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January 2020
News Release: NREL Opens Prize Designed to Generate Solutions for Protecting Fish from Water Power Structures
Today, NREL announced the opening of a new prize competition — the Fish Protection Prize — designed to generate innovative methods for keeping fish out of water diversions and dam intakes. The movement of fish into water infrastructure separates fish from their natural habitat and can impact native populations, threaten biodiversity, and impede recovery efforts for threatened and endangered species.
Declining Renewable Costs Drive Focus on Energy Storage
An oft-repeated refrain—the sun doesn't always shine, is sometimes seen as an impediment to renewable energy. But it's also an impetus toward discovering the best ways to store that energy until it's needed.
December 2019
Modeling Tomorrow's Energy Infrastructure Today: Researchers model electricity systems for future resource and climate uncertainty
A new modeling approach takes future climate and water resource conditions into account for long-term electricity generation infrastructure planning.
Powering the Next Wave of Energy Converter Devices
A multiyear system design and validation project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office reached completion in 2019 and resulted in increased knowledge about development and validation of wave energy converter devices and their associated materials.
Setbacks Are No Setback for Marine Energy Development: A U.S. Submarine Cable Analysis
The ocean may very well be the next frontier, and two major industries—telecommunications and marine renewable energy—are already employing and exploring this vital asset. Vital to both telecom and marine renewable energy development is careful planning to accommodate their respective operations, as well as those of other users of the ocean.
FAST Grand Prize Winners Make Progress on Pumped Storage Research
Team Wittmeyer-Dasgupta of the Southwest Research Institute won a Furthering Advancements to Shorten Time (FAST) Commissioning for Pumped-Storage Hydropower Prize for a modular steel concept for dams that reduces costs by one-third and cuts construction schedules in half.
November 2019
Say Hello To Your 2020 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition Participants
The U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office announced 15 intrepid collegiate teams to embark on the first-ever Marine Energy Collegiate Competition.
News Release: Waves to Water Prize Concept Winners Announced; Ocean Observing Prize Accepting Applications
NREL administers and executes both prizes on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.
October 2019
News Release: NREL Selected for Series of Offshore Wind Turbine Research Projects
NREL was named prime contractor for three projects within ARPA-E's Aerodynamic Turbines Lighter and Afloat with Nautical Technologies and Integrated Servo-control (ATLANTIS) program.
News Release: NREL Names FAST Competition Grand Prize Winners
The FAST Prize competition sought ideas to reduce the time to commission pumped-storage hydropower.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025