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NREL Breaks Down Walls for Biofuels

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 a…

Filed Under: Alternative Fuels Tagged With:

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 ga…

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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. …

Filed Under: Alternative Fuels Tagged With:

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 technolog…

Filed Under: Renewable Energy Tagged With:

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 ef…

Filed Under: Green Building Tagged With:

Largest Wind R&D Study Underway at NREL

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…

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It Takes a Solar Village

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 ef…

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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 few…

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NREL Team Tests Higher Ethanol Fuel Mix

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 becaus…

Filed Under: Alternative Fuels Tagged With:

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 s…

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