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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April 2024
Competitions Provide Springboard for College Students To Make Waves in Water Power
Teams of postsecondary students are invited to join these challenging competitions that offer skills-building experience, a deep dive into clean energy technologies, and the chance to win cash prizes.
Study Examines Cost Competitiveness of Zero-Emission Trucks
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) account for just 5% of vehicles on the road in the United States, yet they are responsible for 21% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.
How Mountains Could Store Mountains of Clean Energy
Pumped storage hydropower might be one of the most promising ways to store energy for a future 100% clean energy grid. But it has been difficult for the public to know how much these facilities might cost to build—until now.
IN² at 10 Years: Cohort 1 Participant Turns Up Heat on Fire Prevention
The sensors in today's Whisker Labs Ting device trace their origins to the original sensors tested in NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility during the IN2 program.
March 2024
Solution to Energy Storage May Be Beneath Your Feet
Superheated sand provides one answer to the problem of long-term energy storage. Researchers at NREL built a prototype that proved the technology works. A larger-scale version is the next step.
Why You Might Love a Career in Marine Energy
Researchers across labs joined a Marine Energy Career Panel and agreed that their jobs are nothing if not varied.
Game-Changing High-Resolution Solar Data Enables Renewable Energy Expansion Across 2 Continents
New high-resolution solar data and analysis provides an in-depth look at solar resources in Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
Connecting the Dots: Putting Offshore Wind Energy to Work
NREL researchers contributed to a thorough analysis and action plan to guide the United States on the most effective ways to bring Atlantic offshore wind energy to communities on the East Coast.
NREL To Lead New Lab Consortium To Enable High-Volume Manufacturing of Electrolyzers and Fuel Cells
The Roll-to-Roll Consortium aims to accelerate domestic manufacturing and reduce the cost of durable, high-performance systems.
International Researchers Explore New Territory in the Grand Challenges of Wind Energy Science
Wind energy's growth must be planned with careful consideration of atmospheric physics, turbine design, and grid resilience, as well as environmental and social impacts.
Before You Install Wind Energy Technology, Check Out This Database
The new, easy-to-use Wind Resource Database offers public access to more than a petabyte of detailed wind resource data in the United States and other countries.
Could a New Renewable Energy App Help Inspire Future Climate Crusaders?
Newly launched Renewable Energy Discovery Island could make it easy to teach, explore, and learn about clean energy (especially water power).
Peer Learning Helps San Diego Center Community Voices in Clean Energy Plans
The San Diego Association of Governments has ambitious plans to make local progress toward California's goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.
Behind the Blades: Amy Robertson Takes On the Complexities of Floating Offshore Wind
As a child immersed in the science of NASA, Amy Robertson was bound to end up an engineer—an aerospace engineer, to be exact. At NREL, she has traded in her love of the cosmos for the delightfully challenging dynamics of floating offshore wind energy.
New Report Shows It Is Time To Tap Into Hydropower Investment Opportunities
A new report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory explores investment opportunities in hydropower.
NREL and MSU Denver Partnership Elevates Colorado High School Science Bowl to New Heights
Fossil Ridge High School emerged victorious in the 2024 Colorado High School Science Bowl, continuing its winning streak for the fourth year in a row by narrowly besting second-place finisher Stargate Charter High School.
Beneath the Surface: Alec Schnabel Has the Power (and the Power Electronics) To Advance Wave Energy
Alec Schnabel is working to advance one especially powerful part of marine energy technologies: their electronic guts.
Can We Connect Renewable Energy Hubs With Electricity Consumption Hubs?
A new approach to grid planning could make it possible to power your home with the nation's best and lowest-cost wind and solar energy, no matter where you live.
New Resources Spotlight Distributed Wind Energy's Local Value
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has launched the new National Distributed Wind Network and complementary Distributed Wind Energy Resource Hub.
From Instant Grits to Polymers: Scientist Kat Knauer Is Laser Focused on Plastics Pollution
As a polymer scientist and the chief technology officer of the NREL-led BOTTLE consortium, Knauer is responsible for helping solve one of the world's greatest challenges--plastic pollution.
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Last Updated May 1, 2025