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.
December 2006
Dec. 14, 2006
Experimental "Wind to Hydrogen" System Up and Running
Xcel Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory unveiled a unique facility that uses electricity from wind turbines to produce and store pure hydrogen.
Dec. 14, 2006
NREL and Xcel Energy Dedicate Wind-Powered Hydrogen Generator
DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Xcel Energy dedicated a new system to convert wind power into hydrogen on December 14th. The system, located at NREL's National Wind Technology Center, links two wind turbines to devices called electrolyzers, which pass the electricity through water to split the liquid into hydrogen and oxygen.
Dec. 6, 2006
CSP's Promise in Colorado
Colorado's San Luis Valley picked as potential spot for concentrating solar power project.
November 2006
Nov. 28, 2006
University of Denver High School Teacher Recognized for Commitment to Renewable Energy
Don Cameron, physics and astronomy teacher at the University of Denver High School (DUHS), earned this year's Renewable Energy Teacher Award from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) for his education initiatives highlighting renewable energy and for being an advocate of sustainability in the community.
Nov. 15, 2006
NREL Teams with Habitat for Humanity to Build Zero Energy Home
This three bedroom home in Denver is not only affordable, it's a zero energy home!
Nov. 7, 2006
Southwest Windpower Receives Best of What's New Award
Southwest Windpower recently received a 2006 Best of What's New Award from Popular Science for its newest product, the Skystream 3.7 wind generator. The Skystream was developed in collaboration with DOE/NREL and is designed to be a quiet and affordable way to protect homeowners from rising electricity costs.
Nov. 2, 2006
DOE Research Project Yields New Low-Speed Wind Turbine Blade
Knight & Carver has produced the first in a series of wind turbine blades that, according to the company, "ranks among the industry's most innovative advances in wind energy production." The 90-foot "STAR" blade is curved to relieve pressure on both the blade and the turbine, and features a gently curving tip to capture low-speed winds.
Nov. 1, 2006
More Than Pretty Maps—NREL Uses GIS to Find Workable Energy Solutions
NREL's geographic information systems (GIS) team produces maps of renewable energy resources that demonstrate which technologies, whether solar, wind, hydrogen or biomass, are the best, most workable energy solutions.
October 2006
Oct. 25, 2006
Clean Energy Alliance to Expand NREL's Business Assistance Model
The National Alliance of Clean Energy Business Incubators (NACEBI) has become the Clean Energy Alliance, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development of clean energy businesses.
Oct. 12, 2006
Energy Secretary Announces $13 Million to Expand Solar Energy Technologies
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman today announced more than $13 million to fund new research in solar technologies. This funding, part of President Bush's $148 million Solar America Initiative, will support the development of more efficient solar panels, known as photovoltaic devices.
Oct. 4, 2006
NREL, Chevron Establish Research Alliance to Advance Cellulosic Biofuels
Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), headquartered in Golden, Colo., today announced a strategic research alliance to advance the development of renewable transportation fuels.
September 2006
Sept. 15, 2006
NREL Supplies WAPA with Wind Farm Training Simulator
To enable WAPA to integrate wind energy into its training program, NREL supplied WAPA with a wind farm simulator that successfully simulated power delivery to the MPS grid from a time-series file of real wind farm data.
Sept. 8, 2006
Deadline Extended for Blade Test Facility CRADA Applicants
In response to requests by potential applicants for an NREL Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for a new blade test facility, the proposal application deadline has been extended until November 10, 2006.
Sept. 6, 2006
NREL Analyst Honored with WREC Pioneer Award
Barbara Farhar, senior policy analyst with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), received a 2006 Pioneer Award at the World Renewable Energy Congress (WREC) on Aug. 23 in Florence, Italy.
Sept. 1, 2006
NREL Study Shows Energy Analysts the "Least-Cost" Path to Zero Energy
A study by NREL building researchers gives energy analysts and other building professionals the most cost effective path to zero energy consumption.
August 2006
Aug. 23, 2006
U.S. Department of Energy Advances Solar with Solar America Initiative
The Solar America Initiative will accelerate the development of advanced solar electric technologies, including photovoltaics and concentrating solar power systems, with the goal of making them cost-competitive with other forms of renewable electricity by 2015.
Aug. 2, 2006
NREL Selects Contractor for New Research Support Facility
NREL has selected J.E. Dunn Rocky Mountain Construction to design and construct the first phase of the Laboratory's new Research Support Facilities (RSF).
Aug. 1, 2006
Crosscutting NREL Research Advances Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles
In the 1990s, NREL worked to advance hybrid electric vehicles, particularly propulsion systems, building the technology's viability in the marketplace. Today, NREL is working with industry and other national labs to take this concept one step further with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
July 2006
July 21, 2006
NREL Solar Researcher Honored with ASES Abbot Award
The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) honored Dr. Chuck Kutscher with the Charles Greeley Abbot Award during the recent ASES SOLAR 2006 conference.
July 1, 2006
NREL's New Science and Technology Facility Will Help to Advance New Energy Alternatives
The Science and Technology Facility is the latest addition to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) state-of-the-art research buildings on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) campus. The showcase facility is essential to the development and commercialization of promising new renewable energy technologies.
July 1, 2006
NREL Completes Highly Successful Partnership with NPS
NREL completed a subcontract with Northern Power Systems entitled, "Advanced Power Electronics for Low Wind Speed Turbine Applications." This represents a highly successful partnership meeting all of the objectives of a Low Wind Speed Technology Project.
June 2006
June 28, 2006
NREL Takes "Green Powered" To Next Level
Golden, Colo., June 28, 2006 – By installing on-site solar and wind power systems and purchasing renewable energy certificates, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has gone beyond being 'green powered.' The Laboratory is employing renewable energy to offset not only the total energy use of its buildings, but the energy used by NREL vehicles, employee commuting, air travel and other 'life cycle' energy consumption as well.
June 24, 2006
Honey Creek Middle School Wins U.S. Department of Energy National Science Competition
ive middle school students from Honey Creek Middle School in Terre Haute, Ind., showed their mastery of science today, winning the U.S. Department of Energy's National Middle School Science Bowl.
June 23, 2006
Daniel Wright Junior High School Wins First Place In Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car Contest
Daniel Wright Junior High School from Lincolnshire, Ill., captured top place in the model hydrogen fuel cell competition on the first day of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Middle School Science Bowl.
June 8, 2006
NREL, Universities Hail Renewable Energy 'Collaboratory' Bill
NREL, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University and University of Colorado applaud legislation that enables them to collaborate on renewable energy efforts in the state.