June 2018
News Release: Researchers Discover New Enzyme Paradigm for Critical Reaction in Converting Lignin to Useful Products
An international research team, including scientists from NREL, has discovered and characterized a new family of cytochrome P450 enzymes that is critical to improving the conversion of lignin--one of the main components of plants--into valuable products such as nylon, plastics, and chemicals.
Advanced Thermal Management for Power-Dense Power Electronics and Electric Motors Improves EVs
As EVs are further developed, new materials and enhanced configurations to improve the thermal management systems of power electronics and electric motors is necessary for peak EV performance. Thermal management continues to be a growing field as components used in various applications are required to be smaller, more affordable, and more powerful.
NREL, DOE, and U.S. Automakers Join Together to Transform Mobility Future
Representatives from Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and the U.S. Department of Energy met with NREL researchers who are developing and integrating vehicle and infrastructure technologies with big data and communication systems to connect and automate transportation. With the advent of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies and integration with renewable power sources, the grid, buildings, and other systems, NREL is not only looking for ways to help reduce transportation costs, but also plan ahead as the U.S. population shifts to urban mega-regions in collaboration with industry partners.
News Release: Novel Genetic Method Improves Efficiency of Enzyme
Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the University of Georgia developed a new genetic engineering technique to dramatically improve an enzyme's ability to break down biomass.
News Release: NREL Announces Participants for 2018 Executive Energy Leadership Program
The program provides non-technical business, governmental, and community leaders throughout the country an opportunity to learn about advanced energy technologies, analytical tools, and financing to guide their organizations and communities in energy-related decisions and planning.
Research Spotlights Energy Efficiency of Ride-Hailing Services
NREL hosted a recent meeting with representatives from industry and academia to discuss research exploring the energy impact of ride-hailing services. The growing use of such services has the potential to disrupt traditional car ownership paradigms, buoyed by the surge in younger consumers who only know a world with technology at their fingertips. Research indicates that ride-hailing options should be networked, electrified, shared, and mobile-friendly to best realize improvements in road congestion, energy use, and air quality.
International Interest in NREL's Fuels and Engines Research
The European Union's goal is for 10% of all of Europe's transportation fuels to come from renewable sources by 2020. In April, CNBC World's international news program "Sustainable Energy" came to NREL to spotlight how the lab's breakthrough biofuels research is advancing progress toward that ambitious objective.
REopt Lite's Application Programming Interface Boosts Solar+Storage Analysis Flexibility
NREL released an API for REopt(TM) Lite, enabling streamlined integration with other tools inside and outside NREL and allowing building owners and researchers to evaluate the economics of grid-connected solar PV and battery storage at multiple commercial sites. The API opens opportunities for research collaboration and broader market impact, driving solar and storage deployment.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus Evaluation Project Reveals Success for Transit Partner
Results from a National Renewable Energy Laboratory evaluation of hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) at Alameda Contra-Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in California show that FCEBs have made significant progress toward commercialization, surpassing Department of Energy's ultimate technical targets for fuel cell operating hours and reliability.
Trends in Ground Transportation to and from Airport Reflect Nationwide Mobility Shift
Passenger transportation and aviation systems are on the frontline of innovation in moving more people faster, cheaper, and better—fueled in part by greater convenience and increased choices. An NREL study focuses on the growing use and impacts of ride-hailing services to and from airports, with implications for the future of ride-hailing, parking, and car rental services in cities.
Enhanced Resilience Features Help REopt Lite Users Size Solar+Storage Systems to Support Critical Building Loads
NREL's REopt Lite web tool now offers enhanced resilience analysis capabilities that allow building owners and energy managers to size PV and storage systems to meet a specified outage duration and compare the sizing and costs of a resilient system with a system sized to maximize savings.
May 2018
NREL Connects with the Community--Next Door and Across the Country
Although NREL's recent community open house is a highly visible outreach effort, it is only one of many connecting the laboratory with communities in Colorado and across the country.
Collaboration Initiates New Early-Stage Research
The U.S. Department of Energy’s interest in increasing national energy security and lowering the cost of transporting goods spurred a $3 million effort to support cost-shared research to improve high-efficiency natural gas engines. NREL is collaborating with Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories to further this early-stage research.
Planning a City, Virtually
NREL has developed an immersive visualization environment to help plan for Denver's new smart community, Peña Station NEXT.
When the Gears Stop Turning
NREL teams with PG&E to stabilize grid frequency with synthetic inertia.
News Release: NREL Researchers Measure Impact of Eclipse on Electrical Grid
A recent analysis from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that, during last summer's total eclipse, solar energy output in the West dropped by about 5.9 gigawatts (GW).
New CSP Funding Is Getting Hotter
NREL has received $7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop the next generation of liquid-phase concentrating solar power technology.
Middle School Students Take the STEM Wheel
On May 19, NREL hosted its 19th annual Middle School Electric Car Competition, where students raced solar and lithium-ion powered cars that they designed and built.
Enhanced Vehicle Simulation Tool Enables Wider Array of Analyses
New and enhanced versions of NREL's Future Automotive Systems Technology Simulator (FASTSim) are now available for free download in Python and Microsoft Excel formats at www.nrel.gov/fastsim. FASTSim provides a quick and simple way to compare powertrains and estimate the impact of technology improvements on light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle efficiency, performance, cost, and battery life.
Breakdown Breakthrough: NREL Finds Easier Ways to Deconstruct Biomass
Technical challenges have stymied efforts to produce bioethanol on a commercial scale, but research underway at NREL may hold the key to overcoming those barriers.
Last Updated May 28, 2025