optimizing renewable energy generation together with other solutions and integration into the electricity grids across the three countries.

South Asia Regional Grid Integration

With support from the State Department, NREL is conducting a regional grid integration study for South Asian countries.

United Nations Environment

NREL partners with United Nations Environment to assist countries in evaluation of energy technology options and policies in support of the Climate Technology Center and Network and other United Nations Environment programs.

World Bank

NREL teams with the World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Program to improve global renewable energy resource data sets and analysis tools, and to provide technical and analytic support to advance renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions in developing countries.

Leadership Compact

NREL coordinates assistance to 12 countries under the Leadership Compact, a U.S. government program supporting developing countries' efforts to pursue long-term, climate-resilient economic growth while slowing the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. The Leadership Compact supports and enhances country-led development programs, plans, and policies, and complements efforts of other international donors and organizations to support low emission development strategies. Technical support is provided to Benin, Colombia, Ghana, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Sierra Leone, and Vietnam.

Low Emission Development Strategies Global Partnership

NREL supports several multilateral initiatives designed to increase use of clean energy to support economic development and address global challenges such as climate change and energy security. NREL has served as the Secretariat for Low Emission Developed Strategies Global Partnership, a multisponsor program, and Technical Secretariat for Enhancing Capacity for Low Emission Development Strategies, a U.S. government program to support developing countries' efforts to pursue long-term, climate-resilient economic growth while slowing the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. For more information on specific examples of technical assistance provided by NREL, see country projects.