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December 2017
News Release: NREL Develops Novel Method to Produce Renewable Acrylonitrile
A new study from the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) establishes a novel catalytic method to produce renewable acrylonitrile using 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP), which can be biologically produced from sugars. This hybrid biological-catalytic process offers an alternative to the conventional petrochemical production method and achieves unprecedented acrylonitrile yields.
October 2017
Undersea Microbes Provide Path to Energy Storage
NREL establishes first demonstration project in United States.
September 2017
NREL Selected to Spearhead $3.5 Million DOE Project to Advance Algal Biofuels and Bioproducts
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the selection of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to lead a new project, for up to $3.5 million, with the goal of reducing the production costs of algae-based biofuels and bioproducts through improvements in algal biomass yields.
News Release: Enzyme's Worth to Biofuels Shown in Latest NREL Research
An enzyme discovered at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) proves adept at breaking down cellulose fibers regardless of whether their crystalline structure is simple or highly complex. No other enzyme has shown that ability.
July 2017
NREL Scientists Upend Century-Old Ammonia Production Method
Paul King and Katherine Brown wanted answers. To produce ammonia from nitrogen, could they use a biomolecular reaction similar to one that boosts the production of hydrogen from water?
June 2017
NREL Co-Leading New Consortium to Overcome Catalysis Challenges for Biomass Applications
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is co-leading the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium (ChemCatBio), a new research and development consortium dedicated to identifying and overcoming catalysis challenges for biomass conversion processes.
May 2017
NREL Research Takes Off for International Space Station
Students at Chatfield High School are hoping their algal research yields energy in microgravity.
NREL Biorefinery Air Pollutant Emissions Analysis Explores Mitigation Options
A new study by NREL's Biofuel Air Emissions Analysis team describes the team's modeling of non-greenhouse gas air pollutant emissions for two feasibility-level biorefinery designs: (1) a biochemical technology pathway focused on biological conversion of cellulosic sugars and (2) a thermochemical pathway focused on fast pyrolysis of whole biomass.
News Release: New Method of Microbial Energy Production Discovered
For all living things to succeed, they must reproduce and have the energy to do so. An organism's ability to extract energy from its surroundings--and to do it better than its competitors--is a key requirement of survival. Until recently it was thought that in all of biology, from microbes to humans, there were only two methods to generate and conserve the energy required for cellular metabolism and survival.
February 2017
Co-Optima Targets Maximum Transportation Sector Efficiency, Energy Independence and Industry Growth
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released a new report that spotlights key accomplishments the first year of the U.S. Department of Energy Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines (Co-Optima) initiative.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025