Grid Modernization News
Explore our archive of grid modernization news stories.
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Cadmium Telluride Accelerator Consortium Aims To Reduce Costs, Speed Deployment of Low-Carbon Thin-Film Solar Technologies
This week, U.S. Department of Energy announced a new three-year consortium intended to accelerate the development of cadmium telluride (CdTe) technologies by lowering the cost and increasing the efficiency of the thin-film solar cells.Full story -
New Cybersecurity Tool Simplifies Site Evaluations
As federal sites invest in distributed energy resources like solar panels and battery backups, investments in cybersecurity must also be considered. More energy resources create more complexity to manage—introducing the potential of new cyber vulnerabilities and added costs down the road.Full story -
Transforming Energy Through Internships
For 45 years, NREL has been innovating energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies with the help of highly qualified interns. Thousands of interns have walked the halls--virtually and physically--and assisted researchers over the four decades.Full story -
Industry Partners Selected for Advanced Grid Management Demonstrations at NREL
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected industry leaders Shell, Spirae LLC, Electrical Grid Monitoring Inc., and Israel Electric Corporation to partner with NREL on power distribution system management and controls.Full story -
Calling on Cybersecurity Innovators: Help Utilities Improve Authentication for Distributed Energy Systems
Utilities need cybersecurity solutions that are easy to implement and can make a real-world difference immediately. That is why the theme for the first cohort of the new Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator (CECA) is strong authentication for distributed energy resources.Full story -
Scientist Maps Battery Data for Optimized Energy Storage Solutions
In recognition of his work, NREL recently named Kandler Smith a Distinguished Member of Research Staff for his world-class contributions in battery lifetime modeling, prediction, optimization, and design.Full story -
NREL Selected for Space-Bound Research To Solve the Plastic Waste Dilemma
Researchers at NREL will send an engineered bacteria into space as early as next year as part of ongoing research into solving the problem of plastic waste mitigation on Earth.Full story -
Not Just Bread and Beer—Microbes Can Ferment Carbon Dioxide To Make Fuel, Too
Bakers ferment dough for a well-risen loaf of bread. Brewers ferment wheat and barley for a smooth, malty glass of beer. And as nature's foremost bakers and brewers, some microbes can do even more.Full story -
Explore Colorado's Artificial Oceans and Rivers—in Three Dimensions
Learn how NREL simulates rivers and oceans (and much more) to help accelerate the development of cost-effective and durable hydropower and marine energy technologies.Full story -
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Modeling Exactly Where Distributed Energy Resources Provide the Most Value to the Grid
NREL's Distributed Generation Market Demand Model helps identify where distributed energy resources could provide the most value to the grid, informing new compensation mechanisms.Full story -
Partnerships Explore Coexistence of Bats and Wind Energy
NREL has awarded three industry teams $1.1 million in funding to support research on bats and wind energy projects. The two-year studies will explore bat behavior around wind turbines and help inform future efforts to improve coexistence of clean, renewable energy with wildlife.Full story -
NREL's Johney Green Appointed Chairman of National GEM Consortium
Johney Green, associate laboratory director for Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences at NREL, was appointed Chairman of The National GEM Consortium Board of Directors on July 18, 2022. GEM is a 45-year-old national nonprofit organization whose vision is to make scientific impact through underrepresented minority STEM talent in the United States.Full story -
Federal Aviation Administration Partners With NREL for a Holistic Look at Energy Needs of Electrified Aircraft
With integrated analysis from NREL, the FAA can create safety standards and recommend efficient and resilient airport infrastructure able to support electrified aircraft designs.Full story -
U.S. and Australia Collaborate To Accelerate Zero-Emission Technology
On July 11, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen signed the Australia-United States Net-Zero Technology Acceleration Partnership at the Sydney Energy Forum.Full story -
Reframing Curtailment: Why Too Much of a Good Thing Is Still a Good Thing
Video explains how having more than enough renewable energy capacity can make the grid more flexible.Full story -
Build Your Team! Solar Decathlon 2023 Design Challenge Opens Registration
Want to design a zero-energy building while still in school? Register now and form a 2023 Design Challenge team to develop sustainable building expertise and tackle real-world problems through the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® collegiate competition.Full story -
NREL Researchers Create Order From Quantum Chaos
In a new paper in PNAS, NREL researchers tackle one of the fundamental problems in quantum information science: how to produce pure elements of quantum information at practical temperatures.Full story -
NREL Set To Receive $5.4 Million in Funding To Research Turning Buildings Into Carbon Storage Structures
NREL has been selected to receive over $5.4 million from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) for the development of technologies that can transform buildings into carbon storage structures.Full story -
NREL Addresses Energy Challenges for Sustainable Aviation
From sustainable fuels to airport infrastructure analysis to next-gen aircraft, NREL offers solutions for lowering emissions in a sector that is among the most difficult to decarbonize.Full story
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Last Updated March 10, 2025