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May 2020
ARPA-E Awards NREL To Study Risk and Reward of Energy Resource Flexibility
The Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) has announced $3.4 million in project funding for an NREL-led team in a new program designed to assess the delivery risk of grid assets' ability to provide expected power.
Inertia and the Power Grid: A Guide Without the Spin
A new video and report explain the historical role of inertia in maintaining a reliable power system—and how this role is changing as the grid evolves.
Scientists Pinpoint Pathways for Carbon Dioxide Uptake of Cyanobacteria
Research performed by the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)—a joint effort between NREL and the University of Colorado, Boulder—shows how RASEI researchers traced the growth of individual cyanobacteria, providing new insights into the biological pathways that enable efficient photosynthetic growth, and ultimately high-value renewable fuels and chemicals.
HydroWIRES Pinpoints Key Design Elements of Tomorrow's Power System
Hydropower may be the missing puzzle piece that offers the flexibility and storage necessary to effectively bridge the gap between traditional and renewable resources on the grid.
American-Made Challenges Program Selects New Cohort of Power Connectors
This spring, a new cohort of Power Connectors joined the American-Made Challenges team following a competitive application process. The group was chosen for their expertise in areas that would ensure the success of competing teams and the overall program.
Virtual Science Bowl Offers Practical Lessons in Learning and Creativity
The NREL Education Programs team put their creativity to the test by hosting the 30th Colorado High School Science Bowl online for the first time in the event’s history. Cherry Creek High School's team won first place this year, unseating three-time champion Fort Collins High School.
Wind for Schools: Supporting Teachers and Students in Distance Learning
NREL is supporting distance learning for K-12 students through exciting, hands-on Wind for Schools programs such as KidWind and NEED (National Energy Education Development).
NREL's John Farrell Honored for Leadership in Sustainable Fuels and Engines
Since taking the helm of NREL's vehicle technologies research in 2013, John Farrell has been instrumental in directing R&D initiatives for the U.S. DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Vehicle Technologies Office, ranging from high-density energy storage to vehicle automation, as well as co-optimization of fuel and engine technologies to vehicle-to-grid interactions.
Energy Department Launches $4.65M Geothermal Prize Through American-Made Challenges
The American-Made Challenges program is giving a boost to geothermal energy by bringing the additive manufacturing and geothermal industries together in its newest competition—the American-Made Geothermal Manufacturing Prize.
Blockchain: Not Just for Bitcoin
A common vision for the future of the nation's energy grid involves homeowners selling unused power generated from rooftop solar panels to others in their communities, and working together to help ensure the reliability, resiliency, and security of the power grid everyone uses. But how can the grid manage such complex energy transactions at scale? Several emerging solutions rely on blockchain technology.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025