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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May 2024
May 1, 2024
Solar Prize Round 7 Finalists Enter Last Phase of Competition
On May 1, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the 10 Solar Prize Round 7 finalist teams who were each awarded $100,000 in cash and $75,000 in technical support vouchers for their innovative ideas for advancing solar deployment.
April 2024
April 30, 2024
Department of Energy Announces Solar District Cup Class of 2023–2024 Winners
On Monday, April 29, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the division winners and Project Pitch Champion in the Solar District Cup Collegiate Design Competition's Class of 2023-2024. In the five years of this competition, this was the largest ever class of competing teams.
April 30, 2024
NREL Selected As Part of $1.6M in Federal Funding To Explore Potential of Geologic Hydrogen
NREL was recently selected as one of 16 teams to research enhanced production of geologic hydrogen by the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy program.
April 30, 2024
A Look at the Future of Transmission: Getting Clean Electrons to Where They Need To Be
The latest Tell Me Something Grid article features Jarrad Wright and his analysis of transmission expansion needs and trade-offs in a low-carbon future.
April 26, 2024
2024 JISEA Annual Meeting Convenes Diverse Clean Energy Voices To Address Emerging Challenges
Tackling clean energy challenges means bringing diverse voices to the table, and that is exactly what happened at the 2024 JISEA Annual Meeting (JAM24).
April 25, 2024
NREL Keeps Getting Greener
Three NREL labs were awarded green certifications by My Green Lab late last year.
April 25, 2024
News Release: NREL Proof of Concept Shows Path to Easier Recycling of Solar Modules
The use of femtosecond lasers to form glass-to-glass welds for solar modules would make the panels easier to recycle, according to a proof-of-concept study conducted by researchers at NREL.
April 25, 2024
NREL Researchers Outline Path Forward for Tandem Solar Cells
Researchers at NREL have prepared a roadmap on how to move tandem solar cells—particularly those that mesh different photovoltaic technologies—closer to commercialization.
April 24, 2024
IN² at 10 Years: How It Started, How It's Going, What's Next, and Beyond
For its 10th anniversary, the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN²) is expanding in a major way.
April 22, 2024
With Great Power Comes Great Possibility
Three teams are building better conductor systems—or even superconductors—to supercharge transmission lines, wind turbines, MRI machines, electric motors, airplanes, and more.
April 22, 2024
Behind the Blades: How Cris Hein Helps Bats and Wind Turbines Share the Sky
Armed with a Ph.D. in bat studies, NREL's lead environmental scientist Cris Hein helps bats—and other wildlife—share the skies with wind turbines.
April 22, 2024
Short-Circuiting on Purpose: How NREL-Licensed Tech Continues To Make a Difference in Space
NASA and NREL created a device that causes an internal short circuit inside the layers of a battery cell, providing information that allows NASA to meet its stringent battery safety requirements.
April 18, 2024
With Kestrel on Deck, Advanced Computing Hit a Home Run Over 300 Clean Energy Projects
NREL's high-performance computing, efficient data center operations, and powerful visualizations have left an indelible stamp on clean energy innovation.
April 18, 2024
Study Unlocks Opportunities To Bridge the US Wind Energy Workforce Gap
A new report identifies that educational training programs, like the U.S. Department of Energy Collegiate Wind Competition, which provides participating students with real-world wind energy experience, could help meet the growing demand for trained wind energy workers.
April 18, 2024
The (In)Visible Plastic Pollution Problem
Together, BOTTLE's upstream approach and WaterPACT's downstream approach to addressing the plastic pollution problem will enable a better future for humanity and our environment.
April 18, 2024
AAAS Adds NREL's Nancy Haegel to Honor Roll of Fellows
Nancy Haegel, the director of the National Center for Photovoltaics at NREL, has been elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
April 17, 2024
Two Communities Find Electric Vehicle Options That Meet Local Goals Through Clean Energy to Communities
When the Board of Commissioners for Washtenaw County, Michigan, approved a climate action plan in 2022, the county was uncertain what implementation steps it needed to take—and how to pay for all of it.
April 17, 2024
New Report Tackles Electric Vehicle Charging Payment Challenges and Offers Key Recommendations
Payment issues can affect electric vehicle (EV) drivers' charging experiences. EV charging should be accessible, convenient, and reliable, and payment issues affect both accessibility and reliability.
April 17, 2024
Alaska’s Wind, Wave, Tidal Resources Could Help State Meet Future Energy Needs, NREL Determines
Offshore wind makes sense for decarbonizing energy production and building energy security and independence when it comes to ocean renewable energy production in Alaska’s Outer Continental Shelf.
April 15, 2024
Do We Still Need Hydropower?
NREL experts weigh in on the benefits and downsides to our oldest form of renewable energy.
April 11, 2024
Local Priorities Drive Energy Transitions in Remote, Coastal, and Island Communities
Remote, coastal, and island communities across the country face similar energy resilience challenges—from high energy costs and aging infrastructure to outages from extreme weather events and climate change impacts—but each community's values and priorities create a unique path toward energy resilience.
April 10, 2024
NREL Unveils Groundbreaking Generative Machine Learning Model To Simulate Future Energy-Climate Impacts
As countries worldwide transition to more wind and solar generation and electrify energy end uses, societies are becoming more intertwined with weather conditions.
April 9, 2024
Q&A With Travis Lowder: Not All Climate Crusaders Need a Technical Degree
In the latest Manufacturing Masterminds Q&A, Travis Lowder shares why he did not need a technical background to fight climate change (and neither do you!) and why humility might be the most crucial trait for his job.
April 8, 2024
Puerto Rico Can Reach Its 100% Renewable Energy Goal by 2050
NREL led PR100 to model possible scenarios built on stakeholder priorities of energy affordability, resilience and reliability, land use, and economic benefits.
April 8, 2024
Chevron Studio Program Aims Tech To Go From Lab to Market
In creating the Chevron Studio program, NREL and Chevron Technologies Venture teamed up to turn a challenge into an opportunity.
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