Anthony Lopez
Researcher V-Geospatial Science
Anthony.Lopez@nrel.gov
303-275-3688
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5006-1675
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Anthony Lopez is a senior researcher in the Geospatial Data Science Group within the Strategic Energy Analysis Center. Lopez has co-founded several pivotal NREL research programs, including the National Solar Radiation Database and the Renewable Energy Potential model. Lopez’s recent research has been recognized at a national level and focuses on modeling wind supply with land use constraints—an emerging area of research in the clean energy transition. He has co-authored and contributed to congressional reports on emerging wind energy technologies and their siting constraints, which are illuminating pathways to achieving a decarbonized energy system.
Research Interests
Renewable energy siting and land-use requirements
Wind technology innovation and impacts to national potential assessments
Systems modeling
Techno-economic modeling
Education
M.S., Geographic Information Science, University of Denver
B.S., Geography, University of Northern Colorado
Professional Experience
NREL, Senior Researcher (2020–present)
Independent Consultant (2019–2020)
Manager of Emerging Technologies, MAXAR (2018–2019)
NREL, Senior Geospatial Data Scientist (2009–2018)
GIS Specialist, SWCA Environmental Consultants (2007–2009)
Featured Work
Dynamic Land Use Implications of Rapidly Expanding and Evolving Wind Power Deployment, Environmental Research Letters (2022)
Interactions of Wind Energy Project Siting, Wind Resource Potential, and the Evolution of the U.S. Power System, Energy (2021)
Land Use and Turbine Technology Influences on Wind Potential in the United States, Energy (2021)
The National Solar Radiation Data Base (NSRDB), Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (2018)
Evaluation of the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB Version 2): 1998–2015, NREL Technical Report (2017)
It's Indisputable: Five Facts About Planning and Operating Modern Power Systems, IEEE Power and Energy Magazine (2017)
Relative Performance of Tracking Versus Fixed Tilt Photovoltaic Systems in the USA, Progress in Photovoltaics (2013)
U.S. Renewable Energy Technical Potentials: A GIS-Based Analysis, NREL Technical Report (2012)
Awards and Honors
Most Promising Scientist, Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference (2022)
Outstanding Achievements—Alumni, The Greeley Dream Team (2022)
Chairman’s Award, NREL (2014)
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