April 2019
NREL Celebrates Bat Appreciation Day
As a founding member of the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative, NREL has spent 15 years working to protect bats by developing innovative technological solutions to monitor and minimize wind energy's impacts to bats.
How NREL Pushed the Limits of Accuracy in PV Performance Measurements
NREL's cell and module performance recently developed a new procedure for measuring the power of commercial crystalline-silicon photovoltaic modules that reduces the uncertainty in module maximum power.
New NREL and Georgia Tech Collaborative Appointment Program
NREL and Georgia Institute of Technology announce a new joint appointment program as part of an effort to enhance research collaboration between the lab and universities.
Catalyst Cost Estimating Tool Significantly Improves Research Efficiency
More than 85% of chemical processes rely on catalysts, but limited information on their cost can lead to roadblocks during early-stage research and development and along the path to commercialization. To address this challenge, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed a catalyst cost estimation tool that incorporates industry-standard estimation methods into an intuitive, user-friendly suite of tools.
NREL Supports New Strategies to Accelerate PSH Development
NREL is supporting a new water prize to fund innovators who are working to address the non-regulatory challenges pumped-storage hydropower developers face when deploying new projects. The team aims to shorten commissioning times and reduce both risk and required up-front investments.
Beneath Solar Panels, the Seeds of Opportunity Sprout
Low-impact development of solar installations can shelter vegetation and boost energy production, creating a win-win-win for food, water, and renewable energy.
March 2019
Patent Protection Awarded to NREL's EcoSnap-AC Technology
The patented device eliminates leaking air that comes with a window-mounted unit, reduces noise, and operates with more efficiency.
NREL Analysts Help Student Teams Battle Real-Time Cyberattacks, Gain Skills
When a series of cyberattacks surged through the Denver Tech Center, NREL Cybersecurity Analysts Joshua Rivera, Adarsh Hasandka, and Anuj Sanghvi could just watch--and wait. That's because they were volunteers at the eighth Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.
NREL Federal Energy Management Program Team Directly Supports $13.7B of Federal Facility Energy Efficiency Improvements
A special NREL Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) procurement team is responsible for directly supporting almost $14 billion worth of upgrades to federal energy infrastructure projects using unique contracting and financing mechanisms, ensuring federal facilities received the energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades they needed.
Building Community Through Competition: The 29th Annual Colorado High School Science Bowl
Since its inception, the Colorado High School Science Bowl has given students the opportunity to engage in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) enrichment beyond the classroom.
New Materials Could Lead to Recyclable Wind Blades
Advancements in wind energy have allowed the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere to drop considerably, and all without raising the levelized cost of energy. However, disposing of the materials used to create these energy-efficient machines can be complicated and have unintended consequences. Thanks to researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), this could soon be a thing of the past.
News Release: Fort Collins High School Reigns Supreme at the 29th Colorado High School Science Bowl
This marks the third consecutive year students from Fort Collins High School won the Colorado competition.
NREL Unveils Look at Most Efficient Solar Modules
The initial Champion Module Efficiencies chart contains 73 data points, dating to 1988, and broken out into 19 different technologies.
News Release: NREL's Economic Impact Tops $1 Billion
The new study estimates NREL's impact on Colorado's economy at nearly $748 million.
News Release: Tenth Edition of Data Book Reveals Trends in U.S. and Global Renewable Energy Growth
This year's edition is the first to include data and trends for electric vehicles and energy storage technologies, in addition to data-centric charts for wind, solar, hydropower, and alternative fuels.
News Release: NREL Announces New Projects to Advance Medium- and Heavy-Duty Natural Gas Vehicle Technologies
The selected projects will focus on reducing the total cost of ownership of NGVs, increasing vehicle efficiency, decreasing local air pollution, and advancing technology development to increase the use of more affordable medium- and heavy-duty natural gas engines and vehicles.
REopt Lite Adds Custom Electricity Rates and an Integrated Critical Load Builder
Building owners and energy managers looking to evaluate renewable energy and storage economics for their site can use REopt™ Lite's custom utility rate tariff capabilities and an integrated critical load profile builder—new features that allow a more detailed energy analysis without leaving the tool.
February 2019
Competition Spurs Transformative Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Solutions
The U.S. Department of Energy recently launched the Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize, with NREL as prize administrator. The $5.5-million phased prize competition is designed to incentivize American innovators and businesses to develop and demonstrate processes that, when scaled, have the potential to profitably capture 90% of all discarded or spent lithium-ion batteries in the United States.
News Release: NREL Pioneers Cleaner Route to Upcycle Plastics into Superior Products
The NREL team chemically combined reclaimed polyethylene terephthalate plastic, in the form of single-use beverage bottles, with bio-based compounds to produce higher-value fiber-reinforced plastics that can be used in products from snowboards to vehicle parts to wind turbines.
NREL Urban Planners Translate Energy Technology into Market Success through Local, State, Federal, and Tribal Governments
Urban planners have not historically dealt in energy issues, yet clean energy is a growing focus around the world and urban planners' role in energy transitions is evolving as demand increases.
Last Updated May 28, 2025