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December 2023
Recyclable, Plant-Based Material Could Take a Spin on Next Generation of Wind Turbines
Nicknamed PECAN, NREL's new, recyclable wind turbine blade resin boasts a novel composition. The name is an acronym representing the material's chemical structure, PolyEster Covalently Adaptable Network. NREL researchers designed the PECAN resin using biobased chemicals that can be easily extracted from plant waste.
NREL Will Lead Two $19M Research Centers To Spur Decarbonization Efforts as Part of DOE's Energy Earthshots Initiative
The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science has announced $264 million in funding for 29 projects to develop clean-energy solutions that will pave the way to achieving a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050.
November 2023
Newly Identified Algal Strains Rich in Phosphorous Could Improve Wastewater Treatment
Several algal strains with high capacities for phosphorus accumulation have the potential to boost phosphorus recovery in wastewater treatment systems along with recovering harmful or valuable metals.
Seven From NREL Make Return Appearance on Highly Cited Researchers List
Seven researchers from NREL and one college professor affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy facility are included on this year's Highly Cited Researchers list.
Pick Your Polymer Properties and This NREL Tool Predicts How To Achieve Them With Biomass
Great chemists have discovered ways to combine carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen into all manners of plastics: leak-proof food packaging, heat-resistant car parts, durable personal protective equipment—the list is long.
October 2023
DOE's AlgaePrize Student Competition Returns To Inspire Next-Generation Bioeconomy Professionals
Student teams gain valuable experience with innovative algal commercialization technologies while competing to earn prize money.
Happy National Bioenergy Day 2023 From NREL
To commemorate the occasion, learn more about 11 exciting bioenergy-related projects at NREL over the past year.
May 2023
NREL Adds Lab Space With New Building, Preps Other Projects
NREL's newest building, the Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL), which will house multipurpose lab space, is the first laboratory building to open at NREL's Golden, Colorado, campus since the fall of 2013.
News Release: Inflation Reduction Act Invests $150 Million in NREL Projects
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced today that NREL will begin work on a series of additions and improvements to two of its campuses made possible by $150 million in funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA).
Piloting Future Fuels: Calvin Mukarakate Sees a Problem, Solves a Problem
As a group manager in NREL's Bioenergy Science and Technology Directorate, Calvin Mukarakate, with a world-class team of biofuel engineers and scientists, is applying his mind to realize an important dream: commercializing processes for making billions of gallons of low-carbon sustainable aviation fuel.
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Last Updated May 5, 2025