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May 2022
Department of Energy Announces Solar District Cup Class of 2021–2022 Winners
On Monday, April 25, DOE announced the top division winners and Project Pitch Champion in the Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition Class of 2021–2022. A total of nine student-led teams won first, second, or third place across the three divisions, plus four honorable mentions.
April 2022
Solar Desalination Prize Round 2 Semifinalists Announced
The U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Desalination Prize Round 2 has named six semifinalist teams with innovative solar-thermal desalination system concepts.
Working Out the Details of a Circular Solar Economy
As solar grows rapidly as an energy source, the number of photovoltaic (PV) modules that are manufactured and installed each year will continue to expand.
Scientists Decide How To Prove Out Perovskite Panels for Space Power
As researchers develop new technologies for space applications, careful thought and rigorous testing must be performed to be certain the technology can function for an extended period in the operating environment.
Win-Win: Prize Competitions Drive U.S. Clean Energy Entrepreneurship
NREL customizes competitions for DOE technology offices—solar, water, buildings, geothermal, and others—to meet industry needs. American-Made is a pillar of DOE's activities, incentivizing U.S. entrepreneurs to strengthen American leadership in energy innovation and domestic manufacturing.
Q&A With Parthiv Kurup: A Practical Captain To Helm the Clean Energy Transition
As part of the Manufacturing Masterminds Q&A profile series, Parthiv Kurup shares how his analyses are streamlining manufacturing processes to reduce the sector's energy consumption while reducing costs.
Solar Decathlon Turns 20!
2022 marks the 20th anniversary of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, an international collegiate competition that has helped popularize renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, while training the clean energy workforce of tomorrow.
March 2022
Aging Gracefully: How NREL Is Extending the Lifetime of Solar Modules
DuraMAT, a multi-laboratory consortium led by NREL, is exploring ideas that could extend solar module lifetime up to 50 years.
February 2022
Looking Back on a Sunny Legacy
When it comes to concentrating solar power (CSP) research, Mark Mehos has seen the industry growth and solar boom firsthand. CSP technologies—capturing sunlight to produce heat that drives thermoelectric generation systems—had their beginnings in the mid-1980s, at the dawn of his 35-year career at NREL.
Can We Fix Recycling?
Three NREL teams win prestigious REMADE awards to remake recycling, improve manufacturing, and build a circular economy.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025