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March 2022
Research Team Advances Biological Alternative to Producing Common Petrochemical
Engineers have dreamed of programming organisms to sustainably produce ethylene, a chemical nicknamed "king of petrochemicals" for its importance in plastics. Now, one pathway to this petrochemical is nearing reality, via a photosynthetic bacterium that is genetically specialized to turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into ethylene.
NREL Issues Competitiveness Improvement Project Request for Proposals
NREL has issued a request for proposals for the Competitiveness Improvement Project, which supports distributed wind energy.
February 2022
News Release: NREL Selects Amanda Kolker To Lead Geothermal Energy Program
NREL has named Amanda Kolker as the laboratory program manager for geothermal energy.
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.
NREL Bioengineering Process Prepares To Make a Splash
When Americans turn on a faucet, they rely on public treatment systems to ensure the water is safe to drink. Recently, Mars Materials was granted an option for an exclusive license to use NREL's renewable acrylonitrile technology in producing polyacrylamide flocculants for commercial use in water treatment systems.
Beyond Fossil Carbon? Green Electricity Is Opening Doors to Low-Emission Alternatives for Making Fuels and Chemicals
Petroleum, coal, and natural gas are not the only starting points for making fuels and chemicals. In fact, growing supplies of renewable electricity open exciting new doors for making identical products at potentially a fraction of the climate cost.
Can We Fix Recycling?
Three NREL teams win prestigious REMADE awards to remake recycling, improve manufacturing, and build a circular economy.
Transportation Modeling Tool Informs Intelligent Planning and Control for Mobility-Service-Provider Fleets
The transportation industry is on the cusp of rapid evolution, with vehicle electrification, automation, and ride sharing transforming the age-old paradigm of privately owned and operated gasoline vehicles.
A Metabolic "Traffic Map": Machine Learning Lets Scientists Plot Complex Flow of Compounds Through Microbes
Like traffic signals controlling cars through the center of town, microorganisms use metabolic signals to control the flow of energy and nutrients.
Blok-by-Blok: Lower Emissions and Costs With Net-Zero Energy Modules
A new report from Blokable, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) details actionable pathways to developing and building net zero energy (NZE) housing without increasing costs yet still reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. IN2 is managed by NREL's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025