NREL

August 13, 2008 -- Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have set a world record in solar cell efficiency with a photovoltaic device that converts 40.8 percent of the light that hits it into electricity. This is the highest confirmed efficiency of any photovoltaic device to date.

The inverted metamorphic triple-junction solar cell was designed, fabricated and independently measured at NREL. The 40.8 percent efficiency was measured under concentrated light of 326 suns. One sun is about the amount of light that typically hits Earth on a sunny day. The new cell is a natural candidate for the space satellite market and for terrestrial concentrated photovoltaic arrays, which use lenses or mirrors to focus sunlight onto the solar cells.    » read more »

June 3, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today announced projects that will enhance the nation’s ability to realize the full potential of wind power across the United States.

The projects include: a new wind turbine blade test facility to be constructed in Texas; a partnership between NREL, DOE, and a state consortium led by University of Houston; a just-signed agreement with Siemens Power Generation to locate and test a commercial-scale wind turbine at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center; and, a new Siemens research and development facility in Boulder, Colo., which will work closely with NREL on advanced wind power technologies.    » read more »

Lab Contributes Scientific Foundation for Making Biofuel from Non-Food Sources

May 2008 -- Collaborative scientific research between the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and DuPont will be put to use to develop and commercialize technology to produce cellulosic ethanol from non-food sources.

Tractor cornfield

DuPont and its partner Genencor, a division of Danisco A/S, have announced that they will invest $140 million initially to integrate the pretreatment process and fermenting organism developed with NREL and enzyme technologies developed by Genencor in a joint venture to convert corn stover and sugar cane bagasse to ethanol.    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has reached a Memorandum of Understanding with ConocoPhillips and Iowa State University to identify promising cellulosic biomass conversion technologies over the near, mid- and long-term. The collaboration will bring three independently established programs together to help identify the most efficient and cost-effective methods for making liquid transportation fuels from plants.    » read more »

March 31, 2008 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle today announced a collaborative public-private partnership to establish a wind technology program on Maui as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to increase Hawaii’s energy independence.

A wind farm near Hawi, Hawaii: (photo: NREL)    » read more »

May 25, 2007 -- The Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and collaborators have updated the National Solar Radiation Database, a planning tool that provides critical information about the amount of solar energy that is available at any given location.

The database is widely used by solar system designers, building architects and engineers, renewable energy analysts and others to plan, size and site solar energy systems.    » read more »