September 2021
Solar District Cup Unveils Class of 2021-2022 Student Participants
The infrastructure that defines the U.S. electric grid is based largely on pre-digital technologies and is now faced with increasingly difficult load and power quality demands. New tools are required to create a flexible and modern electric grid and the next generation of renewable energy professionals are here to help.
Advanced Thermal Management Design Boosts Performance of Silicon Carbide Inverters for Heavy-Duty Vehicles
A state-of-the-art thermal management system developed by NREL in collaboration with John Deere promises to significantly increase the power density of silicon carbide (SiC) inverters within heavy-duty EV applications.
Charged With Curiosity, Geospatial Data Scientist Anthony Lopez Solves Real-World Questions with Computational Models
The NREL star thought he had no potential growing up. Today, he is leading research on how land use constraints factor into realizing wind energy's full potential.
Calendar Aging Research Is Critical to Future of Silicon-Based Batteries
NREL researchers are at the forefront of silicon anode research, using cutting-edge facilities to explore the foundational science of organic electrolytes with silicon interfaces. However, recent findings highlight the importance of continued studies on the lifetime of silicon-based cells.
Creating Consensus in Grid Modernization
With its cutting-edge research capabilities and technical leadership, NREL has a history of developing essential standards that strengthen energy systems around the world.
Breakthrough Analysis Finds Electrified Heavy-Duty Vehicle Powertrains Could Provide Lower Total Cost of Ownership
A new report from NREL seeks to pinpoint the conditions for when battery electric or fuel cell electric commercial trucks offer economic advantages over traditional diesel-fueled trucks by examining a key metric—the total cost of ownership (TCO).
With Their Waverider Buoys, Researchers Collect Data on the Powerful Clean Energy Available in Our Oceans
NREL is partnering with ocean experts in North Carolina and Puerto Rico to collect detailed data on surface waves in the Atlantic Ocean.
Profitable, Clean, and Efficient Farming Starts With Renewable Energy Sources, Sustainably Produced Biofuels
The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis studied sustainable energy generation and consumption in Colorado farms and agricultural production facilities.
To Toss, Repair, or Recycle? How Human Behavior Affects the Fate of Aging Solar Panels
By 2050, there could be 80 million metric tons globally of solar photovoltaics (PV) reaching the end of their lifetime, with 10 million metric tons in the United States alone—or the weight of 30 Empire State Buildings.
Researchers Bolster Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Infrastructure To Improve Florida's Hurricane Resilience
When events like tropical storms or other unforeseen crises disrupt a state's primary supply of gasoline and diesel, emergency fleet efforts can become hampered as access to fuel is restricted or completely unavailable.
President Biden Makes Historic Visit to NREL's Flatirons Campus
President Joe Biden visited NREL's Flatirons Campus to speak with NREL leadership and to learn about the laboratory's research facilities, capabilities, and critical initiatives housed on the Flatirons Campus. During the visit, the president spoke to a livestream audience about his plans on infrastructure, environmental justice, and how to tackle the climate crisis.
The Wind Rises: Market Report Shows Electrifying Future for U.S. Offshore Wind Industry
According to the Offshore Wind Market Report: 2021 Edition, written by a team of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy and NREL, the U.S. offshore wind pipeline made gale-force gains between 2019 and 2020.
The Future of Agriculture Combined With Renewable Energy Finds Success at Jack's Solar Garden
A 24-acre family farm purchased by Jack Stingerie in 1972 has now evolved into a model for how to produce energy and food in tandem. Multiple agrivoltaics activities including crop production, pollinator habitat, ecosystem services, and pasture grass for grazing are being researched across Jack's Solar Garden in Longmont, Colorado.
News Release: DRINKing It in: Five Teams and Their Desalination Designs Earn a Spot in Final Stage of Waves to Water Prize Competition
This month, DOE and NREL officially announced the five teams that earned a spot in the fifth and final Waves to Water Prize competition stage, DRINK. Now, these five have 180 days to prepare their devices for an open-ocean trial at the Coastal Studies Institute in North Carolina in April 2022.
New Master Roadmap Guides Industries To Invest in Low-Cost, Low-Energy Ways To Treat Salt Water and Recycle Wastewater
National Alliance for Water Innovation's new master roadmap guides industries to invest in low-cost, low-energy ways to treat salt water and recycle wastewater.
Billion Dollar Breakthrough: The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator Reaches New Milestone
The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), managed by NREL, has reached a milestone: Its portfolio of startup companies has raised more than $1.1 billion in external funding since joining IN2. This translates to the companies raising $95 for every dollar invested in them by the Wells Fargo Foundation.
News Release: NREL Launches Nonprofit Foundation To Fund Research, Scholarships
The NREL Foundation will bring in funding that otherwise would be unavailable to the laboratory and enable access to new sources of nonfederal funding. As donors contribute to the foundation, money will be aggregated and earmarked to fund specific research projects at NREL.
New Data Sound Good for Wind Energy
NREL researchers listened to the wind for hours to determine how rotating wind turbines affected their sound output. To their surprise, the next generation of wind plants could both create more energy and less noise pollution.
Webinar Series Presents the Building Blocks of Cybersecurity
A new webinar series from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in collaboration with the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) aims to raise awareness about all aspects of security and help utilities develop a well-rounded cybersecurity program.
NREL Researchers Study Synergistic Value Streams in Hybrid Power Plants
NREL is collaborating with Idaho National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories to develop FlexPower, a colocated, variable generation hybrid power plant enhanced with energy storage, stationed at the Flatirons Campus.
Last Updated May 1, 2025