Nate Blair is the group manager of the Distributed Systems and Storage Group in the Integrated Applications Center at NREL. He has expertise in linear programming with General Algebraic Modeling System; solar system modeling tools including PVWatts, System Advisor Model (SAM), Solar Prospector, and URDB; concentrating solar power systems; personnel management; and project management.

Research Interests

Techno-economic analysis

Photovoltaics, onshore and offshore wind, geothermal power, electricity storage

Electric grid capacity expansion modeling

International energy sector analysis and development

Building energy efficiency

Education

M.B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business

M.S.M.E., University of Wisconsin-Madison Engineering School, Solar Energy Laboratory

B.A. Physics, Gustavus Adolphus College

Professional Experience

Energy Expert, Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), World Bank, Washington, DC (on assignment from NREL), 2015–2016

Intern, Global Energy Partners, LLC (June 2001–August 2001)

Intern, Sandia National Lab - Concentrating Solar Power Group (May 2000–August 2000)

Project Engineer, Thermal Energy System Specialists (August 1998–November 1999)

Visiting Researcher, Center for Science and Technologies in Buildings (CSTB) (November 1997–May 1998)

Visiting Researcher, Transsolar EnergiTechnik GMBH (July 1997–October 1997)

TRNSYS Coordinator, UW-Madison Solar Energy Lab (1994–1997)

TRNSYS Coordinator Assistant, UW-Madison Solar Energy Lab (March 1994–August 1994)

Staff Engineer, Energy Center of Wisconsin (March 1994–August 1994)

Associations and Memberships

American Solar Energy Society, Member 

International Solar Energy Society. Member

Featured Work

Storage Futures Study: Storage Technology Modeling Input Data Report, NREL Technical Report (2021)

The Electric Storage Landscape Is Rapidly Changing, EM Magazine (2021)

Storage Futures Study: Economic Potential of Diurnal Storage in the U.S. Power Sector, NREL Technical Report (2021)

Storage Futures Study: The Four Phases of Storage Deployment: A Framework for the Expanding Role of Storage in the U.S. Power System, NREL Technical Report (2021)

Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes, Photovoltaics and Wind, Fifth Edition (2020)