November 2020
Drivetrain Reliability Collaborative Seeks Gearbox Failure Causes, Solutions
NREL and Argonne National Laboratory researchers have teamed with industry partners such as SKF, Winergy, General Electric, and Afton Chemical to understand the causes of axial cracking, create a design life equation that accounts for it, and develop and validate solutions to reduce this and other causes of gearbox failure.
WESyS: the Open-Source Waste-to-Energy System Simulation Model
WESyS simulates the possible evolution of the U.S. waste-to-energy industry based on industrial, technological, and policy-related factors.
Garvin Heath, JISEA Analyst, Is Defining Circularity for Next-Generation Energy Materials
Moving from a linear to a circular economy for energy materials starts with research and development. JISEA Analyst Garvin Heath and a team of researchers are leading the charge.
October 2020
Matchmaking Challenge: Wind Workforce Research Helps Bridge Gap Between Employers and Applicants
Wind energy industry employment grew more than 50% over 5 years, and yet, 68% of wind energy employers have difficulty filling entry-level jobs, and 83% of students or recent graduates say it is hard to find a position in wind energy. This wind workforce gap is the subject of a recent NREL survey.
Winners of 2020 JUMP into STEM Take Virtual Internships in Stride; Contribute to Building Science Research
2020 JUMP into STEM winners were undaunted by the shift of JUMP into STEM's summer internship programs to a virtual experience, and NREL staff members committed to providing a meaningful virtual opportunity for the interns.
IEEE Journal Features NREL Commentary on the Future of Renewable Energy
A new publication looks toward the future of renewable energy and explains research direction in the areas of renewable energy transmission, consumption, and generation.
Q&A with Charisa Powell: Developing Tools and an Emulation Platform To Safeguard Distributed Energy Resource Systems
As a cybersecurity researcher in NREL's Energy Security and Resilience Center, Charisa Powell spends her time developing current strategies for energy-sector organizations to be vigilant and resilient in their cybersecurity safeguards.
Energy I-Corps: SuperCohort to the Rescue
The DOE's researcher-entrepreneurship program forges ahead virtually under the leadership of Shelly Curtiss, former executive director of the Colorado Cleantech Industries Association.
New Directions Sharpen NREL's Cybersecurity Research, Protecting Energy Systems Beyond the Grid Edge
When it comes to cybersecurity for the electric grid, researchers at NREL are looking ahead.
19 Innovative Projects Selected in $9 million Solar Desalination Prize Competition
On Oct. 19, DOE announced the 19 Innovation Contest winners of the Solar Desalination Prize, a $9 million prize competition designed to increase access to fresh water and strengthen water security in the United States.
American-Made Solar Team's Solid-State Transformer Wins Grand Prize
The NREL-composed team developed a solid state transformer that allows the independent regulation of solar, battery, load, and grid sources. The team is further working to optimize the technology's performance and cost efficiency.
NREL Forms New Research Center, Names Jennifer Kurtz as Leader
NREL named Jennifer Kurtz director of the newly formed Energy Conversion and Storage Systems Center. The new cross-cutting center is dedicated to systems engineering for energy conversion and storage technologies such as batteries, hydrogen, geothermal, thermal, and water power.
BOTTLE Consortium Launches To Change the Way We Recycle
The consortium will focus on two critical problems that are both essential to tackle the plastics pollution problem. The first challenge is how to upcycle today's waste plastics in a way that incentivizes their reclamation. The second undertakes the challenge of wholly redesigning tomorrow's plastics to be recyclable-by-design.
Into the Unknown: Ben Sigrin Models How Consumers Adopt Renewables
As a University of Texas graduate student in 2011, Ben Sigrin tried to understand how people make decisions about purchasing or leasing rooftop solar panels. He quickly found that it is not black or white—and that there is no average consumer.
NREL Unveils Open-Source Distributed Generation Market Demand Model
NREL's Distributed Generation Market Demand (dGen) model is publicly available for the first time. Public users can access model methodology and instructions, run the code, and receive technical support from the dGen team.
Removing the Element of Surprise: Ocean Observing Prize Solicits Designs for Tomorrow's Storm Tracking Technology
NREL announces concurrent launch of DEVELOP Competition and 90-day DESIGN Contest.
News Release: National Laboratories Point to Sugars as a Key Factor in Ideal Feedstock for Biofuels
Popular wisdom holds that tall, fast-growing trees are best for biomass, but new research by two DOE national laboratories reveals the size of trees is only part of the equation. Of equal economic importance is the amount of sugars that can be produced from the ligno-cellulosic biomass and converted into fuels.
Wind Energy and Wildlife Share Future in the Skies and Seas
NREL researchers are collaborating with academic, conservation, regulatory, and industry partners to understand the potential effects of offshore wind installations on the environment while maintaining optimal energy production.
News Release: Colorful Perovskites: NREL Advances Thermochromic Window Technologies
Scientists at NREL report a breakthrough in developing a next-generation thermochromic window that not only reduces the need for air conditioning but simultaneously generates electricity.
NREL Research Highlighted at Largest Geothermal Meeting
NREL researches, develops, and demonstrates technologies to advance the use of geothermal energy as a clean, renewable, domestic power source for the United States. This research will be showcased during the Geothermal Resources Council 2020 Annual Meeting and Expo, October 18–23, 2020.
Last Updated May 1, 2025