April 2024
Department of Energy Announces Solar District Cup Class of 2023–2024 Winners
On Monday, April 29, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the division winners and Project Pitch Champion in the Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition's Class of 2023-2024. In the five years of this competition, this was the largest ever class of competing teams.
A Look at the Future of Transmission: Getting Clean Electrons to Where They Need To Be
The latest Tell Me Something Grid article features Jarrad Wright and his analysis of transmission expansion needs and trade-offs in a low-carbon future.
JISEA Launches Sustainable Agriculture Catalyzer To Examine Cobenefits of Decarbonization
The Sustainable Agriculture Catalyzer is collaborating with farmers to better understand the benefits and tradeoffs of decarbonization strategies beyond emissions reduction.
2024 JISEA Annual Meeting Convenes Clean Energy Voices To Address Emerging Challenges
Tackling clean energy challenges means bringing different voices to the table, and that is exactly what happened at the 2024 JISEA Annual Meeting (JAM24).
News Release: NREL Proof of Concept Shows Path to Easier Recycling of Solar Modules
The use of femtosecond lasers to form glass-to-glass welds for solar modules would make the panels easier to recycle, according to a proof-of-concept study conducted by researchers at NREL.
NREL Keeps Getting Greener
Three NREL labs were awarded green certifications by My Green Lab late last year.
NREL Researchers Outline Path Forward for Tandem Solar Cells
Researchers at NREL have prepared a roadmap on how to move tandem solar cells—particularly those that mesh different photovoltaic technologies—closer to commercialization.
IN² at 10 Years: How It Started, How It's Going, What's Next, and Beyond
For its 10th anniversary, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN²) is expanding in a major way.
With Great Power Comes Great Possibility
Three teams are building better conductor systems—or even superconductors—to supercharge transmission lines, wind turbines, MRI machines, electric motors, airplanes, and more.
Behind the Blades: How Cris Hein Helps Bats and Wind Turbines Share the Sky
Armed with a Ph.D. in bat studies, NREL's lead environmental scientist Cris Hein helps bats—and other wildlife—share the skies with wind turbines.
Short-Circuiting on Purpose: How NREL-Licensed Tech Continues To Make a Difference in Space
NASA and NREL created a device that causes an internal short circuit inside the layers of a battery cell, providing information that allows NASA to meet its stringent battery safety requirements.
AAAS Adds NREL's Nancy Haegel to Honor Roll of Fellows
Nancy Haegel, the director of the National Center for Photovoltaics at NREL, has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The (In)Visible Plastic Pollution Problem
Together, BOTTLE's upstream approach and WaterPACT's downstream approach to addressing the plastic pollution problem will enable a better future for humanity and our environment.
Study Unlocks Opportunities To Bridge the US Wind Energy Workforce Gap
A new report identifies that educational training programs, like the U.S. Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition, which provides participating students with real-world wind energy experience, could help meet the growing demand for trained wind energy workers.
With Kestrel on Deck, Advanced Computing Hit a Home Run Over 300 Clean Energy Projects
NREL's high-performance computing, efficient data center operations, and powerful visualizations have left an indelible stamp on clean energy innovation.
Alaska’s Wind, Wave, Tidal Resources Could Help State Meet Future Energy Needs, NREL Determines
Offshore wind makes sense for decarbonizing energy production and building energy security and independence when it comes to ocean renewable energy production in Alaska’s Outer Continental Shelf.
New Report Tackles Electric Vehicle Charging Payment Challenges and Offers Key Recommendations
Payment issues can affect electric vehicle (EV) drivers' charging experiences. EV charging should be accessible, convenient, and reliable, and payment issues affect both accessibility and reliability.
Do We Still Need Hydropower?
NREL experts weigh in on the benefits and downsides to our oldest form of renewable energy.
Local Priorities Drive Energy Transitions in Remote, Coastal, and Island Communities
Remote, coastal, and island communities across the country face similar energy resilience challenges—from high energy costs and aging infrastructure to outages from extreme weather events and climate change impacts—but each community's values and priorities create a unique path toward energy resilience.
NREL Unveils Groundbreaking Generative Machine Learning Model To Simulate Future Energy-Climate Impacts
As countries worldwide transition to more wind and solar generation and electrify energy end uses, societies are becoming more intertwined with weather conditions.
Last Updated May 28, 2025