November 2018
Using CSP to Improve Frequency Stability of Power Grid
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and General Electric (GE) have joined forces to tackle an issue that is relatively new ground for the power industry. Five years ago, most people couldn't envision high penetration on the grid of variable-generation renewables such as photovoltaics (PV) and wind.
Researcher Rockets to Global Recognition for Breakthroughs in Battery Safety and Performance
NREL's Donal Finegan recently received a Global Young Researcher Award from the Institution of Chemical Engineers for his contributions to NASA's battery safety program and NREL's advanced diagnostics. Not yet 30 years old, Finegan is widely viewed as a leader in the international battery community, responsible for significant advancements in safety, diagnostic techniques, and design approaches.
News Release: R&D Magazine Honors Duo of NREL Innovations
Given annually by R&D Magazine, the awards honor the 100 most innovative technologies of the past year and were chosen by an independent panel of judges.
News Release: NREL Identifies Where New Solar Technologies Can Be Flexible
Opportunity exists for thin-film photovoltaic and emerging technologies notable for being lightweight and flexible, according to scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
NREL Shifts Carbon Fiber Research into Second Gear
Ongoing research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory could lead to a cleaner method of transforming acrylonitrile into carbon fiber, replacing petrochemicals with biomass as the starting point.
Philippines Government Aims to Transform its Power System through the REZ Transmission Planning Process
NREL's Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Transmission Planning Process served as a valuable guide for the planned approach to integrate transmission expansion and renewable energy generation planning in the Philippines.
How Will Wind Industry Find the Answer? With WISDEM
WISDEM--an acronym for Wind Plant Integrated Systems Design and Engineering Model--is open-source software that answers the "what if" questions.
REopt Lite Adds New Energy Optimization Capabilities with Wind, Custom Rate Tariff, Critical Load Builder, and User Dashboard Features
The REopt Lite web tool's new wind optimization module lets building owners and energy managers evaluate the economic viability of grid-connected wind at a site, in addition to solar photovoltaics and battery storage.
Molecular Scientists Unlock Sustainable Route Toward Hydrocarbons
A computational modeling team in NREL's Biosciences Center made a significant discovery regarding the key aspects of a cytochrome P450 enzyme that enable it to transform fatty acids directly to olefinic hydrocarbons, an important constituent of gasoline.
October 2018
Q&A with Bryan Palmintier: Pulling Together the Pieces with Systems Thinking
Bryan Palmintier's broad scientific career prior and his leadership in the outdoors have made him a cornerstone of many grid projects at NREL. Our Q&A with Palmintier reviews his current work, and how he became such a versatile scientist in energy systems integration.
NREL Veteran Supports Air Force Resilience Efforts
Tony Jimenez, a recently-retired Army Reservist of 25 years who spent nine months working as an NREL employee, has played a key role in supporting the military's goal of enhancing installation resilience.
Assessing the Wind Power Potential in Bangladesh
New USAID-NREL study uses improved wind resource data sets to determine the feasibility and risks involved in using wind power as a renewable energy resource in Bangladesh.
News Release: NREL, Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) Announce New Participants
As part of an ongoing partnership designed to accelerate transfer of energy efficient technologies' to market, the Wells Fargo Foundation and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory added five new clean-tech startups to the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) program.
New Mobility Paradigms Influence Electric Vehicle Charging Requirements
Ride-hailing companies' growing interest in operating electric vehicles (EVs) could trigger a significant increase in the demand for public fast chargers. Despite their ability to charge EVs quickly, fast-charging stations are not yet commonplace due to high installation and operating costs. Boosting their utilization could go a long way toward driving down costs. But what is the right number of fast-charging stations in a given area and where should they be located?
Natural Gas Emissions: Measure Top-down or Bottom-up?
Study reconciles persistent gap in natural gas methane emissions measurements.
Arizona Utility and NREL Launch One of the Largest-to-Date Home Energy Storage Studies
NREL and Arizona utility Salt River Project are studying the benefits and impacts of battery energy systems to both customers and utilities.
For Work on High Efficiency Photovoltaics, Dan Friedman Named APS Fellow
Dan Friedman, manager of NREL's High Efficiency Crystalline Photovoltaics Group, has been elected as a fellow of the American Physical Society for this work on III-V semiconductor physics and multijunction photovoltaic science, including numerous device efficiency records.
News Release: NREL to Lead $5 Million Initiative to Reduce Energy Use and Increase Energy Efficiency of Major Transportation Hub
Working with DFW and the surrounding region, NREL and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will identify technology approaches that maximize mobility energy productivity of passenger and freight options in this major transportation hub.
NREL, SDG&E Collaboration Expands Resiliency in Borrego Springs, Yields Nationally Scalable Results
NREL is working with SDG&E to better understand is how a microgrid controller with advanced technology would perform, specifically with the Borrego Springs microgrid.
New III-V Device Concept Combines Two Structures for Lower-Cost Impact, More Applications
NREL has recently combined two structures of III-V materials into one, providing a "two-for-the-price-of-one" benefit. The combination enables novel, potentially record-setting, multijunction solar cells.
Last Updated May 28, 2025