2016 Feature Stories

Lightening Soldiers' Loads by Lifting PV Cells onto Flexible Surfaces

Two thousand years ago, Roman legionnaires lugged 100-pound packs into battle. A lot has changed since then, but technology hasn't really reduced an infantryman's load. On the battlefield, mobility is critical--but a typical, modern Marine may shoulder an 80-pound backpack containing 20 pounds of back-up batteries for an array of electronics.

From Pacific Islands to Ground Zero of Hurricane Sandy, Embedded NREL Staff Gain Experience As They Share Expertise

NREL staffers embed in the field with global organizations, providing knowledge while gaining experience.

NREL Research Puts the Wind at an Industry's Back

NREL collaboration with industry partners brings wind energy that is more reliable, more affordable, and better for the environment.

NREL Helps the National Park Service Celebrate Its Birthday with Clean Energy

As the National Park Service (NPS) marks its centennial on August 25, NREL is helping the NPS enhance the park experience by providing cleaner air and contributing to a healthier environment.

Happy Accident Keeps a Would-Be Teacher at NREL as a PV Leader

Sarah Kurtz's dream of being a university professor is on hold while she pursues her passion for solar energy at the National Center for Photovoltaics.

NREL Engineers Look for a Cool Way to Make AC Units an Affordable Snap

NREL engineers Chuck Booten and Jon Winkler plan to make home air conditioners better and more energy efficient with a simple, split installation.

Ph.D. in Hand, Postdocs Explore Their Futures

Researchers come from across the globe for opportunity to work at lab.

Middle Schoolers Dream Big with Their Solar- and Battery-Powered Cars

Dreamers from 57 Colorado middle school teams gathered in a checkered-flag bedecked gym to race electric cars—and chase visions of the future.

National Labs Gather at NREL for Innovative Summit

Idea behind meeting to expand relationships with industry.

NREL Helping the Bureau of Land Management Dive Further into Hot Water

Geothermal program boosted by greater access to data.

Researcher's Love for Science Starts with a Bang and Continues to Sizzle

NREL research fellow and chief scientist Dave Ginley's passion for science began at an early age—and continues to burn.

NREL Supports Native American Tribes in Clean Energy Transformational Leadership

From the subzero tundra in Alaska to the Southwest, NREL is partnering with Native American tribes and Alaska Native villages to advance clean energy goals.

LDRD Program Gives NREL Researchers Path Toward Innovation

Funding source provides scientists with method to propel progress forward.

Colorado School Earns Return Trip to National Science Bowl

Ridgeview Classical Charter School scores convincing victory at Colorado Science Bowl to secure trip to national competition.

Claims for Solar Cell Efficiency Put to Test at NREL

Record numbers carefully vetted by scientists to assure accuracy.

NREL Launches Sustainable Mobility Initiative, Joins CDOT Partnership

NREL initiative approaches sustainable transportation as an integrated system, where travelers and transportation resources are viewed as a dynamic network.

NREL's Cybersecurity Initiative Aims to Wall Off the Smart Grid from Hackers

NREL is working with two-way power grid communications technologies, which can act like an independent "electricity-only Internet."

Inventive Thinkers at NREL Reach Record Number

Researchers register ideas on everything from wave power to methane use.

NREL researcher's partnership with a sugar-eating bacterium has enabled her to make breakthroughs in biofuels.

Industry Growth Forum Fosters Cleantech Companies

Innovations showcased as entrepreneurs network, pitch for funding.

NREL Efforts Push Hydrogen Vehicles Further Along

New fast-filling fuel station dedicated as part of National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day.

NREL Innovation Improves Safety of Electric Vehicle Batteries

Newly patented Internal Short Circuit device offers manufacturers a groundbreaking tool.

NREL Seeks to Optimize Individual Comfort in Buildings

Pioneering buildings research uses NREL's new Comfort Suite to enable comfort-driven energy conservation.

NREL Collaborates with Trucking Industry to Prioritize R&D Opportunities

Semi-automated truck platooning is just one of the many advances being tested and analyzed.

Vision for NREL Technology Has Entrepreneur Seeing Clearly

Company formed to capitalize on electrochromic window research.

NREL Helps Federal Agencies Reach New Efficiency Targets

Recent executive order puts increased importance on NREL’s expertise.

A network of mentoring is expanding across NREL through the lab's various internship programs.

Ethylene Production Via Sunlight Opens Door to Future

Research provides an alternative to using oil to make building block for plastics

NREL's 91-Year-Old Palmer Carlin—a Wind Energy Pioneer

Release of the Energy Department's has added an important tool to his arsenal.

Battery Second Use Offsets Electric Vehicle Expenses, Improves Grid Stability

NREL researchers are identifying strategies capable of offsetting expenses while helping utilities support peak electricity demands.

Colorado Students Secure in Science Knowledge

Ridgeview Classical Schools captured a 4-3 record at this year's National Science Bowl.

NREL Innovates Today for the Homes of Tomorrow

Researchers and industry partners collaborate in the Systems Performance Lab on energy-saving technologies for the smart homes of the future.

Rain or Shine, Students Keep Their Race Cars Going

Teams from 17 Colorado middle schools competed in annual solar- and battery-powered model car race.

NREL and Laufer employ "Houdini" to teach radar how to detect birds near wind power plants.

Assuring Solar Modules Will Last for Decades

NREL heads international effort to toughen standards, ensure reliability of solar PV systems.

NREL's Newest PE-Licensed Engineers Commit to Sustainability

Engineers travel the globe to help save energy, improve lives.

NREL Science Central to Success of New Biofuels Projects: DuPont-NREL Partnership Delivered Key Innovations for Large Scale Cellulosic Ethanol Facility in Iowa

DuPont-NREL partnership lowered costs, proved success, paved way to 30-million-gallon facility opening in Iowa.

NREL's CelA Catalyzes Plant Cell Walls Faster

Enzyme from bacteria could lower prices for biofuels.

New Initiatives Debut at Industry Growth Forum

At annual event, inverter technology takes top honor—and two new programs are announced to push clean energy innovations to the marketplace.

NREL's cryogenic tank holds 500 dormant algae samples, and each must ease back into life.

Partnerships Drive New Transportation Solutions

Hybrid of research and industry know-how steers NREL transportation RD&D.

HP Supercomputer at NREL Garners Top Honor

Supercomputer that uses waste heat to warm its building wins R&D 100 award.

NREL Software Tool a Boon for Wind Industry

Simulator for Wind Farm Applications — SOWFA — can help developers boost capacity of wind farms.

Forty-four interns spend summer at NREL researching topics from genetic engineering to technologies for hydrokinetic turbines.

Crystal Solar and NREL Team Up to Cut Costs

"Gas to wafer" approach, 100 times faster than typical methods, wins R&D 100 award.

Transportation Leader Roots Career in True Grit

NREL's Wendy Dafoe works closely with the Energy Department to advance the Clean Cities sustainable transportation mission.

Postdoctoral Fellows Bring Fresh Insights

The next generation of scientific superstars shines at NREL.

NREL Uses Industry Best Practices to Add Partners

NREL is accelerating the availability of next-generation technologies by making it easier for industry partners to work with the lab.

Industry, Investors Count on NREL's Modeling Tools

NREL's algorithms and models predict performance and financial risk of renewable energy systems.

NREL Supercomputer Tackles Grid Challenges

As "big data" plays an increasing role in the renewable energy industry, NREL's Peregrine supercomputer is ready to take flight.

Approach boosts performance, safety, and durability for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, soon to be a $14 billion market.

Campus Showcases High-Performance Buildings

NREL buildings demonstrate the effective execution of energy-efficient design and operation.

Climate Change Shifts Focus for Energy System

NREL's Energy Systems Integration Facility is the hub for testing devices that can power through outages.

Twenty-eight teams from U.S. and Canadian universities convene at NREL for student design competition.

Laboratory and aspiring scientists both benefit from Research Participant Program.

NREL Unlocking Secrets of New Solar Material

Perovskite, a semiconducting cube-like mineral, is jumping up efficiency charts faster than any other solar-cell material.

NREL Driving Research on Hydrogen Fuel Cells

As fuel cell cars get ready for the road, industry turns to NREL for help improving cost and reliability.

2014 Science Bowl Adds New Rivals, New Friends

Boulder's Fairview High School beats out 47 other teams to claim victory in this year’s state competition.

NREL Energizes Outreach at Education Center

Revamped facility and programming bring renewable energy and energy efficiency knowledge to students, adult groups, and the community.

Unique Bioreactor Finds Algae's Sweet Spot

Bioreactor simulates precise climates, uncovers how to get maximum fuels from algae.

Computer simulations show that a part of an enzyme, once thought unimportant, is useful in breaking down cellulose.

NREL Working to Clean Air in Fracking Process

Unique microbe gobbles methane and turns it into liquid diesel.

New Test Facility to Improve Wind Turbines

Five-megawatt dynamometer will accelerate the development of next-generation wind energy technologies.

Bright Ideas Chase Investor Dollars at Forum

Annual Industry Growth Forum sponsored by NREL is where green technology seeks greenbacks.

NREL Takes Efficiency to the Great Outdoors

NREL earns new LEED-equivalent designation for sustainable landscaping.

NREL Test Helps Make Moisture Barriers Better

NREL-developed test can detect tiny amounts of moisture and measure reliability, durability of water vapor barriers used in phones, solar panels, and organic light-emitting diodes.

New Solar Cell Is More Efficient, Less Costly

Innovation by NREL and First Solar acquisition TetraSun wins a 2013 R&D 100 Award.

NREL Brings Precision, Savings to Energy Audits

Energy audit tool developed with concept3D spots more energy savings for commercial buildings.

Lab teams with Energy Department and industry to bring consistency to the weatherization workforce.

A more resilient, cleaner, integrated system crucial for America's future, says Secretary Moniz.

Architects and Building Engineers Flock to NREL

National ASHRAE and AIA conferences in Denver bring hundreds to NREL's energy-efficient buildings.

Third Consecutive IEEE Cherry Award for NREL

Prestigious recognition goes to Keith Emery, whose testing and measurement lab sets the standard for credibility of solar efficiency claims.

Interns Make Robust Contribution to NREL

Fifty-four students from across the country are tackling real-world problems in a summer internship program that benefits the nation, the lab, and the students.

Wood-Boring Gribbles Intrigue Researchers

NREL scientists join others to explore tiny crustacean's unique ability to turn wood into sugars in harsh environments.

Scientists Go Eye to Eye with Research at ESIF

Three-dimensional human-sized views give scientists clearer look at atoms, molecules, polymers.

NREL Drives Toward the Future with Fuel Cell EVs

Cooperative agreement with Toyota will enhance NREL's capability to support hydrogen and fuel cell research.

At NREL, Sustainability Goes Beyond Campus

NREL's sustainability program supports the lab and community in leading the nation toward a clean energy future.

NREL Adds Eyes, Brains to Occupancy Detection

Image Processing Occupancy Sensor combines camera and microprocessor to save money, relieve occupant frustration.

Middle Schoolers Shine in Electric Car Races

Solar and lithium-ion powered vehicles blaze down the tracks despite clouds overhead.

Saudi Arabia Looks to NREL for Solar Monitoring Expertise

Middle East kingdom poised to devote billions of dollars to embracing renewable energy.

NREL Engineer Passionate about Energy-Efficient Buildings

In her 'spare' time she skis, hikes with family, and embraces green living.

NREL is on a mission to help provide energy security and reduce energy costs for the U.S. Navy.

Change is in the Air at NREL's Wind Center

NREL collaborations with industry partners result in more widely deployed wind energy at lower cost.

Software helps molecular scientists design super enzymes to process biofuels faster.

New Ultra-Efficient HPC Data Center Debuts

In addition to housing much-needed high performance computing (HPC) power for NREL researchers, the new facility will be the most energy-efficient HPC data center in the world.

Biomass Analysis Tool Is Faster, More Precise

NREL invention quickly and accurately determines cell wall chemistry traits that can lower feedstock costs for biofuels industry.

Fresh Faces Abundant at Colorado Science Bowl

Lakewood High School scores dramatic victory in final round of Colorado Science Bowl to secure trip to challenge for national title.

Commission report says greater energy efficiency good for economy, environment; NREL leads the way.

Improved electric vehicle charging, increased range, and grid integration are focal points of research at the Vehicle Testing and Integration Facility.

RSF Influences New High Performance Buildings

Changing the way U.S. commercial buildings are constructed was a goal from day one.

System uses focused light to find weak silicon wafers before money is spent making them into solar cells.

Award-Winning PV Cell Pushes Efficiency Higher

NREL and Solar Junction outsmart the solar spectrum and set a world record with a 44%-efficient solar cell.

Award-Winning A/C Uses Old Idea, New Materials

NREL's DEVAP cooling system works in any climate while saving up to 80% on energy use.

Annual gathering provides energy entrepreneurs opportunities to prepare, refine, and present their businesses to investors.

NREL's breakthrough on using the sun to split water is sparking international interest.

Colorado's largest school district leads by combining solar panels with solar curriculum.

New Tool Makes Saving Electricity Easier

Green Button helps electricity customers securely download detailed household or building energy use information from their utility website.

High-Tech Tools Tackle Wind Farm Performance

Wind plant underperformance is a significant concern in the wind energy industry. Simulation models developed at NREL are showing the way to solutions.

NREL Summer Interns Lap Up Lab Experience

Fifty-nine students from all around the United States do real research in real laboratories that generates real results.

Microgrids: So Much More than Backup Energy

NREL is working with industry to maintain a secure, reliable flow of energy in microgrids.

Embrace of Renewables in Heartland Wows Execs

NREL's Executive Energy Leadership Academy takes decision-makers to witness clean energy and energy efficiency at work on the Great Plains.

Early attention to design makes employee parking structure a model of low energy use.

Solar Cells Light Up Prison Cells on 'The Rock'

1,300 solar panels turn sunlight into electricity on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay.

NREL Helps Cut Building Energy Use in Half

NREL is working with industry to find ways to reduce the energy intensity of large hospitals, schools, and retail buildings by 50%.

NREL: 35 Years of Clean Energy Leadership

From humble beginnings, NREL's expanding campus is a model of research, deployment, and sustainability.

Thermal Scout Finds Trouble at Solar Plants

Device combines infrared camera with GPS and software to identify failing receivers at concentrating solar power plants.

Growing renewable butanol refiner demonstrates its process for a future scale-up of the drop-in petroleum replacement.

Photovoltaic reliability focuses on tests, standards, seals, glues, failure modes … and mutual trust.

Sci-Fi No Longer, NREL Engineers Smart Homes

Homes will soon communicate with the grid to conserve energy and save money.

Fast Cars and Science Thrill Colorado Students

Record number of entrants sparks the 2012 middle-school competitions for cars powered by solar cells, hydrogen, and lithium-ion batteries.

NREL Narrows Energy Tech Emissions Estimates

Narrowing ranges of lifetime emissions estimates helps to clarify the environmental impacts of different generation technologies.

NREL Catalyst Brings Drop-In Fuels Closer

Lab's patented material cleans up biomass gas, making it ready to convert into fuels compatible with today's infrastructure.

NREL study finds the finances of solar leasing appeal to younger homeowners in less affluent neighborhoods.

NREL Thinks Big at Wind Technology Center

Further technology improvements will be critical to the future of wind energy. Research at NREL is leading the way.

Thermal Storage Gets More Solar on the Grid

NREL analysis says thermal energy storage can give photovoltaic power the grid flexibility it needs to meet demand at peak hours.

Success Comes in Twos at the 2012 Science Bowl

Cherry Creek High School scores two dramatic victories in final round at twin-abundant Colorado Science Bowl to secure trip to national competition.

NREL's REDB Connects Smart Grid Research

NREL is building interconnected laboratories where partners can "plug in" and test new energy technology before hooking it up to the grid.

Sustainability Efforts Earn Accolades for NREL

NREL has been a quiet leader in sustainability efforts; recently, the lab won three national awards, including one from the White House.

NREL Helping Virgin Islands Cut Fuel Use

Partnership could serve as a model for how to make renewable energy a large part of the electricity grid.

Retailers Checking 'Nice' on Energy Savings List

NREL is working with the nation's commercial building owners to discover new and innovative ways to reduce energy use.

Tiny Solar Cell Could Make a Big Difference

Semprius is building a factory in North Carolina to make solar power modules after a fruitful partnership with NREL.

New Lab to Help Utilities 'See' Grid of the Future

NREL tackles the challenge of keeping the decades old power grid running reliably while adding new clean technologies.

Secretary Chu: We Can Win Clean Energy Battle

Secretary of Energy touts American innovation and invention in visit to NREL.

Companies, venture capitalists, and NREL join forces to help market-ready innovations speed the adoption of clean technology.

Farm Fields Could Yield Jet Fuel of the Future

NREL is helping develop a process to cost effectively convert cellulosic biomass into a replacement for petroleum-based aviation fuel.

Sun Trackers Gather to Calibrate Instruments

Annual pyrheliometer comparisons ensure that measurements of solar "fuel" are the same all over the globe.

Breakthrough Furnace Can Cut Solar Costs

Award-winning Optical Cavity Furnace takes advantage of photonic effects, using less energy to make more efficient solar cells.

Alternative Fuels Data Center Keeps Pace

DOE and NREL are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the AFDC, an ever evolving online resource for alternative transportation information.

Silicon Ink Is Spot On, NREL Experiments Show

Innovalight's "liquid gold" passes precision tests, wins R&D award and could boost solar cell efficiency 5-7 percent.

NREL is helping industry leverage the lab's research, technologies and intellectual property to bolster existing and start-up businesses.

Online Open Energy Information platform helps officials and consumers make better energy decisions.

Clean Energy Top Priority, U.N. Chief Tells NREL

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says renewable energy will create jobs, empower women and combat climate change.

Low Emission Cars Under NREL's Microscope

National laboratory researchers put advanced vehicles through their paces and give consumers a taste of promising technologies.

NREL Mentors Keep It Real For Summer Interns

Student interns at NREL have a unique opportunity for hands-on research and their mentors learn a thing or two along the way.

A Better Way to Connect Solar, Wind to the Grid

NREL and Semikron's new power block is poised to make connecting renewable energy to the electricity grid less expensive, more reliable.

Turning Warehouses into Solar Powerhouses

NREL energy execs graduate spearheads the largest solar installation project in U.S. history on Prologis rooftops.

At NREL, Even the Ones and Zeros Are Green

NREL's data center redefines world class in energy savings with strategies and techniques that can serve as a model for others.

NREL Invention Speeds Solar Cell Quality Tests

Award-winning Flash QE, licensed and improved by Tau Science, could help manufacturers make less expensive, more efficient solar cells.

Prestigious Cherry Award Goes to NREL Scientist

Jerry Olson's idea for a multi-junction solar cell now powers spacecraft and is the basis of today's photovoltaic concentrator industry.

New Magazine Highlights Clean Energy Innovations

showcases researchers and facilities at the forefront of renewable energy and energy efficiency discovery and deployment.

Solar and Hydrogen Car Races Spark Imaginations

Fun and enthusiasm fuel competitions that are among the educational tools NREL and DOE provide to encourage students to pursue science.

Biden Says U.S. Will Lead Energy Revolution

New low licensing fees, partnerships between national labs and American entrepreneurs, are key, VP says during NREL visit.

Best for Batteries: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold

Thermal management is crucial in the development of new car batteries; NREL's Large-Volume Calorimeter helps prepare for a surge in electric vehicles.

NREL Adds Giant Wind Turbine to Research Site

New 3 megawatt machine towering over the National Wind Technology Center could lead to more reliable turbines, less expensive power.

Antarctica's Ice Puts Electric Vehicles to Test

If these electric vehicles can survive in Antarctica, they could help establish a fleet to offset fossil fuel use in an environmentally sensitive research area.

NREL Helping the Army Be as Green as it Can Be

NREL is helping the U.S. Army with a new program that will have installations across the country "greening" all the way to net zero.

Algorithm Positions Solar Trackers, Movie Stars

NREL researchers work out a way to predict the sun's position with unmatched precision over 8,000 years.

NREL is helping the U.S. Army with a new program that will have installations across the country "greening" all the way to net zero.

OpenStudio Visualizes Energy Use in Buildings

NREL's free software tools help industry drive down energy use in new and retrofit building projects.

Companies on the path to commercialization can leverage the lab's new Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility.

Super-Efficient Cells Key to Low-Cost Solar Power

Record-breaking multi-junction solar cells combined with cheap lenses and Amonix's two-axis sun tracker cut the price of solar electricity.

Colorado School Headed to Science Super Bowl

Students stretch their knowledge of math and science through Science Bowl competition. Many find career path.

Small Improvements to Make Big Difference

Research Support Facility expansion provides a rare opportunity to apply efficiency lessons right away.

Prospecting for elusive fast-growing, oily microalgae is a soggy, muddy, rewarding job for NREL researcher.

Researchers work with companies to evaluate the latest technology commercially available in the medium and heavy-duty truck markets.

NREL Solar Scientists Epitomize Teamwork

Collaboration and diversity in the form of multi-disciplinary teams with complementary skills replace the solo scientist of old.

Hydrogen Bus Lets Lab Visitors Glimpse Future

NREL uses wind energy to make the hydrogen fueling the lab's "green" shuttle.

Wind Turbines Whip Up Excitement, School Pride

Schoolyard wind turbines in 11 states propel interest in science and energy careers.

Fragile microorganisms hold a reservoir of potential oil, but are tough to crack.

Island Breezes, Sun Perfect for Renewables

NREL is helping Caribbean and Pacific islands plot energy plans in the face of soaring costs, pollution concerns.

Sun Shines Bright for NREL's Energy Execs

Leadership program grads are taking great strides to implement ideas fostered at NREL. Solar energy is offering them many opportunities.

New Schools in New Orleans, Sunnier, Greener

Five years after Hurricane Katrina wrecked the city's classrooms, New Orleans is taking advantage of the opportunity to build green schools that could save millions on energy bills. NREL is lending a helping hand.

Solar System Tops Off Efficient NREL Building

A rooftop solar electric system on NREL's new office building embodies the ideals of energy efficiency and renewable energy advocated by the Lab.

NREL Bridging the Gap for Entrepreneurs and VCs

Cleantech ventures are sharpening their business plans, polishing their presentations for NREL's 23rd Industry Growth Forum.

Innovative research laboratories get a facelift and infusion of new equipment to help researchers make environment friendly, economic biofuels.

Cheaper, Better Solar Cell Is Full of Holes

Award-winning etching technique puts a trillion holes in a silicon wafer making it blacker and better able to absorb nearly all the colors of sunlight.

IKEA Geothermal System Could Inform Others

Home furnishings retailer to tap into Earth's steady temperature; NREL to collect data, monitor system with an eye toward helping save energy and money.

Participant in NREL's executive leadership class aims to bring solar and wind energy to Afghan farms; researchers advise military on powering bases.

NREL Solar Technology Will Warm Air at 'Home'

Transpired solar collector technology developed at NREL boosts the efficiency of the new Research Support Facility on the Lab's campus.

NREL Scholarship Gives Columbine Grads a Boost

Ten years ago, in the wake of tragedy, NREL set up a fund to help students at Columbine High School. The investment still pays dividends.

Wind and Solar Energy Power Polar Research

NREL researchers deploy renewable energy systems at National Science Foundation bases in forbidding, fragile Antarctica.

Building Better Batteries for Cars and Spacecraft

NASA and NREL combine experience and experiments to make safer more reliable batteries for outer space and Interstates.

New Low-Energy Building a Landscape Leader, Too

The grounds of the Research Support Facility will help shape the nation's first rating system for green landscape design and construction.

Brownfields' Bright Spot: Solar and Wind Energy

NREL helps the Environmental Protection Agency find ways to generate renewable energy on blighted land.

NREL melds technologies to invent a better air conditioner that could mean more comfortable summers and lower energy bills.

Putting the Forklift before the Horseless Carriage

Hydrogen fuel cells tested in forklifts provide data on performance and safety key to widespread use of the power plants in cars and trucks.

Sustainable Solutions Abundant in New Offices

Beetle kill wood is just the latest example of the resources used to make the Research Support Facility a model for sustainability.

Giant Wind Turbine Test Takes a Heavyweight

NREL's 2.5-megawatt dynamometer picks on a wind turbine its own size in largest U.S. drive-train test ever.

One of the nation's largest technology companies looks to NREL as it advances products in photovoltaics, concentrating solar power and biofuels.

NREL Helps DOE Promote Cutting Edge Technology

Researching breakthroughs in energy now is easier thanks to a new Web site that quickly accesses patents for technologies developed by DOE laboratories.

National Labs Partner for Better Building Efficiency

A new initiative puts commercial building owners and operators together with technical experts to help save money and energy.

First Earth Day Organizer Bullish on Renewables

Early Laboratory Director Denis Hayes recalls roller coaster days of the past, says current generation gives him hope.

Green Computing Helps in Zero Energy Equation

Information Technology in the new Research Support Facility subtracts watts, adding to the building's energy efficiency while showing others how.

NREL Finds a Way to Give LEDs the Green Light

Lab reverses solar cell process to create a long-sought-after deep green that could lead to cheaper, more efficient lighting.

NREL's New Robots Scrutinize Solar Cells

Process Development and Integration Laboratory is faster, more precise, gives industry quicker answers.

Tool That Tracks Solar Installations is Open to All

NREL's new Open PV Web site lets users download information about installations, explore trends in photovoltaic markets.

High-Speed Pipeline Revs Up Biomass Analysis

High throughput system can analyze enzymes, poplars, switch grass, thousands at a time to help determine which plants are best suited for biofuels.

Light Inspires Energy Efficient Building Design

The use of daylighting drives the size of the NREL's new super energy efficient Research Support Facility as well as the features of its windows.

Making Wind Turbines Builds Career Interest

Good-paying jobs in renewable energy are important to the nation's future and don't all require a college degree, high school students learn.

Balancing Renewables and Natural Resources

NREL biologists test revegetation and wildlife protection strategies at new solar power array at the National Wind Technology Center.

NREL Battery Testing Capabilities Get a Boost

Recovery Act funding will be used to enhance battery testing equipment and facilities, helping NREL continue to support industry.

Smart Windows: Energy Efficiency with a View

Buildings consume 40 percent of our nation's energy. NREL is testing and researching electrochromic windows that could knock that back significantly.

NREL to Help Scale Up Biofuels Operations

Thanks to a partnership with DOE and NREL, companies are getting the cash and expertise needed to jumpstart biofuels production scale-up.

Energy Data Available Anywhere, Any Time

NREL launches a new Internet site to allow organizations around the world to both post their own energy data and download data, for free.

New Labs to Concentrate on Solar Thermal Energy

DOE funds facilities to advance concentrating solar power technologies; global capacity could reach 20 gigawatts by 2020.

NREL Works with Truckers to Reduce Fuel Use

Excessive idling of trucks has been identified as a source of wasted fuel; NREL is working with the trucking industry to find big savings.

NREL Sets the Bar for Office Building Energy Use

When DOE decided on a new office building, it asked NREL to set a new energy use benchmark. The resulting Research Support Facility does that and more.

NREL researchers are racing to come up with better and less expensive ways to make ethanol from cellulosic biomass. But they are hitting a wall—cell walls in plants that make the production of cellulosic fuels a challenge. So, laboratory scientists are creating their own computer program to help model and break down the tiny cellulose fibers found in plant cells.

NREL Uncovers Clean Energy Leaders State by State

That California and Texas still lead the United States in generating renewable energy probably is no surprise. But, NREL's 2009 State of the States report shows that several smaller states from Maine to Louisiana to Utah are closing the clean energy gap, confirming that every state has renewable energy potential.

Eco-Friendly SUV Gets a Hydrogen Mileage Boost

Driving hydrogen fueled SUVs for 431 miles per fill-up is no longer a California dream. Researchers from NREL and Toyota recently completed a 331 mile round trip drive between Torrance and San Diego in two Toyota Highlander Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicles. And, with the fuel remaining, those SUVs easily crossed the 400 mile mark.

Generation-Y Start-up Stuns NREL Growth Forum

Foam shipping materials made from fossil fuels do a righteous job of protecting your new flat screen TV, but are brutal on the environment. Two Generation-Y entrepreneurs won the 2009 NREL Clean Energy Growth Forum with an organic, low-carbon technology using mushroom fibers to protect your most precious stuff.

Building Panels Protect, Provide Comfort

The exterior skin of NREL's newest building will do more than keep the weather out. The concrete panels actually will be part of the Research Support Facilities' heating and cooling system. It's an old idea brought back to life in the name of energy efficiency.

Gusting Colorado winds recently helped usher in a new milestone for wind technology research and development. NREL and Siemens Power Generation "flipped the switch" starting the blades on a 2.3 megawatt wind turbine installed as part of a R&D agreement for testing turbine aerodynamics, structure and reliability.

Rain didn't ruin the 2009 Solar Decathlon in Washington, D.C. University teams successfully operated 20 net-zero, grid-connected solar power homes for a week on the National Mall. Some used more power-generating solar panels; others relied on energy efficiency strategies. The winner was clean energy.

Software Helps Design Energy Stingy Buildings

A new quick, easy to use and free software tool created by NREL developers seamlessly combines the building energy simulation of EnergyPlus with the popular drawing interface of Google's SketchUp, helping architects design healthier structures with fewer carbon emissions and lower utility bills.

Conference Tackles Interstate Transmission

The U.S. electricity grid is strained to its limit, and the nation's windiest and sunniest places are rarely near cities that generate high demand. Finding ways to string new power lines across several states is a challenge for even the most creative regulators and energy analysts determined to increase America's use of renewable energy.

Weathering System Cuts Product Testing Time

Engineers design a new auto paint, a better solar device or a sturdier vinyl siding. But how can they know if the new products deserve a five-year, 10-year or 30-year warranty? Better a leap in technology than a leap of faith. Scientists at NREL have come up with a way, the Ultra-Accelerated Weathering System.

Going on a diet can be good for you. And maybe a gasoline "diet" of traditional fuel blended with increased levels of ethanol will be good for the environment and economy without hurting cars and small engines. Researchers are trying to find out because new ethanol blends could play a starring role in reducing petroleum use.

Award-Winning Battery's Secret is 'Buried'

An innovative microbattery based on a NREL team's inspired digression already is bringing home major awards. But those involved with the buried anode rechargeable battery's ongoing development say the technology's greatest promise is as a building block for big batteries powering vehicles and storing wind and solar power.

NREL Energy Execs Make an Impact Nationally

NREL is no stranger to the spotlight when it comes to the discussion of renewable energy solutions for the country. And now alumni from NREL's Executive Energy Leadership program (Energy Execs) are finding their green energy projects in the national spotlight as they put what they learned into practice.

Wind Technology Center Installing a Dynamic Duo

Generating 20 percent of the nation's electricity from clean wind resources will require more and bigger wind turbines. NREL is installing two large wind turbines at the National Wind Technology Center to examine some of the industry's largest machines and address issues to expand wind energy on a commercial scale.

NREL Center Turns Materials Design Upside Down

The new NREL-led Center for Inverse Design will combine quantum theory, computation and combinatorial synthesis to turn materials design on its head. The center's success could accelerate the pace of materials discovery and trigger leaps in performance and efficiency in everything from sensors to lasers to solar panels.

NREL Summer Labs Season Science Students

Rather than seeing summer as a welcome break from scholarship, some dedicated students embrace the season as a time of new discoveries and learning. Eighty students from across the country recently spent 10 weeks at NREL tackling real-world problems in an internship program that benefits the lab, the nation and the students.

Award-Winning Reflector to Cut Solar Cost

In a breakthrough development that recently netted a coveted R&D Magazine top 100 award, a small solar company has teamed with scientists at NREL to develop massive curved sheets of metal that have the potential to be 30 percent less expensive than today's best collectors of concentrated solar power.

Drivers of alternate fuel vehicles now can take a popular tool on the road. The Mobile Alternative Fueling Station Locator helps on-the-go drivers find the five closest biodiesel, electricity, E85 (ethanol), hydrogen, natural gas, and propane fueling sites using any mobile device with Internet access.

Recycled Natural Gas Pipes Shore Up Green Building

NREL's efforts to create one the of the world's most energy efficient buildings is putting a twist on an old building standard. The vertical supporting columns which will carry the weight of floors and walls in the new Research Support Facilities is made from recycled natural gas pipe.

Unique Research Tool Aims to Reduce PV Cost

Thin film photovoltaics made with semiconducting inks promise to revolutionize the solar energy industry with flexible modules that can be integrated into roofs, windows and walls of any structure. NREL has a unique new processing platform that enables scientists and industry to collaborate on efficient ways to commercialize the process.

Biofuels Studies to Benefit from Better Lab Test

In a step that is likely to make a loud noise in alternative energy, a pair of scientists at NREL has worked out a simpler, faster and far less costly way to measure manganese, the metal that helps green plants split water. The breakthrough could support the development of photosynthetic systems for producing biofuels.

Lawmakers Visit NREL for Clean Energy Solutions

Want a tough job? Try being a state legislator during a recession. Now add an energy crisis and climate change to the mix. Two dozen lawmakers from Washington state to Maryland visited NREL to learn about clean energy technologies and incentives as ways to retool their economies and protect the environment.

NREL, Industry Work to Halve Building Energy Use

Partners from the private sector, the U.S. Department of Energy, and national labs including NREL are working together to drastically reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings. This week, NREL launched a new Web site dedicated to the collaborative research project dubbed "National Accounts."

NREL Energy Analysts Dig into Feed-In Tariffs

Feed-in tariffs have helped to transform cloudy Germany into the world leader of installed solar power and photovoltaic manufacturing. In a trio of reports, NREL energy analysts say similar incentives could stimulate renewable energy development on this side of the Atlantic, too.

Vets and 'Gray Fields' Go Green with NREL

NREL recently hosted a very green graduation ceremony — the Veterans Green Jobs Academy saw its first class of graduates eagerly accept their diplomas before heading off to jobs in the new energy economy. A partnership with NREL to create a National Training Demonstration Center in Energy Efficiency was announced at the event, too.

Labyrinth to Store Energy in Basement for Later Use

There's a labyrinth in the basement of NREL's newest building. The maze wasn't designed to hem in a mythical beast or to confuse workers, but it is a trap — one that will capture the heat of the day or the cool of the night, hold onto it and then slowly release the thermal energy to help warm or cool the building.

Solar, Hydrogen Model Cars Race Toward New Energy Future

Bright skies and creative designs combined for blistering speeds at the 2009 Junior Solar Sprint and Hydrogen Fuel Cell car competitions. The NREL-hosted event attracted 78 teams from 29 Colorado middle schools. For the 19th year, student teams raced solar or hydrogen powered vehicles that they designed and built themselves.

Senior Scientist Huyen Dinh has been with NREL a relatively short time but is tackling big projects involving millions of research dollars, worldwide collaboration with colleagues, and has welcomed a new member to her family. Motivated by her past, she takes multitasking to a whole new level.

Two Years Later, Greensburg is Officially Green — with NREL's Help

Two years after a tornado annihilated Greensburg, the Kansas farm town gives NREL the city's inaugural award for helping it realize its ambition to become America's model green community with wind power and efficient new buildings. "NREL has made our lives easier and better," said City Administrator Steve Hewitt.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu made his first visit to NREL as secretary an especially memorable one — announcing $110 million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate construction of the Laboratory's campus, dramatically expanding NREL's capacity for renewable energy research and partnerships while showcasing some of the world's most energy efficient buildings.

NREL and Ford Team Up to Develop 'Cool' Cars

NREL soon will be joining with Ford in a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to study and develop high-efficiency thermoelectric climate systems for cars. NREL, which has been working for years to understand how cooling techniques affect fuel use and comfort, has developed unique tools to help the research.

NREL Gearbox Study Aims to Grease Wind Power's Future

Wind turbines are designed to last 20 years. But gearboxes and other key components are wearing out sooner. Engineers at NREL's National Wind Technology Center are working with industry to discover why and retool the design process to improve reliability, reduce the cost and help the nation reach its clean energy potential.

NREL Helps Sort Green Transportation Options

With a variety of green transportation options to chose from, fleet managers hoping to preserve the environment along with a bottom line can be excused for sometimes being confused. Through the Alternative Fuels Data Center, NREL helps fleet managers successfully support their company's sustainability goals with a variety of online tools.

Algae-to-Fuel Research Enjoys Resurgence at NREL

After languishing for more than a decade, NREL's algae program is revitalized and expanding, as hundreds of companies try to commercialize processes to turn algae into fuel. Now researchers are focusing on a better understanding of algae biology and trying to separate myths from reality surrounding this promising source of "green crude."

NREL Assigns Renewables Experts to Hawaii, Alaska

Hawaii and Alaska have a few things in common: Their remote locations result in high energy prices, but they also have ample clean energy resources. And, NREL experts are working with government officials and utilities in both states to deploy renewable energy technologies and integrate these new systems into local grids.

NREL's South Table Mountain campus teems with wildlife. Its dry landscape is home to more than 200 plant species. The site includes cultural gems that speak to the region's past. And, NREL is growing. But growth for the future won't mean changing the nature of the place or ignoring its history. NREL staff is keeping a watchful eye to ensure that construction has minimal impact on the environment.

NREL Tests Energy-Saving Office of the Future

New administrative offices for the U.S. Department of Energy's Golden Field Office and NREL will be in one of the world's most energy efficient buildings. Planners have set their sights on achieving a LEED Platinum rating; employees, however, are simply dubbing the building as the "office of the future."

Partnerships Boost Research, Improve Technology

Sometimes the most efficient path to success is to find a partner to work with along the way. NREL uses CRADAs (Cooperative Research and Development Agreements) to help the best minds in industry and government team up to find solutions for alternative energy. A recent CRADA with DuPont sought solutions to make ethanol from corn stalks.

New Orleans is going green as it rebuilds after Hurricane Katrina — with a big assist from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory. New homes and public buildings are being designed with energy efficient features to reduce energy use while remaining comfortable in a muggy climate.

Controlling Heat Key to Hybrid Performance

Advanced hybrid-electric vehicles are poised to transform the auto market. But excess heat can sap hybrids' advantages. Researchers in NREL's Advanced Electronics Laboratory are exploring every layer of hybrid technology to reduce heat and dramatically improve performance and efficiency while reducing costs.

Governor Honors Alternative Energy Advocate

Colorado's governor 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.

Science is fun! Just ask students across the country currently competing for a trip to the National Science Bowl. But there is a not-so-hidden agenda for Science Bowl sponsors: engage the next generation of scientists and engineers. "We truly enjoy science," one of the competitors says. "With science there are so many places you can go in life."

Bigger and Better: Lab Aims to Improve Giant Wind Turbines

It's going to be a big summer at NREL's National Wind Technology Center. The national laboratory is installing two giant turbines from GE and Siemens for performance testing that will continue for years. The research aims to make turbines taller, larger, less expensive, more reliable and more efficient.

David Hsu came to NREL to make a difference by helping reduce the nation's dependence on oil. In the current economy, NREL is unusual: the national laboratory is hiring new employees, expanding its campus and planning for more growth to meet the nation's energy challenges. That's why NREL needs energy innovators, such as biofuels analyst Hsu.

In the current economy, NREL is unusual: we are hiring new employees, expanding our campus, and planning for continued growth. Driving this growth is the critical need to move technologies developed at NREL into the marketplace to meet the nation's energy and environmental challenges. To meet these challenges head on, NREL is hiring energy innovators.

New Solar Technology Concentrates on Cost, Efficiency

The SkyTrough parabolic dish at NREL's South Table Mountain test site uses a reflective laminate over lightweight sheet metal to focus the sun's energy. The technology now being scrutinized by NREL engineers could make concentrating the sun's heat to generate electricity more efficient and affordable. "It's unlike any parabolic trough design used so far," says senior engineer Keith Gawlik.

See How Renewable Energy Works in Your Backyard

Whether you live in a mansion or a cottage, NREL's In My Backyard can show you which solar or wind system might be right for your home almost anywhere in the U.S. In My Backyard helps calculate solar or wind resources, the economics of renewable energy systems and answers other basic questions. Researchers now have made the online tool more informative and easier to use.

NREL to Work with Labs in China, Brazil and Germany

NREL is collaborating with laboratories on three continents to advance renewable power and fuel technologies and expand clean energy industries worldwide. The partnerships will team scientists and analysts in photovoltaics, biofuels and concentrating solar power. Expanding the lab's international profile is vital if renewable energy technologies are to reach their potential.

NREL Helps Stylish Home Use 80% Less Energy

For Sale: A new bungalow near the American River in historic Folsom, California. With NREL's help, the environmentally friendly design cuts utility bills and peak electric demand by 80 percent, yet blends into a turn-of-the-20th century streetscape. Green Builder Magazine named the bungalow Home of the Year.

Most kids want to visit Disney World. Not David Godfrey. The San Jose teenager wants to help others – and the planet – by spreading the use of renewable energy. With help from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the young scientist shared his innovative ideas at NREL and got the chance to shake a wind turbine blade, zip around in advanced vehicles and explore the molecular structure of biofuels organisms.

NREL, Iberdrola Launch New Solar Network

Sure, the desert is sunny. But when it comes to building a solar power plant costing hundreds of millions of dollars, finding absolutely the best sunlight can make the difference in making sufficient electrons – and a profit. NREL and industry partners have launched a new solar instrument network in the Southwest that will measure the solar resource in unprecedented detail.

Growth Forum Attracts 500 Clean Energy Backers

Participants in NREL's 21 Industry Growth Forum learned that despite current market conditions, the prospect of long-term national support for renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D and the recognition of how "green collar" jobs can drive economic recovery generate an enthusiasm for clean energy's prospects that most industries would envy.

Wind Turbines Generate Interest in Energy Careers

Teenagers in Jerome, Idaho, will flip the switch on a small wind turbine on the lawn next to their middle school this week with help from NREL's Wind for Schools program. The turbine will make electricity, but more important it can spark the imagination and inspire students to pursue careers in renewable energy.

SolarTAC to Be Largest Commercial Solar Test Facility

Air travelers landing in Denver soon can look out on a field of glittering solar panels as NREL helps launch America's largest shared commercial solar testing facility. Energy companies and scientists will use the site to test, validate and demonstrate technologies before commercial deployment.

Wood Chips to Heat Laboratories, Save Natural Gas

NREL is switching to a sustainable, efficient source of heat using wood thinned from Colorado forests. A new boiler facility will heat laboratory buildings by burning wood chips from trees lost to pine beetles and could displace 80 percent of natural gas used to heat the campus, offsetting 4.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

Revolutionary Solar Collaboration Awards First Grants

Finding more efficient and less costly ways to directly convert the sun's energy to clean electricity and fuels will require a fundamentally new approach to solar R&D. The Center for Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion (CRSP) has started by awarding its first research grants.

A Banner Year for Recognition, NREL Reaps 25 Awards

Director Dan Arvizu's induction in the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference Hall of Fame caps a record year of accomplishment in which laboratory researchers and their projects received more than two dozen international and national prizes.

Every state has dozens of contaminated sites that are unproductive — or even abandoned. A new analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency and NREL shows that some hold surprising renewable energy potential.

Wind, Solar, Gas, Coal? Models Help Communities Decide

What's better to build – a new coal-fired power plant, a wind farm or a solar power plant? For communities and industries making strategic energy choices, NREL has expanded its suite of analytical tools to help determine economic impacts and make technology comparisons.

VIBE Showcases Clean Energy Decision Tools

Everyone is trying to reduce their fuel bill, but imagine if you had to fill up a fleet of 1,000 trucks? VIBE is NREL's new clean energy command center designed to marshal information and synthesize trends that industry and governments need to make clean energy decisions.

Coutts Sees Solar Efficiencies Outrace his Wildest Expectations

Twenty years ago, NREL Research Fellow Dr. Timothy Coutts scoffed at a suggestion that solar cells could be 20 percent efficient. Now poised to become an emeritus fellow, he predicts solar technology will become "omnipresent."

Islands Initiative to Put Clean Energy in Paradise

Golden sand, swaying palms, turquoise waters — it's a traveler's dream. But paradise has a price. Developed islands such as Hawaii, the Bahamas, New Zealand and Iceland rely almost exclusively on imported oil. A U.S. Department of Energy initiative with NREL aims to transform island societies into renewable energy destinations.

NREL Research Review Touts Tech Transfer Efforts

As NREL's annual review of research accomplishments went to press, energy continued to make headline news around the globe. This year's NREL Research Review describes how the lab's innovations in a wide range of technologies from biofuels to buildings to thin-film solar cells are heading to market — right when they are needed the most.

What Renewable Energy Is Doing for Colorado and the Planet

It's hard to imagine the impact that renewable energy can have on planet Earth or in the state of Colorado — unless, of course, you've seen two of NREL's newest exhibits. One opens in downtown Denver this month, the other is spinning at NREL's Visitors Center in Golden.

Award-Winning Animation Helps Scientists See Nature at Work

Michael Crowley's cartoons are unlike anything you'll see on Nickelodeon. Crowley's animation of an enzyme vital to the production of cellulosic ethanol has won a DOE prize against competition such as models of Hurricane Katrina and nuclear combustion.

Net-Zero Energy Home Generating an Energy Surplus

This ranch home near Denver doesn't look like a power plant, but the Net-Zero Energy Home has exceeded expectations by generating more energy than it consumes. NREL built the three-bedroom home with Habitat for Humanity in 2005 to demonstrate how affordability can be combined with energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Laboratory to Take Advanced Vehicles for a Spin

Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner announced that NREL would be home to a demonstration and research fleet of advanced vehicles in dramatic fashion — from a stage surrounded by cars and trucks featuring cutting-edge technologies. Then he took one for a spin.

Photovoltaics Innovations Win 2 R&D 100 Awards

And the envelope please...NREL has won two R&D 100 awards for photovoltaic innovations. These prizes are considered to be the "Oscars of Invention" because they spotlight the year's most significant new commercial technologies around the world. NREL has won a total of 42 of the awards since they were established 39 years ago.

NREL Director Adds Voice to Global Energy Conversation

NREL Director Dr. Dan Arvizu is a new voice in the world's increasingly urgent conversation about energy — how we make it, how we use it and its impacts on the economy and environment. In the past few months, Arvizu has been invited to sit on boards that could shape new businesses in the global public interest, stimulate scientific breakthroughs and provide thoughtful advice on energy and economic issues to U.S. and international governments.

NREL Expands Solar Testing Facility to Support Industry Growth

U.S. solar manufacturing grew by 74% in 2007, one of the fastest industry growth rates in the world. To keep up with demand, the solar industry needs larger and faster solar module testing. NREL is responding to industry needs by expanding its Outdoor Test Facility, allowing researchers to test larger solar modules — and more of them — in a real-world test lab.

NREL Connects the West with Renewable Energy

There is a disconnect between the American West's rich renewable energy resources and the region's vast electricity grid. It's a problem that must be addressed if renewables are to help supply the nation's fast-growing communities with sufficient power. NREL is helping western states look for efficiencies.

Gas prices aren't the only records being broken. Triple-digit fuel economy once was reserved for exotic vehicles. Now NREL engineers have modified a Toyota Prius hybrid that cracks the 100-mpg benchmark. Road warriors can't buy one of these vehicles yet, but automakers say they are interested in the technology.

NREL Targets Data Centers for Energy Savings

The energy it takes to power and cool growing data centers now adds up to more that it costs to buy the information technology (IT) equipment. And that does not compute. NREL plans to help lead by example with green IT practices and innovations in its new buildings.

NREL Launches Major Wind Projects with DOE, Partners

NREL will push wind energy technology forward with new large projects at its National Wind Technology Center in Colorado and on the coasts of Texas and Massachusetts in a bid to help the U.S. realize the full potential of this rapidly growing source of renewable energy.

Dr. Arthur Nozik Wins Prestigious Science Prize

Identifying and manipulating semiconductor "quantum dots" a billionth of a meter in diameter to boost solar cell efficiency has brought international recognition to Dr. Arthur Nozik and his NREL team. The Eni Award has been a top energy prize for 20 years. Now the Italian energy giant Eni has repurposed its award to provide incentives for technological achievement with a special emphasis on renewable sources.

NREL Solar Cells to Lighten a Soldier's Load

Solar research is leading to exciting new developments that could mean powering more with less. NREL's Dr. Mark Wanlass has come up with an upside down way to build tiny solar cells with a big kick. For the soldier in the field, it means carrying less weight and a reliable energy pack for key gear.

Wind Energy Could Provide 20 Percent of U.S. Electricity by 2030

Harnessing the wind that comes sweepin' down the plain could provide 20 percent of America's electricity by 2030, according to a first-of-its-kind report from the U.S. Department of Energy, spearheaded by NREL. The environmental and economic benefits of boosting wind energy's contribution would be enormous and the costs are modest, the report says. "First of all it is doable, second of all it's desirable," NREL Director Dan Arvizu said.

A "lunchbox" that turns high school students loose on algae may help solve the nation's energy challenges. At least that's the intent of an amazing learning tool called the Lunchbox Lab that gives students the power to examine strains of algae to see if they can produce hydrogen. Researchers at NREL and Futurefarmers designed and built the first Lunchbox Lab, which is now on display at New York City's Museum of Modern Art.

Only a few people were able to see the spark of hope and opportunity after the devastation of a rural Kansas town a year ago. But that spark, with NREL's help, has grown to a bright future for Greensburg as it pursues its vision of rebuilding as one of the greenest communities in America. It's the one-year anniversary of the nearly complete destruction of the farming community by a 1.7-mile-wide tornado, and the story of Greensburg's path to recovery is a remarkable one.

NREL has five new Research Fellows, leaders in bioenergy, nanotechnology, photochemistry and photophysics, wind energy and hydrogen research. Helena Chum, David Ginley, Garry Rumbles, Bob Thresher and John Turner join the top rank of internationally recognized NREL scientists and engineers who help guide the Laboratory's research.

Manikin on a Mission: Keep Cool, Save Fuel

He's only one manikin, but he's a manikin with NREL's mission at heart. ADAM, as he is affectionately called, is an Advanced Automotive Manikin who daily helps researchers find new ways to make cars more comfortable, while saving significant amounts of fuel. He does it by sweating. Usually in a car.

R&D Magazine picked NREL's Science and Technology Facility as one of the best laboratories built in the U.S. in 2007. In the 42nd Laboratory of the Year competition, the NREL facility was one of only two labs recognized as design trendsetters.

NREL Plays Substantive Role in Renewables Conference

NREL's significant profile at one of the leading world conferences on renewable energy included Director Dan Arvizu providing keynote remarks on March 4 at the business conference for the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008).

NREL's WinDS Model Reveals Renewable Energy Potential

NREL's Strategic Energy Analysis and Applications Center is leading efforts to design models that produce credible, reliable analyses that support NREL research. The Wind Deployment System, or WinDS, is one such model.

Major Construction Begins on NREL's Main Campus

NREL is in the process of designing and building key facilities to meet the nation's crucial research objectives for clean and sustainable energy technologies. A $101 million increase to NREL's budget makes it possible for NREL to move forward with the construction of new facilities.

NREL's 20th Industry Growth Forum Finances a Path to a Clean Energy Future

"When people look back at the 21st Century's greatest inventions, renewable energy technologies will be on that list," said John Denniston, a partner with Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, at NREL's 20th Industry Growth Forum. The Forum brought together start-up companies and investors to transfer clean energy technologies into the marketplace.

Successful 2007 Decathlon Ends, Looks Forward to 2009

The National Mall in Washington, D.C., buzzing with hundreds of thousands of people who visited the Solar Village during the Solar Decathlon 2007 two weeks ago, has now settled and quieted.

2007 Solar Decathlon Takes the Spotlight in D.C.

The time has come for college and university students from around the world to gather once again at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to show off their innovative, creative, and environmentally friendly solar homes at the Solar Decathlon. This is the third Solar Decathlon, with the first and second such events held in 2002 and 2005.

NREL Teams Up with Boeing Spectrolab to Win R&D 100 Award

R&D Magazine recognizes the world's top 100 scientific advances with its annual R&D 100 Award for innovations with the most significant commercial potential. This year, NREL and Boeing Spectrolab were jointly awarded an R&D 100 Award for developing the first solar cell to break the 40% efficiency barrier, the solar equivalent of breaking the four-minute mile.

Xcel Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory recently unveiled a unique facility that uses electricity from wind turbines to produce and store pure hydrogen, offering what may become an important new template for future energy production.

NREL's Biomass Research Fuels National Energy Dialogue

In his 2007 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush championed energy alternatives. Among his emphases was the potential of biomass — plant materials — to fulfill a greater share of our nation's transportation fuel needs. The research and analysis provided by NREL and the National Bioenergy Center not only support the President's vision, but have helped to inform it.

More Than Pretty Maps—NREL Uses GIS to Find Workable Energy Solutions

NREL's geographic information systems (GIS) team produces maps of renewable energy resources that demonstrate which technologies, whether solar, wind, hydrogen or biomass, are the best, most workable energy solutions.

Crosscutting NREL Research Advances Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

In the 1990s, NREL worked to advance hybrid electric vehicles, particularly propulsion systems, building the technology's viability in the marketplace. Today, NREL is working with industry and other national labs to take this concept one step further with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

NREL's New Science and Technology Facility Will Help to Advance New Energy Alternatives

The Science and Technology Facility is the latest addition to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) state-of-the-art research buildings on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) campus. The showcase facility is essential to the development and commercialization of promising new renewable energy technologies.

NREL Research Helps Deliver Clean, Solar Electricity to Thousands of Homes in the Southwest

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have contributed to the rebirth of a solar energy technology in the Southwest. The first concentrating solar power (CSP) plant built in the United States in 16 years began operation in Arizona in December 2005.

President Bush Leads Energy Panel Discussion at NREL

On February 21, 2006, during the second-ever visit to NREL by a United States President, President George W. Bush told employees their work is appreciated and that he is committed to clearing up any discrepancies in funding.

NREL — Keeping Up with the Rapidly Growing Wind Industry

Wind energy—it's the fastest growing electricity-generating technology in the world. And thanks to the successful research and development partnerships between industry and DOE's Wind Program at NREL and Sandia National Laboratories, it's breaking U.S. records as well.

Sharing Expertise and Facilities—NREL Assists DOE and Industry with Biomass Technologies of the Future

Biomass conversion is as old as the first wood fires humans ever made—to cook food or maybe just to stay warm during a long, cold night. And like everything old, it's new again—and moving in some exciting new directions at NREL.

New Science and Technology Facility to Combine Energy Efficiency with Research

The future of solar cell, thin film, and nanostructure research will be built on a hill to the east of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Energy Research Facility.

NREL and R&D Partners Work to Trim Solar Electricity Costs

From Alaska to Nebraska and all points east, west, and south—solar energy is all around us. Our national "solar resource" is enormous, even with all its regional variations. The energy in this resource could supply us with substantial amounts of clean, renewable electricity year after year. We just need to be able to extract and harness the sun's energy at a reasonable cost.

NREL Scientists Take On Hydrogen Storage

As I buckle my baby daughter into our car, I marvel at the possibility that her first car could be powered by hydrogen—the third most abundant element on the Earth's surface. That is, if researchers—including those at NREL—can find a safe, economical, practical way of storing hydrogen fuel on board a vehicle.

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