May 2022
Georgia Institute of Technology and The University of Arizona Named DOE Solar Decathlon 2022 Design Challenge Grand Winners
DOE announced the winners of the 20th annual Solar Decathlon, DOE's longest-tenured student competition that has challenged 40,000 students across the world to use the latest technologies to design and build the most sustainable buildings possible.
Department of Energy Announces Solar District Cup Class of 2021–2022 Winners
On Monday, April 25, DOE announced the top division winners and Project Pitch Champion in the Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition Class of 2021–2022. A total of nine student-led teams won first, second, or third place across the three divisions, plus four honorable mentions.
The Building Blocks of Power Sector Security for Utilities Across the Globe
To help electric utilities better understand what a full cybersecurity program looks like, NREL partnered with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in support of the Resilient Energy Platform, providing assistance to a variety of stakeholders to improve security for the electrical grid.
April 2022
Solar Desalination Prize Round 2 Semifinalists Announced
The U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Desalination Prize Round 2 has named six semifinalist teams with innovative solar-thermal desalination system concepts.
NREL's Cyber Range Offers Eagle-Eye View of Federal Energy Asset Security
To help federal energy managers assess, monitor, and manage cybersecurity, NREL's Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework (DER-CF) offers a comprehensive, web-based assessment tool focusing on cyber governance or policies, technical management, and physical security.
Electric Vehicle Manufacturers Mobilize Behind Charging Cybersecurity at NREL
In early April, members of the electric vehicle industry gathered at NREL to evaluate enhanced cybersecurity for the connections between electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
News Release: NREL Calculates Lost Value of Landfilled Plastic in U.S.
Scientists at NREL calculated the energy value of landfilled plastic waste in 2019 was enough to supply 5% of the power used by the country's transportation sector, or 5.5% by the industrial sector.
NREL Builds Out National Capability To De-Risk Big Changes in Grid Infrastructure
As the electrical grid makes a historic transition to renewable and distributed energy, even its organizing principles are in flux.
NREL Water Power Successes Featured in WPTO Accomplishments Report
Twenty-one of NREL's water power successes earn the spotlight in the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office 2020-2021 Accomplishments Report.
Taking Conductivity to the Next Level: CABLE Conductor Manufacturing Prize Opens Stage 2
Stage 2 of the CABLE Conductor Manufacturing Prize is now open to all interested in producing a sample of novel conductivity-enhanced materials for evaluation to help upgrade and expand aging electric, transportation, and industrial infrastructures in the United States.
New FLORIS Release Significantly Increases Computation Speeds
The release of Version 3.0 of the FLOw Redirection and Induction in Steady State (FLORIS) wind farm controls software offers significant improvements to maximize wind energy facility productivity and profits.
Working Out the Details of a Circular Solar Economy
As solar grows rapidly as an energy source, the number of photovoltaic (PV) modules that are manufactured and installed each year will continue to expand.
AlgaePrize Student Finalists Announced
The U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office announced 15 student teams advancing as finalists in the 2022-2023 AlgaePrize competition. Finalist teams receive $5,000 to conduct their proposed research projects over the next 16 months and will present the results next year at NREL.
How Can We Invest in Our Planet?
This year's Earth Day theme is "Invest in Our Planet." NREL is—already has been, in fact—investing in clean energy, like water power, which helps preserve the planet.
NREL Tool Aims To Predict Interactions Between Soaring Eagles and Wind Turbines
A new software developed at NREL with support from the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Energy Technologies Office endeavors to predict the most likely long-distance flight paths of individual golden eagles as they ride updrafts in the wind.
NREL Explores the Dynamic Nature of Wind Deployment and Land Use
Meeting U.S. decarbonization goals is expected to require rapid deployment of additional wind energy. As more wind is deployed, social and ecological considerations of the surrounding landscape are becoming increasingly important--but research on the land use impacts of wind deployment has been limited.
NREL Scientist Melissa Gish Named a Trailblazer by the American Chemical Society
NREL Scientist Melissa Gish has been selected as a member of the American Chemical Society's Trailblazers list—a prestigious recognition that is presented annually in the American Chemical Society's news magazine, Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN).
Industry Growth Forum Journeys
NREL's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) hosted its Industry Growth Forum (IGF) April 13-14, 2022, in Aurora, Colorado. The IGF is the premier event for cleantech entrepreneurs, investors, and experts from industry and the public sector to build relationships, showcase innovative technologies, and identify disruptive business solutions. Follow three of the 40 presenters through this story.
Beneath the Surface: From Priceless Art to Disintegrating Coastlines, Sherry Stout Builds Resiliency One Community at a Time
NREL's Cold Climate Housing Research Center's Sherry Stout connects rural, remote, tribal, and developing communities with scientists who can help them meet their clean energy goals.
NREL and IREC Identify Best Practices for Validating Hosting Capacity Analyses
The electric distribution grid is changing at a rapid rate, with distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop solar arrays, energy storage, and electric vehicles arriving on the grid in fast-growing numbers. However, it is not always clear how much additional DER capacity a community's grid can accommodate.
Last Updated May 28, 2025