May 2020
Discovering New Waters: A Deeper Dive on Ocean Observing Prize Winners
In the first stage of the Powering the Blue Economy: Ocean Observing Prize, participants launched on a 90-day mission to DISCOVER new ways to help overcome energy constraints that stand in the way of effective and comprehensive ocean observation.
NREL, U.S. Air Force Collaborate on Growing Portfolio of Resiliency Work
NREL's partnership with the U.S. Air Force has led to smarter, stronger, and more flexible base infrastructure, strengthening their ability to execute its missions worldwide.
Only at ESIF: Video Shows NREL-Anterix Collaboration for Critical Communications
NREL and industry partner Anterix have validated essential communications functions over a 900 MHz private LTE network. Within the ESIF, the ability to transmit system protection signals at low latency to a network of devices was demonstrated on a realistic power system.
NREL Research into Fueling Big Rigs Could Help More Hydrogen Vehicles Hit the Road
Hydrogen-fueled cars are increasingly popular in California, but moving beyond the state's borders may require 18-wheelers crisscrossing America's highways leading the way. Research at NREL suggests a shift in long-haul trucking toward hydrogen that could drive a coast-to-coast network of fueling stations.
April 2020
News Release: Cleantech Innovators Announced at 2020 Virtual Industry Growth Forum
Today, the NREL recognized three top cleantech innovators as it wrapped up the 25th anniversary edition of the NREL Industry Growth Forum (IGF). This year's IGF was an all-virtual event held at a time when innovation in all forms is a national priority.
NREL Implements User-Guided Upgrades to "Mine-to-Materials" Modeling Tool
Based on user feedback, NREL recently upgraded the Materials Flows through Industry modeling tool for improved ease of use and enhanced accuracy in modeling the U.S. industrial sector supply chain.
News Release: NREL Helps Found Consortium to Boost Solar Perovskite Commercialization
Working with leading domestic solar companies, NREL and three universities have formed the U.S. Manufacturing of Advanced Perovskites Consortium (US-MAP), which will work to accelerate commercialization of perovskite technologies.
NREL Launches $9 Million Solar Desalination Prize Competition
On April 27, with support from NREL, the U.S. Department of Energy kicked off the Solar Desalination Prize, a $9 million competition that's part of the American-Made Challenges series. The competition is designed to accelerate the development of systems that use solar-thermal energy to produce clean drinking water from salt water.
Jerry Davis Q&A: Cutting-Edge Research, Microgrids for U.S. Military, and Ultramarathons
Jerry Davis works with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to develop renewable energy technologies for military operations and installations. Davis sat down with us to talk about his work on bringing advanced microgrid technologies and cybersecurity measures to support DoD and mission readiness.
Automated Test Bed Helps Battery Stakeholders with Residential Systems
NREL's residential battery test bed provides a research environment that allows any stakeholder to understand the inner workings of batteries—for any use (backup, self-consumption, arbitrage), from any vendor, and in any climate.
50th Anniversary of Earth Day Puts NREL Research in Focus
Five decades ago, an idea sprouted into an event that grew into a movement, which today, on its 50th anniversary, we recognize as Earth Day—a global day of awareness and a celebration of principle, responsibility, and sustainability. NREL has always enjoyed strong ties to Earth Day. The laboratory's second director, Denis Hayes, played a key role in its creation, coordinating the first Earth Day in 1970.
Greening Industry: Building Recyclable, Next-Generation Turbine Blades
NREL's pioneering thermoplastics work is helping close the circle, ensuring today's blades become tomorrow's blades, too.
Buildings Research Sets Foundation for Future Design
"Earth Day is about looking at how we use energy and how we can increase sustainability by reducing our negative impact on Earth," said NREL's Roderick Jackson. "Buildings are the largest consumers of energy. If a building can be designed in a way that allows us to accelerate that clean energy future… that's what we're doing here."
Desalination Dreams: Meet the Entrepreneurial Waves to Water CONCEPT Stage Winners
This Earth Day, we recognize five teams of entrepreneurs who are integrating marine energy and desalination to provide clean water.
NREL Researchers Review Promising Class of New Materials for Energy Applications
Scientists at NREL have performed a comprehensive review of a unique, emerging class of materials called chalcogenides that hold the potential for use in solar cells, water splitting, and other energy applications.
Spring Sightings: Flowers and FAST Prize Teams Blossom
Three winning teams of the Furthering Advancements to Shorten Time (FAST) Commissioning for Pumped-Storage Hydropower Prize are reducing the time, cost, and risk associated with commissioning pumped-storage hydropower projects.
News Release: NREL Six-Junction Solar Cell Sets Two World Records for Efficiency
Scientists at NREL have fabricated a six-junction solar cell that now holds the world record for the highest solar conversion efficiency at 47.1%, which was measured under concentrated illumination. A variation of the same cell also set the efficiency record under one-sun illumination at 39.2%.
NREL Research Makes Skies Safer for Bats
Bats are notoriously difficult to study, and there is still much we do not know about them. To help improve understanding of bats and their behavior around wind turbines, NREL is collaborating on several research and development projects funded by the U.S. DOE Wind Energy Technologies Office. These efforts are helping minimize wind turbine-bat encounters through monitoring, deterrence, and curtailment.
NREL Extends Deadline for DOE Competitiveness Improvement Project Proposals to May 5
NREL has extended the U.S. Department of Energy's Competitiveness Improvement Project distributed wind request for proposals submission deadline to May 5 at 2 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time.
Scientist Nancy Haegel Uses the Elegance of Physics To Guide Materials Research
NREL Materials Science Center Director Nancy Haegel's fingerprints were on semiconductor light detectors aboard NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Her research in semiconductors continues to inspire others and inform her activities at NREL.
Last Updated May 28, 2025