Grid Modernization News
Explore our archive of grid modernization news stories.
Dec. 12, 2024
A new NREL study further examines key factors and segmentation behind transformer demand growth through 2050.
Nov. 22, 2024
Grid operators in several regions kept the lights on this summer with more solar, storage, and wind.
Nov. 6, 2024
The DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations selected NREL to provide technical assistance with integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) in Colorado, Massachusetts, and Virginia to make the electric grids safer and more responsive, resilient, and affordable.
Oct. 30, 2024
Live power experiments using NREL’s ARIES platform solve future energy challenges in the present.
Oct. 16, 2024
After Hurricane Fiona in October 2022, President Biden visited Puerto Rico and pledged to leverage the technical support of federal agencies to improve the archipelago's electric grid.
Oct. 14, 2024
This summer, NREL postdocs and early-career staff participated in multiple events around the globe, including in Italy, Indonesia, Singapore, and stateside in Golden, Colorado.
Oct. 11, 2024
Chief Scientist Yonghong Chen shares how her two decades of experience working at an independent system operator is now informing her philosophy on industry collaboration at NREL.
Oct. 10, 2024
How do researchers examine the relationships between various factors within a given system, how they could change, and how those changes ultimately lead to different behaviors in the system over longer periods of time? The answers to those questions may lie within a sophisticated modeling method known as system dynamics.
Oct. 3, 2024
The release of the National Transmission Planning Study shifts the energy transition into high gear.
Aug. 27, 2024
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is extending its "Powered By" webinar series to feature more grid planning and analysis tools starting on Sept. 10.
July 30, 2024
In the latest installment of NREL's Tell Me Something Grid Series, grid researcher Sherin Ann Abraham dives into the exciting challenges of modernizing the distribution grid.
July 26, 2024
A new kind of grid technology, called medium-voltage silicon carbide converters, could help the U.S. grid smoothly transition to renewable energy.
July 17, 2024
Advanced computing plays a pivotal role in accelerating clean energy research at NREL, whether researchers need simulations of traffic systems, models of biomass conversion, or optimization of renewable energy implementation.
June 27, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected two new projects to benefit from a premier grid control evaluation capability at NREL.
June 12, 2024
Building more high-voltage direct current transmission lines could better connect solar and wind energy to the U.S. grid.
June 12, 2024
Shifting our perception of extreme weather could support planning a reliable future grid.
June 4, 2024
A new report takes a fresh look at how today's market and operating practices impact the value of transmission that connects multiple regions.
May 31, 2024
"It can help everybody because it should lead to better decisions in the end." That is the goal of a new resource developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, according to NREL energy analyst Wesley Cole.
May 31, 2024
To study the newest generation of wireless communications and what it offers power systems, NREL built a 5G research platform inside a replicated military microgrid and put it through resilience scenarios and cyberattacks.
May 30, 2024
Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems provide a way to steer electricity to less-congested transmission lines, like a navigation app.
May 16, 2024
Dynamic line ratings provide one way to increase transmission on the U.S. grid while cutting costs and improving reliability.
April 30, 2024
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 8, 2024
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will traverse North America bringing a period of midday complete darkness to 12 U.S. states and affecting solar power plants across all 50 U.S. states.
March 25, 2024
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.
March 21, 2024
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.
March 7, 2024
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.
March 4, 2024
New NREL research is providing first-of-its-kind modeling to help curb the current shortage of distribution transformers and ensure a reliable and resilient power grid.
Feb. 29, 2024
The U.S. energy transition is gaining speed, accelerated by government renewable energy goals and billions of dollars through the Inflation Reduction Act. As we race toward a greener future, understanding the potential adverse effects of renewable energy technologies before they are deployed has never been more critical.
Feb. 27, 2024
India is transforming its power system, with distributed energy resources playing a major role in the country’s decarbonization journey. NREL grid analysts Kapil Duwadi and Erik Pohl discuss their roles on a team working with India’s state utilities to manage rapid distributed energy resource growth with customized tools and solutions to ensure safe and reliable grid integration.
Feb. 21, 2024
Participants in a workshop organized by NREL agree on the importance of mitigating degradation rates for the continuing rollout of clean technologies.
Feb. 9, 2024
The new Powered By webinar series hosted by NREL's Grid Planning and Analysis Center (GPAC) can be your new go-to resource.
Jan. 26, 2024
In the latest installment of the Tell Me Something Grid series, NREL's Paul Denholm shares what you need to know about the reliability of the U.S. power grid and why renewable energy can keep the lights on.
Jan. 9, 2024
The annual suite of electricity system scenarios shows there could be fewer emissions, more renewables, and clean energy tax credits continued through 2050.