January 2025
JISEA Green Computing Catalyzer and Intel Build Framework To Measure Artificial Intelligence's Energy Use
Researchers at NREL are investigating methods to make computing more energy efficient.
How Jerry Hur Balances Award-Winning Work With High-Octane Car Drifting
The NREL Flatirons Campus research technician is celebrated for his meticulous work, attention to detail, and adherence to safety protocols--qualities that earned him a 2024 Distinguished Member of Operations Staff award.
Vast Federal Lands Have Potential for Renewable Energy—But Only a Small Fraction Is Needed
NREL analysis finds millions of acres have opportunity for solar, wind, and geothermal, while leaving most areas undisturbed or available for other land uses.
News Release: Floating Solar Panels Could Support US Energy Goals
Scientists and analysts at NREL quantified for the first time exactly how much energy could be generated from floating solar panel projects installed on federally owned or regulated reservoirs.
NREL Calls for Proposals From US Wind Turbine Manufacturers
In January 2025, NREL issued the 2025 Competitiveness Improvement Project funding solicitation, which is designed to support wind energy technology manufacturers like EWT Americas.
Coming Soon: NREL's Most Powerful Research Wind Turbine Yet
A new 3.4-megawatt turbine will be added to NREL's Flatirons Campus to expand the capabilities of researchers focused on wind energy, grid integration, and more.
Early Career Spotlight: Scientist Carlos Baez-Cotto's Journey From Puerto Rico to NREL
Each month, the Materials, Chemical, and Computational Science Early Career Spotlight features one of the directorate's researchers to explore their interests, motivations, and achievements.
Closing the Loop: How NREL's Advanced Diagnostics Enable a Circular Battery Future
Battery experts at NREL are teaming up with researchers from Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc., Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Baker Hughes' Waygate Technologies to resolve bottlenecks facing the EV battery supply chain.
Strengthening Energy Resilience: NREL's Commitment to Disaster Recovery
NREL has been at the forefront of supporting communities in rebuilding and enhancing their energy systems for over a decade and provides insights into effective strategies for community and infrastructure resilience.
News Release: Improving Tandem Efficiency Can Lower Solar Photovoltaic Module Cost Per Watt
Increasing module efficiency and expanding manufacturing capacity play complementary roles in reducing costs of metal halide perovskite/silicon tandem solar modules, according to researchers at NREL.
HBCU Energy Education Prize Returns With Second Round of Its Inspire Track
Round 2 of the HBCU Clean Energy Education Prize Inspire Track is now open, supporting HBCUs in developing summer or academic-break STEM education programs that inspire K–12 and community college students to pursue energy careers.
NREL-Developed Silicon Carbide Inverter Part of Production-Intent Program at John Deere
In collaboration with John Deere, NREL researchers helped develop a a 200-kilowatt, 1,050-volt silicon carbide traction inverter with never-before-seen performance that is now part of a production-intent program at John Deere.
NREL's 2024 Standard Scenarios Now Available
Marking its 10th annual release, the 2024 Standard Scenarios provides valuable information on future trends in energy technology deployment and generation, energy costs, and emissions.
December 2024
Transportation Research Board To Recognize NREL Mobility Researchers at Annual Meeting
NREL will be in the spotlight at the 104th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board this month.
NREL Technical Assistance Advances Community Clean Energy Goals Through Communities LEAP Pilot
NREL experts leverage energy analysis and modeling tools to support community energy transitions.
Two NREL Researchers Selected as Fellows of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Two researchers from NREL have been named fellows of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The New York-based organization bestowed the honor this fall to Zhiwen Ma and Bidzina Kekelia. Both men are senior engineers, and each holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering.
NREL Celebrates Another Year of Groundbreaking Research
These 20 stories highlight some of the laboratory's most impactful moments from 2024.
President Carter's Vision Helped Launch SERI and NREL
The staff of what is now NREL owes a considerable debt to former President Jimmy Carter. NREL was originally known as the Solar Energy Research Institute, founded in 1977 by the Carter administration.
JISEA and Colorado State University Plant Seeds of Sustainable Agriculture Through New Collaboration
JISEA Sustainable Agriculture Catalyzer convenes stakeholders to inform agricultural sustainability and resilience.
Community Solar and Beyond
Community solar—a solar energy deployment model that allows customers to buy or lease part of a larger shared solar photovoltaic (PV) system—is a growing area of PV development.
Last Updated May 1, 2025