August 2020
Zero-Energy Schools Elevate Expectations
A new online course called "Achieving Zero-Energy Building Design" was adapted from the "Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings" and unveiled in August. The training will give building professionals the knowledge to design zero-energy schools in any climate in the United States.
Nine Teams Swim Toward the Fish Protection Grand Prize at the American Fisheries Society Virtual Annual Meeting
Nine teams vie for the Fish Protection grand prize to be announced at the American Fisheries Society Virtual Annual Meeting in September.
Q&A with Sakshi Mishra: Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change and Advocating for Women in STEM
Finding energy solutions for a changing global climate and advocating for women to choose careers in science and technology drive Sakshi Mishra's mission as an energy researcher and power systems engineer.
Annual Technology Baseline Expands To Include Transportation Data
The first-ever Transportation Annual Technology Baseline consolidates U.S. vehicle and fuel technologies data for current and future markets through 2050.
NREL Seeks Turbine Manufacturer Partners for Distributed Wind Research
In an effort to advance distributed wind energy innovation, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory invites manufacturers to express their interest in installing distributed-scale wind turbines as research hardware at NREL's Flatirons Campus, located south of Boulder, Colorado.
Introducing DERCF: A Web-Based Tool and Cybersecurity Framework for Distributed Energy Systems
With support from U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), NREL developed the Distributed Energy Resources Cybersecurity Framework (DERCF), a web-based application designed to help users pinpoint gaps in their distributed energy systems' cybersecurity.
From Streams to Rivers: NREL Upgrades Data Exchange for High-Use, Real-Time Applications
A recent upgrade by NREL's Data Analysis and Visualization Group (DAV) has brought some order to laboratory data flow with a platform that makes data streaming and access much easier for ESIF researchers and partners.
Upcoming Groundbreaking Hydro Prize Incentivizes Innovation
NREL, the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory launches the Groundbreaking Hydro Prize.
Novel Design Configuration Increases Market Viability for Pumped-Storage Hydropower in the United States
NREL is supporting Obermeyer Hydro Inc. in their efforts to design a cost-effective, highly flexible pumped-storage hydropower system that reduces project costs, shortens deployment timelines, and is optimized for U.S. energy storage requirements.
Researchers Explore Charging Flexibility of Shared Automated Electric Vehicles
Shared automated electric vehicles (SAEVs) may bring lower costs, reduced emissions, and a better travel experience, but their uncoordinated charging at scale could stress the electric grid and increase costs. So, an NREL research team explored the potential charging flexibility of future SAEV fleets.
NREL Notice of Intent for 2022 DOE Collegiate Wind Competition
NREL plans to issue a request for proposals in September 2020 for colleges and universities interested in participating in the DOE Collegiate Wind Competition in the spring of 2022. The competition is designed to help prepare college students from a variety of backgrounds for careers in wind energy.
NREL Helps Students "JUMP" into Building Science Innovation
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, launches its third JUMP into STEM collegiate competition this August.
NREL, ExxonMobil Teams Imagine, Research New Solutions for Tomorrow's Energy Challenges
A year into their unique collaboration, NREL and ExxonMobil are navigating a multi-pronged effort toward a future where clean-burning biofuels replace some petroleum-based fuels.
How Might Climate Change Impact Energy Systems?
A new literature review suggests climate change is anticipated to impact regional and global energy systems, with varying magnitudes of effects across regions and technologies.
NREL Brings Expertise in Energy Resilience to New Organizational Planning Resource
The Technical Resilience Navigator, a resilience planning tool co-developed by NREL and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, helps organizations identify their resilience gaps and prioritize solutions that reduce risk from energy and water service disruptions.
Voyage into the Blue with the Ocean Observing Prize Winners
Ocean Observing Prize competitors are integrating marine renewable energy systems with ocean-observing platforms to collect ocean and weather data that can be used to better forecast natural disasters.
ARIES and RAIL Promise To Advance Renewable Energy Innovation and Integration
Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette introduced two new acronyms to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) lexicon on Aug. 12: RAIL and ARIES. RAIL stands for Research and Innovation Laboratory, while ARIES is short for Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems.
Academic Teams Exhibit Strong Showing in Waves to Water Prize DESIGN Stage
Four academic teams emerge victorious in the DESIGN Stage of the U.S. Department of Energy's Waves to Water Prize. Next up, they'll validate their designs in the ADAPT Stage.
New High-Rate Drilling System Could Revolutionize High-Temperature Power Electronics
NREL has joined forces with Tetra Innovation Institute to advance a high-rate drilling system that could transform the geothermal industry. This game-changing technology has the potential to increase geothermal drilling rates tenfold and reduce well drilling costs by 75%.
Two-for-One Energy from Photons, Now Better than Ever
NREL researchers have found a promising group of materials for tomorrow's super-efficient solar cells, demonstrating how a carefully designed molecule can efficiently split the energy imparted by one photon into two excited states and keep them separated for several microseconds.
Last Updated May 28, 2025