Feature Stories
The following feature stories take an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how NREL is advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
November 2019
Nov. 6, 2019
Wind Pioneer Paul Veers
NREL Research Fellow Paul Veers learned early that he didn't want to stay on the farm, but instead found the challenge of wind energy and its wind farms a perfect fit.
Nov. 4, 2019
NREL’s ‘Living Laboratory’ Provides Steppingstones to Real-World Impact
The number of electric vehicles (EVs) hitting the road is increasing, and with that comes a significant challenge: developing and deploying low-cost solutions for public EV charging infrastructure. Partners such as PowerFlex are using NREL's "living laboratory" to find solutions to this and other big energy challenges.
October 2019
Oct. 29, 2019
Bryan Pivovar: Champion for H2@Scale
Bryan Pivovar began researching hydrogen when the field was wide open, but now the new NREL senior research fellow sees the next decade belonging to hydrogen energy.
Oct. 23, 2019
A New Way to Measure Mobility Potential of Cities
The Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric comprehensively quantifies the efficiency of transportation systems while taking time, affordability, and energy use into consideration.
Oct. 11, 2019
Matt Beard: New Senior Research Fellow Helps Make Quantum Leap in Solar Energy
Newly appointed NREL Senior Research Fellow Matt Beard is pursuing new concepts that can impact many types of different energy technologies.
Oct. 7, 2019
From Refugee to Researcher
NREL Senior Scientist Huyen Dinh has overcome the upheaval of being a refugee to becoming a leader in hydrogen research.
Oct. 1, 2019
Researcher Champions Scientific Diversity
Ismael Mendoza leverages his experience and passion to attract a new generation of Hispanics to scientific research.
September 2019
Sept. 17, 2019
Call Sherry: Engineer Helps Tribes, Alaskan Villages Find Energy Solutions
In many tribal communities, electricity is expensive, unreliable, or completely unavailable. NREL Engineer Sherry Stout works with such communities, helping them use renewable energy to reduce costs and access reliable power.
August 2019
Aug. 22, 2019
Exploring Tomorrow's Energy Solutions, Together
NREL’s 2019 Partner Forum brought together energy industry leaders across multiple sectors to discuss today’s energy challenges and explore tomorrow’s potential solutions.
Aug. 12, 2019
From the Bottom Up: Designing a Decentralized Power System
Cross-Discipline Team Envisions the Grid of the Future
Aug. 1, 2019
Virtual Tools Developed at NREL Create Real-World Savings
NREL researchers are creating useful software applications designed to help highlight potential costs and savings associated with renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. In doing so, they hope to shorten the path to commercialization and increase overall adoption of those technologies.
July 2019
July 3, 2019
ARPA-E Investment in NREL Pays Dividends in Advancing Energy Tech
Modeled on a Department of Defense effort to put emerging technologies into the hands of the military, ARPA-E provides funds to overcome roadblocks that would otherwise prevent promising energy ideas from reaching the public.
June 2019
June 17, 2019
Collaborative Research Charts Course to Hundreds of New Nitrides
A groundbreaking research effort involving scientists at NREL and at other laboratories around the country yielded the prediction of 203 new stable ternary nitride compounds.
April 2019
April 29, 2019
NREL Partnership Successes Help Transform National Energy Landscape
NREL, which already has some 850 active partnership agreements with more than 500 partners in industry, government, and academia, is helping change the clean energy landscape along with its partners.
April 24, 2019
Early-Stage Companies and Investors Agree: IGF is the Place to Be in Cleantech Startup Ecosystem
NREL's Industry Growth Forum helps move technology to market through increased funding opportunities, mentorship, networking, and investor-entrepreneur interaction.
April 22, 2019
Your Renewable Energy Technology is Growing Old--What's Next?
While hundreds of millions of tons of trash continue to be dumped into American landfills annually, a growing percentage has been diverted to recycling centers since the first Earth Day in 1970. But these centers aren't set up for renewable energy technologies.
April 1, 2019
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.
February 2019
Feb. 25, 2019
Little Uncertainty Remains at NREL, Thanks to Improvements in PV Performance Measurement
NREL achieves the world's most accurate method to measure PV performance, with an uncertainty rate of only 1.1%.
Feb. 5, 2019
Energy Executive Leadership Academy Provides Tools to Transform Energy
Through its Energy Execs program, NREL invites leaders from across the country to learn about advanced energy research.
January 2019
Jan. 24, 2019
NREL, Eaton Mark One Year as Partners on Innovative Energy Solutions
Seventeen Eaton employees are co-located at NREL under a cooperative agreement signed last January between the laboratory and the multinational power management company.
Jan. 17, 2019
NREL Research Proves Switchable Solar Window Works, Now Focus Moves to Making it Work Better
A year after NREL Researcher Lance Wheeler attracted international attention for his research detailing a window that could both darken and generate electricity, he's starting over--almost from scratch.
