Science and Technology News
Energy Innovations Newsletter
The Energy Innovations newsletter is published three times per year and highlights recent accomplishments, awards, and research at NREL. You may subscribe to receive notifications of the Energy Innovations newsletter by email.
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NREL's news page includes up-to-the-minute news and information from the laboratory's major research and development areas, industry partners, and related technologies. For news releases, visit the NREL news release page.
2009 News
August 4, 2009
Award-Winning Reflector to Cut Solar Cost 
NREL's partnership with SkyFuel yields a more cost-effective parabolic trough technology.
July 16, 2009
2008 Wind Technologies Market Report
The report analyzes a range of developments in the wind market, including trends in wind project installations, turbine size, turbine prices, wind project costs, project performance, and wind power prices. The report also details trends in project financing, a key concern for the wind industry in the current economic climate, as well as trends in project ownership, public policy, and the integration of wind power into the electrical grid.
July 13, 2009
Unique Research Tool Aims to Reduce PV Cost
NREL has installed its first Atmospheric Processing Platform to prototype lower-cost thin film solar cells from inks and other solutions.
July 9, 2009
DOE/BLM Announce Availability of Solar Energy Study Area Maps
The Department of Energy and the Bureau of Land Management announced the availability of maps that identify 24 tracts of BLM-administered land for in-depth study for solar development. A public comment period ends July 30, 2009.
July 7, 2009
NREL Collaborating with Spire to Develop Solar Cells with 42% Efficiency
Through a Photovoltaic Technology Incubator Award, Spire Semiconductor will receive more than $3.7 million under an 18-month contract with NREL.
May 1, 2009
Working to Overcome Barriers to Meeting 20% U.S. Wind Vision
According to Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson — the challenges to — and the drivers of — a robust wind future for the country may actually be different on a state-by-state basis. But there is one thing that's common across the nation — transmission.
April 27, 2009
NREL and Ford Team Up to Develop 'Cool' Cars
NREL is partnering with Ford to develop highly efficient climate control systems for automobiles.
April 13, 2009
World's Second-Largest Solar Thermal Power Plant to Be Built in Florida
By mid 2010, Florida Power and Light (FPL) will construct the Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center, a 75-megawatt plant that will sit on 500 acres near Indiantown, Florida, adjacent to FPL’s existing combined-cycle power plant. It will be the world's second largest concentrating solar power plant.
April 13, 2009
NREL’s JEDI Model Demonstrates Benefits for Nevada’s Energy Development
Vote Solar released “The Sun Rises on Nevada,” its in-depth analysis of employment, economic, tax, and environmental benefits, which demonstrated the potential gains for Nevada to develop solar energy. Vote Solar used the Job and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) model developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for concentrating solar power plants.
March 31, 2009
NREL Partnering with GreenVolts to Commercialize IMM Solar Cell
Through a cooperative research and development agreement, NREL will provide assistance with the optimization of the solar cell's design and transfer of the technology into the marketplace.
March 12, 2009
NREL Successfully Transfers VSHOT Technology to Solar Industry
NREL provides the most efficient optical characterization testing method--the Video Scanning Hartmann Optical Test--for solar concentrators.
March 9, 2009
NREL Partnerships Boost Research, Improve Technology
A recent technology partnership agreement with DuPont sought solutions to make ethanol from corn stalks.
February 28, 2009
Green Power Superhighways: Building a Path to America's Clean Energy Future
This paper highlights the barriers that hinder investment in transmission infrastructure and identifies potential policy solutions to overcome those barriers.
February 17, 2009
Chuck Kutscher Receives Excellence Award in Renewable Energy from Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter recently honored NREL's Chuck Kutscher with the Governor's Excellence in Renewable Energy Award. Kutscher has dedicated 30 years to NREL, is a tireless advocate of renewable energy as a climate change solution, and is a writer, a teacher and a leader in the solar industry.
February 11, 2009
Study: Billions of Dollars Needed to Deliver Wind Power to Eastern Interconnection
Over $80 billion in new transmission infrastructure to obtain 20% of the region's electricity from wind generation.
February 5, 2009
Bigger and Better: Lab Aims to Improve Giant Wind Turbines
NREL's National Wind Technology Center is preparing to install the two largest turbines ever tested at the laboratory.
February 3, 2009
U.S. Wind Industry Takes Global Lead
The U.S. wind energy industry broke another global record in 2008 by installing 8,358 megawatts (MW) of new capacity, bringing our nation’s total wind energy capacity to 25,170 MW. The United States now claims the largest wind energy capacity in the world, taking the lead from Germany.
January 5, 2009
Geothermal Developers Remain Optimistic
While the global financial crisis continues to rattle financial markets and companies worldwide, and shrinks capital available for renewable energy projects of all types, the outlook for geothermal development remains positive.
