News Releases
NREL's Public Relations Office works with media outlets on news stories about the laboratory and renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. You may subscribe to receive new NREL releases by email or via RSS feed. 
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2012 News Releases
September 11, 2012
NREL Shows Heavy Duty Hybrid Trucks Deliver on Fuel Economy 
A performance evaluation of Class 8 hybrid electric tractor trailers compared with similar conventional vehicles by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows significant improvements in fuel economy.
September 5, 2012
NREL Selects Partners for New High Performance Computer Data Center
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected HP and Intel to provide a new energy-efficient high performance computer (HPC) system dedicated to energy systems integration, renewable energy research, and energy efficiency technologies. The new center will provide additional computing resources to support the breadth of research at NREL, leading to increased efficiency and lower costs for research into clean energy technologies including solar photovoltaics, wind energy, electric vehicles, buildings technologies, and renewable fuels.
August 10, 2012
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Make Rapid Progress in Range, Durability
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently completed a seven-year project to demonstrate and evaluate hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hydrogen fueling infrastructure in real-world settings.
July 26, 2012
NREL Study Shows Renewable Energy Potential in Every State
A new study of renewable energy’s technical potential finds that every state in the nation has the space and resource to generate clean energy.
July 16, 2012
New Database from NREL Makes Costs of Energy Technologies More Transparent
A new web application collects cost and performance estimates for electric generation, advanced vehicles, and renewable fuel technologies and makes them available for utilities, policy makers, consumers, and academics. The Transparent Cost Database (TCDB) app provides technology cost and performance estimates that can be used to benchmark company costs, model energy scenarios, and inform research and development decisions.
July 10, 2012
NREL Joins Global Alliance of Solar Research Institutes
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has joined the newly-formed Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes comprising three internationally renowned research institutions.
July 5, 2012
NREL Staff Donates More Than 1,000 Pounds of Food for the Needy
Employees at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) donated enough food in a recent drive to feed 50 adults and 100 children for a week.
July 3, 2012
Alberi to Participate in DOE’s Early Career Research Program
A researcher at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been selected by DOE’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences as one of 68 scientists to participate in DOE’s Early Career Research Program.
July 2, 2012
NREL’s Bharathan honored by Geothermal Energy Association
Dr. Desikan Bharathan, a principal engineer with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has been recognized with a GEA Honors Award by the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA).
June 20, 2012
NREL Research Earns Two Prestigious R&D 100 Awards
A revolutionary new approach to air conditioning, and a three-junction solar cell that holds the world efficiency record – both developed at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) – have been named among this year’s most significant innovations by R&D Magazine.
June 8, 2012
NREL Selected to Join Europe’s DERlab
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been selected as a new member of the nonprofit Association of European Distributed Energy Resources Laboratories (DERlab).
June 7, 2012
NREL’s Sarah Kurtz Wins Prestigious Cherry Award from IEEE
A physicist from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) who helped launch super-efficient multi-junction solar cells and who is a leader in photovoltaic (PV) systems reliability has been awarded the prestigious Cherry Award by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
June 4, 2012
NREL Announces Participants in National Executive Education Program
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has selected 19 leaders to participate in its 2012 Executive Energy Leadership program (Energy Execs), a premier leadership program focused on delivering clean energy solutions.
May 17, 2012
NREL Director Arvizu Named Chair of National Science Board
Dan Arvizu, director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has been elected Chairman of the National Science Board. The 25-member body advises the president and Congress on science and engineering issues, and is the policy-setting and budget-approving body for the National Science Foundation. With an annual budget of $6.9 billion, the foundation funds about 20 percent of all federally supported basic scientific research at U.S. colleges and universities. Arvizu will serve a two-year term as chairman.
May 14, 2012
NREL Simulates Shade Conditions in Repeatable Test for Solar Arrays
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released a new repeatable test protocol that simulates real shade conditions and can predict with much greater precision the effects of shade on a solar array.
May 12, 2012
Student Winners Announced in Solar, Hydrogen and Lithium Ion Fuel Cell Car Races
One hundred four teams from 23 Colorado schools participated in today’s car competitions hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The student teams raced solar, lithium ion, or hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles they designed and built themselves.
May 10, 2012
Students to race their innovative solar, hydrogen and lithium ion battery model cars Saturday
Middle school students from around the state will participate in the Junior Solar Sprint, Hydrogen Fuel Cell, and Lithium Ion Battery car competitions on Saturday, May 12, at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the competitions give students the opportunity to show their engineering and design skills by building and racing high-performance model solar, hydrogen fuel cell and battery vehicles.
May 4, 2012
NREL Develops More Precise Look at Cradle-to-Grave Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Energy Technologies
A new approach to assessing greenhouse-gas emissions from coal, wind, solar and other energy technologies paints a much more precise picture of cradle-to-grave emissions and should help sharpen decisions on what new energy projects to build.
April 9, 2012
Nearly 100 NREL Staff to Discuss Innovation at WREF 2012
Nearly 100 renewable energy experts from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have been selected to present at this year’s World Renewable Energy Forum (WREF) to be held in Denver, Colo., on May 13-17, at the Colorado Convention Center.
March 28, 2012
Deadline for ‘Energy Execs’ Applications Extended to April 6
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has extended the application window for the 2012 Executive Energy Leadership Academy. “Energy Execs” is a leadership program focused on educating business, community, and government leaders about achieving clean energy solutions using energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
March 5, 2012
Strategic Energy Analysis Institute to Hold Annual Meeting
The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA), a transdisciplinary global research group focused on the nexus of energy, environment, finance and society, headquartered at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), will address transformational trends in the global energy economy at its annual meeting, March 7-8 in Golden, Colo.
February 29, 2012
NREL, UCLA Certify World Record for Polymer Solar Cell Efficiency
Scientists boosted the significance of tandem polymer solar cells by successfully testing cells with low-bandgap polymers that achieved certified conversion efficiencies of 8.62 ± 0.3% with respect to standard terrestrial reporting conditions.
February 23, 2012
New Fellows to Help Guide NREL Research
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) named Dr. Howard Branz and Dr. Michael Himmel to its Research Fellows Council, the Laboratory's top advisory council comprised of internationally recognized NREL scientists and engineers.
February 17, 2012
NREL Announces Deputy Lab Director and Chief Operating Officer
U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)'s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has appointed Ken Powers as its new Deputy Laboratory Director and Chief Operating Officer.
February 15, 2012
NREL Earns Prestigious Safety and Environmental Certifications
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has received three significant certifications demonstrating the lab’s commitment to the environment, safety, and management excellence.
February 13, 2012
NREL Seeks Leaders for National Executive Academy
Applications are currently being accepted for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) 2012 Executive Energy Leadership Academy (Energy Execs). Energy Execs is a leadership program focused on educating business, community, and government leaders about clean energy solutions through energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
February 8, 2012
Linear Fresnel Technology added to System Advisor Model's Capabilities
A promising Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technology that uses a stationary receiver tube and an array of mirrors mounted near the ground can now be accessed within the System Advisor Model (SAM), which predicts annual energy production, hourly performance and return on investment.
February 6, 2012
Join CREED for the First Investor Access Breakfast
The Colorado Center for Renewable Energy Economic Development (CREED) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is kicking off a new addition to its Finance Series, the Investor Access breakfast.
January 28, 2012
Cherry Creek High School Wins Colorado Science Bowl
Students from Cherry Creek High School won the Colorado High School Science Bowl today. The school will go on to the 22nd National Science Bowl in Washington D.C., Apr. 26-30, where they will compete for the national title against more than 450 students from 68 high schools.
January 27, 2012
Vote online for America’s Next Top Energy Innovator
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will name America’s Next Top Energy Innovator in February and wants Americans to vote online for their favorites among 14 technologies that could make huge differences in the near future. Technologies from the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are being used by three of the nominees, helping move the laboratory’s research and development to the private sector. Two of the three start-ups working with NREL are based in Colorado.
January 27, 2012
NREL, Gamesa to Collaborate on R&D Project
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Gamesa Technology Corp., Inc. will study and test a variety of components and systems that will guide development of the next generation of wind turbines designed specifically for the U.S. marketplace.
January 20, 2012
Lease Option Increases Rooftop Solar’s Appeal, Study Says
Rooftop solar panels are attracting a new demographic of customers who are choosing to lease rather than buy, and enjoying the low upfront costs and immediate savings.
January 19, 2012
CREED: Helping Colorado Cleantech Startups Find the Money
The Colorado Center for Renewable Energy Economic Development (CREED) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) invites cleantech entrepreneurs to attend the next event in its Entrepreneur Series. The Jan. 26 class, “Financing Your Cleantech Startup,” will provide cleantech entrepreneurs with an overview of how to find capital for a startup.
January 18, 2012
NREL’s Economic Benefit to Colorado totals $831.3 Million in FY 2011
The net economic benefit of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory to Colorado’s economy grew to $831.3 million in fiscal year 2011, according to a study by the University of Colorado’s Leeds College of Business.
January 6, 2012
Electronic Atlas Maps U.S. Renewable Energy Resources
A new geospatial application developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) allows users to easily and accurately map potential renewable energy resources in the United States.
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