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.
Subscribe
Stay connected with the latest news and research breakthroughs from NREL.
November 2023
Nov. 30, 2023
NREL Helps Train the Future Carbon Management Workforce
NREL is a proud champion of workforce development opportunities that improve U.S. decarbonization goals while working toward an equitable and clean energy future.
Nov. 30, 2023
Researchers Calculate Path to Greener Computing
While enabling innovative technological advancements, the worldwide growth in advanced computing has created a looming energy crisis.
Nov. 28, 2023
Earn 30 Continuing Education Units by Joining Solar Decathlon Professionals Winter Cohort!
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® is partnering with the U.S. Green Building Council to host the next Solar Decathlon Professionals Program (SD Pro) cohort!
Nov. 28, 2023
Newly Identified Algal Strains Rich in Phosphorous Could Improve Wastewater Treatment
Several algal strains with high capacities for phosphorus accumulation have the potential to boost phosphorus recovery in wastewater treatment systems along with recovering harmful or valuable metals.
Nov. 28, 2023
NREL-Led Effort Addresses Problem of Plastic in Rivers
WaterPACT involves collecting samples of plastics in waterways, gathering data about the size and scope of the problem, and eventually coming up with a solution.
Nov. 27, 2023
We Can Do Better Than Make It, Use It, Throw It Away
The Re-X Before Recycling Prize seeks innovations to unlock new or expanded supply chains that can reintegrate end-of-use products into a circular economy.
Nov. 20, 2023
NREL Notice of Intent Invites US Manufacturers To Develop and Commercialize Distributed Wind Energy Technology
NREL has issued a Competitiveness Improvement Project notice of intent and will host a workshop in advance of a 2024 funding solicitation for U.S. manufacturers of small- and medium-sized wind turbine technology.
Nov. 17, 2023
Transportation Annual Technology Baseline Expands To Include New Technologies
In its first-ever update, the Transportation Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) now offers its users expanded cost and performance data to inform transportation sector analysis nationwide.
Nov. 17, 2023
How Tyche Informs Strategic Energy Investments
Decision makers who want to know the impact of potential R&D investments on their energy technology goals now have a new tool: the Technology Characterization and Evaluation (Tyche) software.
Nov. 16, 2023
Accelerating Power at Sea for a Thriving Blue Economy
New prize challenges competitors to propose innovative marine energy concepts to accelerate renewable offshore energy—enabling the future blue economy.
Nov. 16, 2023
NREL Partners To Identify Strategies for a More Equitable Clean Energy Transition in Los Angeles
NREL partners on LA100 Equity Strategies project to identify pathways for underserved LA communities to reap benefits of transition to 100% clean energy.
Nov. 16, 2023
News Release: NREL's Community-Driven Analysis Identifies Strategies To Improve Equity in LA's Clean Energy Transition
After two years of robust modeling and gathering input from over 100 community members, 14 community-based organizations, and 31 additional stakeholder organizations in Los Angeles, NREL has synthesized its findings into equitable clean energy transition strategies for the city.
Nov. 16, 2023
US Department of Energy Announces Heliostat Prize Semifinalists
Nine semifinalists have been selected to move on to design phase of the American-Made Heliostat Prize.
Nov. 15, 2023
Fall 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition Kicks Off With 33 Teams
Thirty-three teams from 25 U.S. collegiate institutions are competing in the U.S. Department of Energy Fall 2023 Geothermal Collegiate Competition, designing real-world geothermal solutions for a chance at $32,000 in prize funding.
Nov. 15, 2023
NREL Study Investigates EV Fast-Charging Infrastructure Needed To Enable Travel to National Parks
From the Grand Canyon to the majestic Tetons, national parks in the western United States draw more than 80 million visitors a year. Most of these visitors rely on their personal vehicles or rentals to get them there.
Nov. 15, 2023
Coming Soon to a Grid Near You: Clean Energy (Batteries Not Included)
NREL's far-reaching research on batteries helps ensure their safety, longevity, and sustainability through reuse and recycling, minimizing the environmental impact of recycling processes, and investigating how to scale up recycling from benchtop testing to industrial scenarios.
Nov. 15, 2023
Seven From NREL Make Return Appearance on Highly Cited Researchers List
Seven researchers from NREL and one college professor affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy facility are included on this year's Highly Cited Researchers list.
Nov. 14, 2023
15 Years In, Energy Execs Program Participants Keep Making a Difference
The Executive Energy Leadership Academy program at NREL, also known as Energy Execs, invites executives interested in learning more about advanced energy and energy efficiency technologies to NREL repeatedly over the course of several months.
Nov. 14, 2023
Photovoltaic Toxicity and Waste Concerns Are Overblown, Slowing Decarbonization--NREL Researchers Are Setting the Record Straight
Photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation is essential for achieving decarbonization targets and mitigating climate change.
Nov. 10, 2023
NREL Water Power Research Flourishes Under Seedlings Program
The program provides funding to national laboratory researchers, empowering them to think outside the box when it comes to their water power research—and to fine-tune their ideas so they have real-world applications.
Nov. 8, 2023
Leading the Charge: 105 Solar Decathlon Teams Tackle Zero-Energy Building Designs
By designing high-performance, zero-energy buildings, 105 teams from 93 collegiate institutions are leading the charge to tackle climate change as part of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2024 Design Challenge.
Nov. 8, 2023
Ocean Energy Could Be a Golden Thread for Coastal Communities
National laboratory researchers are developing a guide for marine energy experts to support energy transitions in remote coastal and island communities.
Nov. 8, 2023
Solar Data Bounty Prize Stage 1 Finalists Selected
On Oct. 2, the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office announced seven Stage 1 finalists for the American-Made Solar Data Bounty Prize. The seven teams will now move on to Stage 2 to compete for part of $1.4 million in cash prizes.
Nov. 7, 2023
Scaling and Aggregation Supercharge Electric Vehicle Charging
The latest installment of NREL's Tell Me Something Grid series by grid researcher Luke Lavin discusses the value of combining multiple distributed energy resources to effectively integrate them into the power grid.
Nov. 3, 2023
Cultural Festival Brings NREL to Community of Aurora
On a hot Saturday in August, thousands of community members from Aurora, Colorado, gathered for the city's 10th annual Global Fest, a celebration of Aurora's cultural diversity.
Share