September 2024
Researchers Discover New Way To Make 'Atomic Lasagna'
A research team discovered a method to transform materials with three-dimensional atomic structures into nearly two-dimensional structures.
News Release: NREL's Economic Impact Hits $1.9 Billion
The economic impact of NREL topped $1.9 billion nationwide in fiscal year 2023, according to a study by the University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business.
Partnership With USDA Highlights NREL's Value in Addressing Rural Renewable Energy Questions
Farmers and rural small businesses in the United States are interested in transitioning to renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency for their businesses.
Innovative Materials and Scalable Manufacturing Pathways: New NREL Research Center To Look Toward the Future of Renewable Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science Basic Energy Sciences program recently selected NREL to lead A Center for Power Electronics Materials and Manufacturing Exploration (APEX), a new Energy Frontier Research Center.
NREL Welcomes Fresh Perspectives From Next Generation of Renewable Energy Researchers
Each year, NREL welcomes hundreds of interns from across the country to contribute to its mission of expanding renewable energy.
All in the Family: How Heath Garrison Transformed Electrical Safety at NREL
Heath Garrison has significantly raised the standard of electrical safety across the laboratory—so much so that he was named one of NREL's 2024 Distinguished Members of Operations Staff.
August 2024
Geothermal Under the Midnight Sun
After winning a collegiate competition, the next step for most teams is to celebrate.
Q&A With Ana Aday: Why a Plucky Engineer Chose Cement Over Rodeo (But Credits Horses for Her Ability To Face a Crowd)
In the latest Manufacturing Masterminds Q&A, Aday shares why Bill Nye inspired her to become a scientist, how 3D manufacturing and artificial intelligence could help the cement and concrete industries decarbonize, and why handling a crowd of 1,000 people is the same as handling a 1,000-pound animal.
'Framing the Future' Photo Contest To Highlight America’s Industrial Transformation
The industrial sector is integral to our daily lives, yet we do not often see the people and technologies that power it in action.
DOE Consortium Awards $3 Million for 6 Projects To Advance Heliostat Technology and Workforce for Commercial Readiness
Recognizing the crucial role heliostats play at large-scale concentrating solar power facilities, the U.S. Department of Energy's Heliostat Consortium awarded a combined $3 million across six projects to innovate heliostat controls, deployment, and workforce training.
First Camp Cleantech Becomes Hub for Startup Collaboration and Innovation
Held Aug. 12–14, 2024, at CSU Spur in Denver, Colorado, Camp Cleantech was hosted by NREL's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center and sponsored by Wells Fargo.
Next Installment of 'Powered By' Series Starts Sept. 10
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is extending its "Powered By" webinar series to feature more grid planning and analysis tools starting on Sept. 10.
At the Intersection of Hydropower and Cybersecurity
A new, specially designed cybersecurity tool for hydropower plants is now in development at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Behind the Blades: Future Wind Energy Leaders Earn Their Stripes as NREL Interns
NREL's National Wind Technology Center hosted 36 interns for the summer. The Leading Edge caught up with six of those interns to learn about their work, achievements, and hopes for the future.
News Release: NREL Advances Method for Recyclable Wind Turbine Blades
Researchers at NREL see a realistic path forward to the manufacture of bio-derivable wind blades that can be chemically recycled and the components reused, ending the practice of old blades winding up in landfills at the end of their useful life.
NREL Research Synthesizes Molecular Aggregates for Solar Energy Applications
No molecule stands alone—they need others, at least when it comes to being able to display useful photophysical, electronic, and chemical properties.
Last Year in Review: Commercial Offshore Wind Energy Making Tangible Gains
Annual NREL-authored report outlines last year's advancements in the offshore wind energy industry, including major milestones that signal positive growth.
How 8 Hours of Constant Explosions Can Help Make Concrete Carbon Neutral
DTE Materials has access to NREL expertise and equipment through the Shell GameChanger Accelerator Powered by NREL (GCxN) program. DTE’s patented process, called Clearwash, is designed to make anatomical changes to biomass to make it integrate with ceramic binders more effectively.
Inspiring and Creative: Three NREL Researchers Recently Honored by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced approximately $11.5 million in funding through its new Inspiring Generations of New Innovators to Impact Technologies in Energy 2024 (IGNIITE 2024) program. Three researchers from NREL are among the inaugural class of selectees.
Chemist Rebecca Smaha Knows It: Next-Gen Clean Energy Technologies Hinge on Basic Materials Science
Call it fate or happenstance, but NREL's Rebecca Smaha found her chemistry specialization in an auditorium at Princeton University during her junior year.
Last Updated May 1, 2025