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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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June 2018
Enhanced Resilience Features Help REopt Lite Users Size Solar+Storage Systems to Support Critical Building Loads
NREL's REopt Lite web tool now offers enhanced resilience analysis capabilities that allow building owners and energy managers to size PV and storage systems to meet a specified outage duration and compare the sizing and costs of a resilient system with a system sized to maximize savings.
Trends in Ground Transportation to and from Airport Reflect Nationwide Mobility Shift
Passenger transportation and aviation systems are on the frontline of innovation in moving more people faster, cheaper, and better—fueled in part by greater convenience and increased choices. An NREL study focuses on the growing use and impacts of ride-hailing services to and from airports, with implications for the future of ride-hailing, parking, and car rental services in cities.
May 2018
Planning a City, Virtually
NREL has developed an immersive visualization environment to help plan for Denver's new smart community, Peña Station NEXT.
NREL Connects with the Community--Next Door and Across the Country
Although NREL's recent community open house is a highly visible outreach effort, it is only one of many connecting the laboratory with communities in Colorado and across the country.
Collaboration Initiates New Early-Stage Research
The U.S. Department of Energy’s interest in increasing national energy security and lowering the cost of transporting goods spurred a $3 million effort to support cost-shared research to improve high-efficiency natural gas engines. NREL is collaborating with Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories to further this early-stage research.
When the Gears Stop Turning
NREL teams with PG&E to stabilize grid frequency with synthetic inertia.
New CSP Funding Is Getting Hotter
NREL has received $7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop the next generation of liquid-phase concentrating solar power technology.
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).
Enhanced Vehicle Simulation Tool Enables Wider Array of Analyses
New and enhanced versions of NREL's Future Automotive Systems Technology Simulator (FASTSim) are now available for free download in Python and Microsoft Excel formats at www.nrel.gov/fastsim. FASTSim provides a quick and simple way to compare powertrains and estimate the impact of technology improvements on light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle efficiency, performance, cost, and battery life.
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.
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Last Updated April 28, 2025