May 2018
Access to Data Accelerates Innovation and Adoption of Geothermal Technologies
The future of the geothermal sector is being driven by data-informed decisions and research. NREL's geothermal team is developing several tools and platforms to streamline the collection and sharing of geothermal data sets, enabling new breakthroughs in geothermal research and development.
Research Turbine Leaves Legacy in Its Wake
The conclusion of a successful multiyear industry partnership will soon alter the landscape for Denver-area residents. This week, GE will remove the largest of the megawatt-scale research turbines at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) National Wind Technology Center (NWTC), located near Boulder, Colorado.
NREL's EVI-Pro Lite Tool Paves the Way for Future Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Planning
A new NREL-developed tool called EVI-Pro Lite is helping communities across the country evaluate existing electric vehicle charging infrastructure and determine future needs for charging infrastructure to support increased regional adoption of EVs. Using data from personal vehicle travel patterns, electric vehicle attributes, and charging station characteristics, the tool projects demand for charging infrastructure by state or city/urban area.
Webinar May 17: Fuel Cell Electric Bus Progress toward Meeting Technical Targets
In this DOE Fuel Cell Technologies Office webinar, NREL's Leslie Eudy will present the most recent performance results from fuel cell electric buses operated by six transit agencies and discuss progress made toward meeting technical targets.
News Release: NREL Names Four Scientists Senior Research Fellows
Mowafak Al-Jassim, Andy Walker, Robert McCormick, and Gregg Beckham were chosen for their significant contributions to NREL and the larger scientific community.
News Release: NREL's Gregg Beckham Wins Prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Award
Gregg Beckham, a senior research fellow and group leader at NREL, was awarded the prize for the development of hybrid biological-catalytic and recycling processes to convert biomass and waste plastics to useful chemicals and high-value materials.
News Release: NREL Releases Major Update to Wind Energy Dataset
A massive amount of wind data was recently made accessible online, greatly expanding the amount of information available on wind flow across the continental United States.
Remember the Algae that Went to Space? Here's What Happened Next
NREL scientists and Chatfield High School students are seeing the results of their collaborative experiment that sent a novel bioreactor housing two different strains of algae into space last summer.
News Release: NREL Validates Go Electric's Technology As Part of Wells Fargo IN2 Program
The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has completed technology validation testing for Go Electric Inc. as part of the NREL-administered Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) program.
Analysis Quantifies California's Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Needs
How many electric vehicle chargers does the State of California need to accommodate 1.3 million EVs? That was the subject of a collaborative study conducted by the California Energy Commission (CEC) in partnership with NREL with respect to the state's 2025 zero-emission vehicle goal.
April 2018
Q&A with Andy Walker: The Ins and Outs of Renewable Energy Optimization
NREL researcher Andy Walker sits down to discuss a new role as research fellow, and his work in developing renewable energy optimization techniques.
Low- and Moderate-Income Residences Can Help Modernize the U.S. Electric Grid
Pairing solar photovoltaics with rooftops of low and moderate-income housing represents an opportunity to help modernize the U.S. electric grid and improve energy affordability in low-income communities
NREL Researchers Create New Materials With Unusual Properties
Few scientists reference Kurt Vonnegut in their academic journals, but researchers at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found the parallels between his work and theirs compelling. Both invoke polymorphism--the ability of a material to adopt multiple crystal structures.
NREL and Hawaiian Electric Navigate Uncharted Waters of Energy Transformation (Part 2)
NREL and the Hawaiian Electric Companies are evaluating energy trends and simulating future grid scenarios to ensure stability--and their findings could help other islands, and even mainland states, apply similar solutions.
NREL and Hawaiian Electric Navigate Uncharted Waters of Energy Transformation (Part 1)
NREL helped the Hawaiian Electric Companies respond to new stability challenges associated with the rapid addition of solar power and other renewables to Hawaii's six isolated island grids.
Co-Optima Transportation Ingenuity Capitalizes on Strengths of U.S. Energy Resources and Existing Infrastructure
The FY17 Year in Review describes recent advances including identification of key properties for new fuels, assessment of compatibility with vehicle components and infrastructure, and expansion of research to encompass solutions for the entire on-road fleet. This research effort, led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is providing industry with the scientific underpinnings needed to accelerate introduction of high-performance fuels and engines that reduce energy consumption, improve air quality, and lower drivers' costs.
CAEBAT Model Featured on American Chemical Society Journal Tenth Anniversary Issue Cover
NREL's collaboration with Purdue University's School of Mechanical Engineering has yielded new insights for lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery electrodes at the microstructural level, that can lead to improvements in electric vehicle (EV) battery performance and lifespan. A stochastic algorithm developed by Purdue University, as part of NREL's Advanced Computer-Aided Battery Engineering Consortium, is prominently displayed on the cover of the 10th anniversary issue of American Chemical Society's Applied Materials and Interfaces. The NREL/Purdue team's corresponding article, "Secondary-Phase Stochastics in Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes" detailing the research and resulting discoveries, is showcased inside.
KULR Technology Exclusively Licenses Award-Winning Battery Internal Short Circuit Device
Under agreement with NREL, KULR will be the exclusive manufacturing, distribution, and marketing partner for the patented, award-winning Battery Internal Short Circuit (ISC) Device to industrial, research, and design clients. Developed by NREL and NASA, the Battery ISC Device revolutionizes the way lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are evaluated so designs can be improved before batteries hit store shelves.
Abundant Renewable Energy Resources Exist in Lao PDR
A clearer picture of which renewable energy resources can benefit the Lao People's Democratic Republic has emerged from a new report published by NREL.
NREL Staff Honored for Innovative Thinking, Accomplishments
The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) celebrated the innovative minds behind cutting-edge research at its annual Innovation and Technology Transfer Awards ceremony last month.
Last Updated May 28, 2025