June 2021
News Release: NREL Announces Plans To Collaborate With Georgia Institute of Technology
NREL and the Georgia Institute of Technology have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to bolster the interactions, collaborations, and joint scientific output of both institutions.
The Challenge of the Last Few Percent: Quantifying the Costs and Emissions Benefits of a 100% Renewable U.S. Electricity System
Large-scale simulations by NREL researchers show that the U.S. can get close to 100% renewable generation cost-effectively—but the final few percent drive a nonlinear increase in total system cost.
Partnerships Amplify Velocity of Offshore Wind Innovation
With support from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, NREL’s 150 wind energy researchers are teaming up with over 45 organizations to make offshore wind energy a reality.
New Pathway Emerges To Improve Polycrystalline Thin-Film Solar Cell Performance
Puzzling out and testing new ways to improve the efficiency of cadmium telluride (CdTe) polycrystalline thin-film photovoltaic materials is a typical day in the life of NREL research scientists Matthew Reese and Craig Perkins. Like any good puzzlers, they bring curiosity and keen observation to the task.
NREL Inventiveness Sets New Record for Patent Activity
NREL was granted 40 U.S. patents during fiscal 2020, a bump from the 32 issued during the prior fiscal year.
Grid-Scale U.S. Storage Capacity Could Grow Five-Fold by 2050
The latest report in NREL's multiyear Storage Futures Study finds reaching full market potential of diurnal grid-scale energy storage hinges on system flexibility and solar photovoltaics penetration.
May 2021
Gesick Embeds With Defense Innovation Unit To Expand NREL’s Support To Department of Defense
NREL researcher Josh Gesick joins the Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit Advanced Energy and Materials team to assist DOD with partner-related initiatives and adoption of commercial technologies.
Industry Growth Forum Creates Impact in Virtual Setting for Second Straight Year
Even in its 26th year, amidst a pandemic, the NREL Industry Growth Forum--the premiere cleantech commercialization-acceleration event that aligns promising, preselected startups with venture capitalists looking for their next great investment--set new records.
Researchers Take a Practical Look Beyond Short-Term Energy Storage
An article in Nature Energy by NREL research engineer Omar J. Guerra describes research needs for longer-duration and seasonal energy storage solutions and opportunities to develop a stronger understanding of how long-term and seasonal storage technologies can become cost-effective and grid-supportive energy solutions.
Flexible Loads and Renewable Energy Work Together in a Highly Electrified Future
The multiyear Electrification Futures Study concludes with first-of-its-kind national-scale modeling of power systems with widespread electrification, demand-side flexibility, and high renewable energy.
Wave Hello to the 2022 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition Teams
Seventeen teams were selected to participate in the 2022 MECC to offer a new wave of innovation in the third year of the competition.
What We Know—and Do Not Know—About Achieving a National-Scale 100% Renewable Electric Grid
Published in the journal Joule, "The Challenges of Achieving a 100% Renewable Electricity System in the United States" offers important insights into the technical and economic challenges that would need to be overcome to achieve 100% renewable electric power across the United States.
New Combustion Strategies Plus Biofuels Add Up to Cleaner, More Efficient Cars and Trucks
A report released this month highlights the most significant breakthroughs of the last year in the U.S. Department of Energy's Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative, with details on findings that could translate into significant greenhouse gas and tailpipe emissions reductions.
News Release: Environmental Concerns Propel Research Into Marine Biofuels
A global effort to reduce sulfur and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships has researchers from NREL and other Department of Energy facilities investigating the potential use of marine biofuels.
Expanded Data Sets and a Smooth-Sailing User Experience: Meet Marine Energy Atlas
Marine Energy Atlas features expanded data sets and offers a streamlined user experience.
NREL's Partner Institution, the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis, Launches Catalyzers Initiative
The JISEA Catalyzers initiative will incubate research capabilities for 1–2 years before being launched into a new NREL-led program.
News Release: NREL Announces Participants for 2021 Executive Energy Leadership Program
NREL selected 18 leaders to participate in its 2021 Executive Energy Leadership program, which provides nontechnical business, government, and community leaders an opportunity to learn about advanced energy technologies, analytical tools, and financing to guide their organizations and communities in energy-related planning.
News Release: NREL Announces Plans To Collaborate With UL Toward Commercialization of SolarAPP+ Automated Permitting Tool
NREL today announced a new initial memorandum of understanding with the global company UL to work toward further developing and commercializing the Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+) software that will automate the permitting process for residential solar systems.
April 2021
NREL Chemist Wins Award for Electron Bifurcation Research Article
Cara Lubner, a chemist at NREL, coauthored a research article on electron bifurcation that was awarded the Class I: Physical and Mathematical Sciences 2020 Cozzarelli Prize on April 25.
NREL Study Explores the Security Benefits of 5G for Distributed Energy Operations
New research from NREL explores the security features of 5G, highlighting network-slicing characteristics that can provide enhanced control, protection, and monitoring of distributed energy systems.
Last Updated May 1, 2025