Showing Tag: "nrel" (Show all posts)

A Boon for Biofuels Research

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, June 12, 2013,

Researchers from the United Kingdom, the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the University of Kentucky have recently published a paper describing a novel cellulose-degrading enzyme from a marine wood borer Limnoria quadripunctata, commonly known as the gribble.

Gribbles are biologically intriguing because they exhibit a relatively unique ability to produce their own enzymes instead of using symbiotic microbes to break down the biomass they eat. New biomass-de...

Quantum Dots that Assemble Themselves Could Bolster Quantum Photonics and Solar Cell Efficiency

Posted by Guest Editor, NREL newswire on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, In : News

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and other labs have demonstrated a process whereby quantum dots can self-assemble at optimal locations in nanowires, a breakthrough that could improve solar cells, quantum computing, and lighting devices.

A paper on the new technology, "Self-assembled Quantum Dots in a Nanowire System for Quantum Photonics," appears in the current issue of the scientific journal Nature Materials.

Quantum dots are tiny cry...
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Schools Raise the Roof on Solar Energy

Posted by Guest Editor news from NREL on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, In : Guest Blogger

In one 50-minute period last month, the Intro to Engineering students at Chatfield High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, charted the strength of solar panels at their desks, then climbed through a trap door to examine the 100-kilowatt solar array on their school's flat roof.

"You see a couple of panels that have been shattered by last year's wind storm," teacher Joel Bertelsen told the 32 students, who were peering intently at the panels when not testing the springiness of the roof. "I...
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New study: hybrid tractors demonstrated 13.7% higher fuel economy!

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, In : News

A performance evaluation of Class 8 hybrid electric tractor trailers compared with similar conventional vehicles by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows significant improvements in fuel economy.

For the "Coca-Cola Refreshments Class 8 Diesel Electric Hybrid Tractor Evaluation: 13-Month Final Report," the NREL team collected and analyzed fuel economy, maintenance, and other vehicle performance data on five hybrid and five conventional Class...
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New Schools in New Orleans, Sunnier, Greener

Posted by Newswire on Thursday, October 14, 2010, In : Must read

Via NREL Newswire

The kids are back in school in post-Katrina New Orleans, and there's light at the end of the classroom.

Five years after Katrina flushed water through the failed floodwalls, destroying homes, damaging classrooms and dashing dreams, the opportunity to build green schools that save millions of dollars on energy bills is just within reach for the school districts that serve New Orleans.Hurricane Katrina knocked out dozens of schools along with thousands of homes, and for quite a...

Fledgling Companies to Present Business Cases to Venture Capitalists

Posted by on Thursday, October 14, 2010,

Via DOE

Golden, Colo., Oct. 13, 2010 – Thirty-four clean energy companies, including five Colorado companies, will gather in Denver Oct. 19-21 to present their clean energy business cases to a panel of national venture capitalists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory 23rd Industry Growth Forum.

In addition to the business case presentations, a comprehensive agenda of speakers and in-depth panels will address the most important topics in the industry today...