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September 2021
Advanced Thermal Management Design Boosts Performance of Silicon Carbide Inverters for Heavy-Duty Vehicles
A state-of-the-art thermal management system developed by NREL in collaboration with John Deere promises to significantly increase the power density of silicon carbide (SiC) inverters within heavy-duty EV applications.
President Biden Makes Historic Visit to NREL's Flatirons Campus
President Joe Biden visited NREL's Flatirons Campus to speak with NREL leadership and to learn about the laboratory's research facilities, capabilities, and critical initiatives housed on the Flatirons Campus. During the visit, the president spoke to a livestream audience about his plans on infrastructure, environmental justice, and how to tackle the climate crisis.
To Toss, Repair, or Recycle? How Human Behavior Affects the Fate of Aging Solar Panels
By 2050, there could be 80 million metric tons globally of solar photovoltaics (PV) reaching the end of their lifetime, with 10 million metric tons in the United States alone—or the weight of 30 Empire State Buildings.
New Master Roadmap Guides Industries To Invest in Low-Cost, Low-Energy Ways To Treat Salt Water and Recycle Wastewater
National Alliance for Water Innovation's new master roadmap guides industries to invest in low-cost, low-energy ways to treat salt water and recycle wastewater.
August 2021
Going the Way of T-Rex: Life Cycle Waste and Emissions in Construction Material Manufacturing
NREL researchers are developing strategies to prevent construction from gobbling up resources with BREX—shorthand for Building Materials' Reduce, Reuse, and Recycling.
NREL's Thermoplastic Blade Research Dives Deep With Verdant Power's Tidal Energy Turbines
NREL is measuring the performance of its potentially industry-changing thermoplastic blades on Verdant Power's tidal power turbine in New York City's East River.
Lightning No Match for Wind Turbine Blade Protection System
NREL develops lightning protection system for wind turbine blades made of thermoplastic resins and bonded together with NREL's patent-pending thermal welding process.
July 2021
Engaging Autopilot: NREL Explores Automation To Build Better Blades, Lower Costs, and Transform Wind Technology Manufacturing
NREL researchers are charting the course to better quality, lower-cost wind turbine blades through automation.
News Release: Analysis Shows Enzyme-Based Plastics Recycling Is More Energy Efficient, Better for Environment
Researchers in the BOTTLE Consortium, including from NREL and the University of Portsmouth, have identified using enzymes as a more sustainable approach for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common plastic in single-use beverage bottles, clothing, and food packaging.
May 2021
NREL's Partner Institution, the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis, Launches Catalyzers Initiative
The JISEA Catalyzers initiative will incubate research capabilities for 1–2 years before being launched into a new NREL-led program.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025