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February 2023
NREL Patent Activity Climbed in FY 2022 as Researchers Recognize More Eureka Moments
NREL files an average of about 170 patent applications annually and releases roughly 48 open-source software titles.
January 2023
NREL Launches Synthetic Biology Project To Advance Biofuel Discovery Technologies With LanzaTech, Northwestern, and Yale
Carbon-negative production of biofuels and biochemicals will be the focus of a recent biosystems design project launched by NREL, LanzaTech NZ Inc., Northwestern University, and Yale University.
Department of Energy Honors 12 From NREL
Staffers from NREL were honored for their work in helping move the country further away from the use of fossil fuels. The Secretary of Energy Achievement Award ranks as the highest form of recognition for federal and contractor employees within the department (DOE).
News Release: NREL Develops Systematic Framework To Compare Performance of Plastics Recycling Approaches
Researchers at NREL examined the benefits and trade-offs of current and emerging technologies for recycling certain types of plastics to determine the most appropriate options.
December 2022
Scientists Discover Enzymes That Could Make It Cheaper To Recycle Waste Polyester Textiles and Bottles Than Making Them From Petroleum
Using Machine Learning, the NREL-Led Team Discovered Variants of "Plastic-Eating" Enzymes Adapted To Deconstructing all Varieties of PET--Even Durable Crystalline Varieties
NREL Biofuel Scientist Honored by Colorado Governor for Lifetime of Achievements
Over his 40-plus-year career, Michael E. Himmel has unraveled the complexities of using enzymes to deconstruct lignocellulosic biomass for climate-friendly fuels.
Inflation Reduction Act Invests $150 Million in NREL Projects
NREL will begin work early next year on a series of additions and improvements to two of its campuses made possible by $150 million in funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Partnership Receives Funding To Commercialize NREL's 2,3-Butanediol Fermentation Process
NREL and BioPrincipia, a Georgia-based bioprocess technology company, are partnering to scale NREL's fermentation process for producing 2,3-butanediol.
The Caribbean Is Swimming in Seaweed. Scientists Aim To Turn It Into Jet Fuel and Batteries
It was not even close. In 2022, seaweed levels floating in the Caribbean smashed the record set in 2018 by 20%. You could see the consequences drifting up on shorelines from Puerto Rico to the Florida coast.
November 2022
Enzymes and Bacteria Sent on Mission To Upcycle Plastics
A plastic-degrading enzyme and an engineered bacterial strain have just been launched into space with an important mission: to convert waste plastics to upcycled materials during spaceflight.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025