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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November 2023
Nov. 3, 2023
JUMP Into STEM Competition Prepares Next Generation of Building Scientists To Take on Clean Energy
Developing a diverse and knowledgeable workforce for building science is critical to meeting future decarbonization goals set by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Nov. 2, 2023
How Can We Avoid Drinking Forever Chemicals and Arsenic?
A new ion exchange model can help utilities and researchers simulate and study different system designs to remove forever chemicals from water.
Nov. 2, 2023
Pick Your Polymer Properties and This NREL Tool Predicts How To Achieve Them With Biomass
Great chemists have discovered ways to combine carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen into all manners of plastics: leak-proof food packaging, heat-resistant car parts, durable personal protective equipment—the list is long.
Nov. 1, 2023
News Release: Deep Decarbonization Scenarios Reveal Importance of Accelerating Zero-Emission Vehicle Adoption
The rapid adoption of zero-emission electric vehicles will move the nation close to an 80% or more drop in transportation greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from the 2019 level according to NREL.
October 2023
Oct. 30, 2023
Q&A With Jennifer Guerra: Accelerating Innovation Faster Than the Speed of Threats
During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, learn from Jennifer Guerra, an NREL cybersecurity researcher, about how an NREL-led initiative is supporting a more secure and resilient electric grid.
Oct. 30, 2023
Q&A With Nicholas Ryan: Building the Foundation for Cyber Evaluations at Scale
During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, learn from Nicholas Ryan, an NREL cybersecurity researcher, about his contributions to NREL's cyber range.
Oct. 30, 2023
Celebrating Weatherization Day Throughout the Seasons
As winter approaches, many families are grappling with a difficult choice: suffer the cold temperatures or drain their bank accounts to stay warm.
Oct. 25, 2023
NREL Improvements Boost Efficiency of III-V Solar Cells
Newly published research is the latest effort by NREL researchers to make III-V solar cells more affordable for terrestrial applications.
Oct. 25, 2023
Invertible Neural Network Tool Helps Optimize Airfoil Design
Computational tools using artificial intelligence (AI) can help optimize airfoil design for wind turbine blades, aircraft wings, and fan blades in natural gas turbines.
Oct. 24, 2023
Women in Power System Transformation Internship Program Is Cultivating a More Equitable Energy Workforce
Future power system leaders visit NREL for a week of leadership and professional development.
Oct. 24, 2023
As PV Market Evolved in the Last Year, Prices Went Up, Prices Went Down
NREL's 2023 PV Cost Benchmark Report documents the potential cost impacts of Inflation Reduction Act manufacturing tax credits, reports costs for community solar, and presents a new transparent cost model.
Oct. 24, 2023
DOE's AlgaePrize Student Competition Returns To Inspire Next-Generation Bioeconomy Professionals
Student teams gain valuable experience with innovative algal commercialization technologies while competing to earn prize money.
Oct. 24, 2023
News Release: New Database Shines Spotlight on Decades of Solar Mirror Research
NREL is preparing to unveil a publicly available Solar Mirror Materials Database (SMMD) database containing the results of exposure experiments on solar reflectors conducted over more than four decades.
Oct. 20, 2023
Prize Finalists Make Home Electrification Solutions Look EAS-E
Buildings account for 35% of U.S. energy-related emissions, and the path to a nationwide net-zero-emissions economy will require many electric building technologies powered by sustainable energy sources.
Oct. 19, 2023
NREL's Phil Parilla Named Fellow of American Physical Society
The American Physical Society honored Phil Parilla of NREL by naming him a fellow of the 124-year-old organization.
Oct. 19, 2023
Decarbonizing the Decarbonizing: Tidal and Wind Turbines Get Even More Sustainable
A new material could help make clean energy technologies, like tidal energy turbines, even more sustainable.
Oct. 18, 2023
Electric Utility Companies and Co-Ops Can Unleash the Grid Edge With This Unique NREL Asset
There is a secret weapon for making the right distribution grid investments: the Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) test bed at NREL.
Oct. 18, 2023
New Collaboration Balances Sustainability and Profitability of Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling
A new collaboration between NREL and ACE Green Recycling aims to develop and optimize recycling techniques that will bridge the gap between sustainability and profitability, specifically for lithium iron phosphate batteries.
Oct. 18, 2023
Happy National Bioenergy Day 2023 From NREL
To commemorate the occasion, learn more about 11 exciting bioenergy-related projects at NREL over the past year.
Oct. 16, 2023
Statewide Residential Building Upgrade Planning Just Got Easier Thanks to New Dashboard
Communities and states looking to develop decarbonization plans for residential buildings now have a new tool at their disposal thanks to NREL researchers.
Oct. 16, 2023
Q&A With Rob Hovsapian: The Engineer Who Solves Crises Before They Happen
Rob Hovsapian, a mechanical engineer, is building a massive machine—one that could help solve future crises. In NREL's latest Manufacturing Masterminds Q&A, Hovsapian shares what kind of rare, national events the SuperLab might help solve.
Oct. 12, 2023
Wave Energy Devices Will Soon Head to New Testing Facility—But They Need Something First
Researchers have determined cost-effective ways to purchase moorings for a new wave energy test facility currently under construction off the coast of Oregon.
Oct. 12, 2023
Electric Vehicles Play a Surprising Role in Supporting Grid Resiliency
Widespread electrification initiatives are increasing the demands on America's aging power grid, but utilities and consumers may have an unlikely ally in electric vehicles.
Oct. 11, 2023
West Gate Cohort 2 Entrepreneurs Aim To Raise the Bar
For its second cohort, West Gate chose three innovators—Lisa Morey, Yaman Peksenar, Pilanda Watkins-Curry—working to make major changes in several industries to help the world transition to clean energy.
Oct. 10, 2023
Exploring Thermal Energy Storage Solutions for Energy-Efficient Buildings
Picture yourself 200 years ago, only able to cool a space or chill perishable food with ice blocks cut from frozen lakes and then transported cross-country by insulated rail cars to your home.
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