February 2021
Silicon Anode Research Offers Pathway to Increased Driving Range for Electric Vehicles
A new NREL-led multi-lab consortium addresses critical barriers to the development of smaller, cheaper, and better performing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles by investigating the use of silicon as an alternative to graphitic carbon anode material.
Q&A with Kristin Munch: Advancing Computing Capabilities To Efficiently Simulate, Analyze Complex Energy Systems
As laboratory program manager for Advanced Computing, Kristin Munch helps develop the vision and strategy for NREL's computational infrastructure and ecosystem.
Community Microgrids From All Angles
With funding from the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), NREL will lead and contribute to multiple projects that emphasize microgrid controls and stability for community-scale systems, building and demonstrating new microgrid designs in a variety of real-system scenarios.
Pathways To Achieve New Circular Vision for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly in demand for energy storage and use in electric vehicles—needs that are projected to grow further with expected technological innovations and declining costs.
Research Strengthens Reliability as Wind Power Shifts Into High Gear
Keeping wind gearboxes in operating condition is essential to efficient and cost-effective wind power plant operation. New tools from NREL are making it possible to predict individual component reliability for the entire wind plant, reduce operations and maintenance costs through early design decisions, and take maintenance measures to extend gearbox life spans.
DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office Funds Next-Gen Turbine Blades and More
Recipient of one prime award and playing a supporting role on eight other winning proposals, NREL had a strong showing in the recently announced 2020 DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office Multi-Topic FOA awards.
Lighting the Path to Net Zero: NREL's Research Strategy Drives Deep Transportation Decarbonization
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, accounting for about 28% of total carbon emissions. Turning that metric to zero stands as a critical task in the global push to drive down emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
News Release: Groundbreaking Research into White-Rot Fungi Proves Its Value in Carbon Sequestration from Lignin
A foundational study conducted by scientists at NREL shows for the first time that white-rot fungi are able to use carbon captured from lignin as a carbon source.
Students Shed Light on Deep-Down Geothermal Benefits in Infographic Design Challenge
The Fall 2020 Geothermal Design Challenge asked students to tackle an important communications task—create infographics and data visualization to foster understanding of geothermal energy, broadly communicate its benefits, and help overcome key non-technical barriers to geothermal development.
NREL Advances in Battery Research with Physics-Based Machine Learning Accelerates Characterization of Cell Performance, Lifetime, and Safety
Energy storage scientists at NREL are turning to cutting-edge machine-learning techniques to strengthen understanding of advanced battery materials, chemistries, and cell designs.
NREL Software Automates Residential Solar Permitting, Replacing Painstaking Process for Local Governments
NREL has released a no-cost resource for cities and counties across the country to streamline distributed solar installation: SolarAPP (Solar Automated Permit Processing).
NREL Research Identifies Motivations, Methods for Achieving a Circular Economy for Wind Energy
Researchers at NREL are addressing critical challenges when it comes to achieving a circular economy for wind turbine components. The motivations for pursuing this research are outlined in a new journal article, "Wind turbine blade material in the United States: Quantities, costs, and end-of-life options."
NREL Discusses Circular Economy With High-Profile Partners in Fourth Partner Forum
At its fourth annual Partner Forum, NREL showcased its stable of leading experts and opened its virtual doors to partners, extending invitations to companies from around the world to engage in a collaborative effort to design a future replete with renewable energy solutions to the energy challenges of today.
New E-ROBOT Prize Encourages Robotic Innovation To Drive Energy Efficiency in Envelope Retrofit Solutions
The future of buildings is affordable, comfortable, and energy efficient. However, the current reality is that buildings consume 39% of all U.S. energy and 74% of all U.S. electricity at an annual cost of more than $400 billion.
CEMAC/JISEA Releases Global Clean Energy Manufacturing Data and Insights
The latest Benchmarks of Global Clean Energy Manufacturing report assesses market characteristics, global trade flows, and manufacturing value added for four clean energy technologies to support deeper insights into balance of trade effects on upstream materials.
Using Mathematical Models To Enable Transportation Decarbonization and Combat Climate Change
Conducted in partnership with USAID, an NREL study assessing the electrification potential of transit fleets in two Mexican cities determined that at least 80% of the operational bus days for the studied routes were suitable for electrification—with a 250-kWh battery in Mexico City and a 300-kWh battery in León.
NREL's dGen Analysts Team Up With Orlando Utilities Commission To Forecast Household Solar Adoption
NREL analysts tailor the Distributed Generation Market Demand model for Orlando energy planners, simulating individual household rooftop solar photovoltaic adoption potential through 2050—the highest-resolution projections for Orlando to date.
News Release: NREL Heats Up Thermal Energy Storage with New Solution Meant To Ease Grid Stress, Ultimately Improving Energy Efficiency
Scientists from NREL have developed a simple way to better evaluate the potential of novel materials to store or release heat on demand in your home, office, or other building in a way that more efficiently manages the building's energy use.
Data Democratized: RE Data Explorer Enhancements Deliver High-Value Renewable Energy Resource Data To Inform Decision-Making
Upgrade features new, high-resolution data sets and a streamlined, state-of-the-art interface.
Documenting a Decade of Cost Declines for PV Systems
NREL marks ongoing cost reductions for installed photovoltaic (PV) systems, while also establishing benchmark of PV-plus-storage systems.
Last Updated May 28, 2025