News and Feature Stories
The following news stories take an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how NREL is advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
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March 2021
March 9, 2021
CoMET Aids Researchers and Partners in Reaching the Stars—and the Market
Next-gen facilities produce next-gen technologies. Learn more about the collaborative CoMET workspace and innovations to come out of it.
March 9, 2021
Even in Frigid Temperatures, Air-Source Heat Pumps Keep Homes Warm From Alaska Coast to U.S. Mass Market
The air-source heat pump that Tom Marsik installed in his house eight years ago was rare for Alaska. Air-source heat pumps take heat from the outside air, run it through a refrigeration cycle to step up the temperature (just like your fridge, but in reverse), and deliver it to a building.
March 8, 2021
NREL's New Solar TRACE Tool Adds Transparency to Permitting, Inspection, and Interconnection Nationwide
In partnership with the solar industry, NREL recently developed Solar TRACE, an online tool to increase transparency into PII processes, requirements, and overall adoption cycle times nationwide.
March 4, 2021
Cyber-Energy Emulation Platform Offers Insights into EV Fast-Charging Station Cybersecurity, Mitigation Strategies
Leveraging the newly developed Cyber-Energy Emulation Platform, NREL researchers evaluated a 50-kW fast-charge station in the ESIF to identify risks and challenges that fast-charge stations could potentially introduce to charging infrastructure.
March 4, 2021
News Release: NREL Industry Growth Forum Announces 2021 Presenting Start-Ups from Around the World
Forty companies have been selected to participate in the NREL Industry Growth Forum, which will be held virtually again this year. More than 150 companies applied for the chance to present their cleantech innovations to potential investors and engaged industry experts at the 26th annual event.
March 2, 2021
Science Bowl Encourages Next Generation of Scientists Through Competition and Education
A Fossil Ridge High School team has become the winners of the 31st annual Colorado Regional High School Science Bowl, unseating last year's champions, Cherry Creek High School.
February 2021
Feb. 26, 2021
Community Microgrids From All Angles
With funding from the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), NREL will lead and contribute to multiple projects that emphasize microgrid controls and stability for community-scale systems, building and demonstrating new microgrid designs in a variety of real-system scenarios.
Feb. 26, 2021
Q&A with Kristin Munch: Advancing Computing Capabilities To Efficiently Simulate, Analyze Complex Energy Systems
As laboratory program manager for Advanced Computing, Kristin Munch helps develop the vision and strategy for NREL's computational infrastructure and ecosystem.
Feb. 26, 2021
Silicon Anode Research Offers Pathway to Increased Driving Range for Electric Vehicles
A new NREL-led multi-lab consortium addresses critical barriers to the development of smaller, cheaper, and better performing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles by investigating the use of silicon as an alternative to graphitic carbon anode material.
Feb. 25, 2021
Pathways To Achieve New Circular Vision for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly in demand for energy storage and use in electric vehicles—needs that are projected to grow further with expected technological innovations and declining costs.
Feb. 24, 2021
Research Strengthens Reliability as Wind Power Shifts Into High Gear
Keeping wind gearboxes in operating condition is essential to efficient and cost-effective wind power plant operation. New tools from NREL are making it possible to predict individual component reliability for the entire wind plant, reduce operations and maintenance costs through early design decisions, and take maintenance measures to extend gearbox life spans.
Feb. 23, 2021
DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office Funds Next-Gen Turbine Blades and More
Recipient of one prime award and playing a supporting role on eight other winning proposals, NREL had a strong showing in the recently announced 2020 DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office Multi-Topic FOA awards.
Feb. 22, 2021
News Release: Groundbreaking Research into White-Rot Fungi Proves Its Value in Carbon Sequestration from Lignin
A foundational study conducted by scientists at NREL shows for the first time that white-rot fungi are able to use carbon captured from lignin as a carbon source.
Feb. 22, 2021
Lighting the Path to Net Zero: NREL's Research Strategy Drives Deep Transportation Decarbonization
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, accounting for about 28% of total carbon emissions. Turning that metric to zero stands as a critical task in the global push to drive down emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Feb. 18, 2021
Students Shed Light on Deep-Down Geothermal Benefits in Infographic Design Challenge
The Fall 2020 Geothermal Design Challenge asked students to tackle an important communications task—create infographics and data visualization to foster understanding of geothermal energy, broadly communicate its benefits, and help overcome key non-technical barriers to geothermal development.
Feb. 18, 2021
NREL Advances in Battery Research with Physics-Based Machine Learning Accelerates Characterization of Cell Performance, Lifetime, and Safety
Energy storage scientists at NREL are turning to cutting-edge machine-learning techniques to strengthen understanding of advanced battery materials, chemistries, and cell designs.
Feb. 17, 2021
First Virtual JUMP into STEM Competition Showcases Student Solutions to Building Science Challenges
The JUMP into STEM management team designed the Jan. 28–29, 2021, virtual competition to replicate the experiences of an on-site competition. The first day helped create a community experience by providing students the opportunity to learn from and network with building science professionals and fellow students.
Feb. 16, 2021
NREL Research Identifies Motivations, Methods for Achieving a Circular Economy for Wind Energy
Researchers at NREL are addressing critical challenges when it comes to achieving a circular economy for wind turbine components. The motivations for pursuing this research are outlined in a new journal article, "Wind turbine blade material in the United States: Quantities, costs, and end-of-life options."
Feb. 16, 2021
NREL Software Automates Residential Solar Permitting, Replacing Painstaking Process for Local Governments
NREL has released a no-cost resource for cities and counties across the country to streamline distributed solar installation: SolarAPP (Solar Automated Permit Processing).
Feb. 16, 2021
NREL Discusses Circular Economy With High-Profile Partners in Fourth Partner Forum
At its fourth annual Partner Forum, NREL showcased its stable of leading experts and opened its virtual doors to partners, extending invitations to companies from around the world to engage in a collaborative effort to design a future replete with renewable energy solutions to the energy challenges of today.
Feb. 16, 2021
New E-ROBOT Prize Encourages Robotic Innovation To Drive Energy Efficiency in Envelope Retrofit Solutions
The future of buildings is affordable, comfortable, and energy efficient. However, the current reality is that buildings consume 39% of all U.S. energy and 74% of all U.S. electricity at an annual cost of more than $400 billion.
Feb. 12, 2021
CEMAC/JISEA Releases Global Clean Energy Manufacturing Data and Insights
The latest Benchmarks of Global Clean Energy Manufacturing report assesses market characteristics, global trade flows, and manufacturing value added for four clean energy technologies to support deeper insights into balance of trade effects on upstream materials.
Feb. 12, 2021
Using Mathematical Models To Enable Transportation Decarbonization and Combat Climate Change
Conducted in partnership with USAID, an NREL study assessing the electrification potential of transit fleets in two Mexican cities determined that at least 80% of the operational bus days for the studied routes were suitable for electrification—with a 250-kWh battery in Mexico City and a 300-kWh battery in León.
Feb. 11, 2021
NREL's dGen Analysts Team Up With Orlando Utilities Commission To Forecast Household Solar Adoption
NREL analysts tailor the Distributed Generation Market Demand model for Orlando energy planners, simulating individual household rooftop solar photovoltaic adoption potential through 2050—the highest-resolution projections for Orlando to date.
Feb. 11, 2021
News Release: NREL Heats Up Thermal Energy Storage with New Solution Meant To Ease Grid Stress, Ultimately Improving Energy Efficiency
Scientists from NREL have developed a simple way to better evaluate the potential of novel materials to store or release heat on demand in your home, office, or other building in a way that more efficiently manages the building's energy use.
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