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May 2018
News Release: NREL Researchers Measure Impact of Eclipse on Electrical Grid
A recent analysis from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that, during last summer's total eclipse, solar energy output in the West dropped by about 5.9 gigawatts (GW).
Middle School Students Take the STEM Wheel
On May 19, NREL hosted its 19th annual Middle School Electric Car Competition, where students raced solar and lithium-ion powered cars that they designed and built.
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.
April 2018
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.
NREL Research Pushes Perovskites Closer to Market
NREL has played a significant role in the increased efficiency of perovskite solar cells.
News Release: New Solar PV Tool Accurately Calculates Degradation Rates, Saving Money and Guiding Business Decisions
A new software package developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and industry partners SunPower and kWh Analytics is making the measurement of PV system expected lifetime performance more reliable, consistent, and accurate.
News Release: Perovskite Technology is Scalable, But Questions Remain about the Best Methods
As perovskite solar cells set efficiency records and the nascent technology becomes more stable, another major challenge remains: the issue of scalability, according to researchers at the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025