Renewable Energy Project

Ecological Topics

Renewable Energy ProjectRenewable Energy NewsAbout the ProjectRenewable Energy by RegionRenewable Energy and the EnvironmentRenewable Energy SourcesLive Maps and Data

About the Renewable Energy News Feed

The Renewable Energy News Feed compiles current news from multiple sources, including federal agencies within the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Agriculture; the Associated Press; High Country News; the New York Times; Headwaters News; Science Daily; and the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy. This RSS feed can also be accessed directly from the Yahoo Pipes website.

Renewable Energy News

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Highlights U.S. Navy Biofuels Partnership at Pearl Harbor, Obama Administration's Commitment to Renewable Energy [Mon Jan 09 19:00:00 EST 2012]
HONOLULU, Jan. 10, 2012 ? Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the Obama Administration?s commitment to renewable energy today at the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument's Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Pearl Harbor naval base was the first Hawaii military marine fleet to use biodiesel, replacing the Department of Navy-operated tour boats that shuttled visitors to and f... Read more...

Building Storehouses for the Sun?s Energy, for Use After Dark [Fri Jan 06 02:00:48 EST 2012]
A completed solar power tower at the SolarReserve Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant, Tonopah, Nev., expected to be in service in 2013.... Read more...

Electronic Atlas Maps U.S. Renewable Energy Resources [Fri Jan 06 02:00:00 EST 2012]
A new geospatial application developed by the U.S. Department of Energy?s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) allows users to easily and accurately map potential renewable energy resources in the United States.... Read more...

DOE's Top Energy Innovator Challenge Open to Public Voting [Wed Jan 04 02:00:00 EST 2012]
The public can vote for promising technologies as part of DOE's "America's Next Top Energy Innovator" challenge, which includes 36 start-ups that have licensed DOE national laboratory-developed innovations.... Read more...

DOE Researchers Report Breakthrough for Cheaper Biofuels [Wed Jan 04 02:00:00 EST 2012]
DOE researchers have reported a breakthrough in engineering systems of RNA molecules that could lead to important advances, including the development of cheaper biofuels.... Read more...

DOE Awards $7 Million to Reduce Electric Vehicle Charger Costs [Wed Jan 04 02:00:00 EST 2012]
DOE has awarded nearly $7 million for research and development aimed at reducing the costs of electric vehicle (EV) chargers by 50%. Companies in California, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania will work to improve charger designs.... Read more...

Interior Department OKs Two Major Renewable Projects [Wed Jan 04 02:00:00 EST 2012]
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has approved two utility-scale renewable energy projects, including a wind project on public lands, and has announced the next step toward a new offshore wind transmission line.... Read more...

Integrating Variable Wind Energy into the Grid [Wed Jan 04 02:00:00 EST 2012]
A new report offers first-hand perspectives on how variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power affect grid operations.... Read more...

Washington State Becomes the Largest Public Biodiesel Consumer [Wed Jan 04 02:00:00 EST 2012]
Washington State, operator of the third largest ferry system in the world, has completed a pilot program in which it found that biodiesel fuel use will prevent more than 65 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted annually.... Read more...

Citizen Scientists Key to Success for National Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey [Tue Jan 03 17:56:17 EST 2012]
A key annual event in the recovery of Bald Eagle populations takes place January 4-18, when hundreds of citizen scientists take to the field for the 34th annual Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey.“The survey is a true public-private partnership with hundreds of volunteer citizen scientists taking part, in addition to federal, state, and NGO biologists. Forty-three states continue to actively parti... Read more...

Weather deserves medal for clean air during 2008 Olympics [Wed Dec 28 11:17:17 EST 2011]
New research suggests that China's impressive feat of cutting Beijing's pollution up to 50 percent for the 2008 Summer Olympics had some help from Mother Nature. Rain just at the beginning and wind during the Olympics likely contributed about half of the effort needed to clean up the skies, scientists found. The results also suggest emission controls need to be more widely implemented than in 2008... Read more...

Go to work on a Christmas card: UK's wrapping paper and festive cards could provide energy to send a bus to the moon more than 20 times [Fri Dec 23 09:13:13 EST 2011]
If all the UK's discarded wrapping paper and Christmas cards were collected and fermented, they could make enough biofuel to run a double-decker bus to the moon and back more than 20 times, according to the researchers behind a new scientific study.... Read more...

Paint-on solar cells developed [Wed Dec 21 21:13:13 EST 2011]
Imagine if the next coat of paint you put on the outside of your home generates electricity from light -- electricity that can be used to power the appliances and equipment on the inside. Scientists have just created an inexpensive "solar paint" that uses semiconducting nanoparticles to produce energy.... Read more...

NREL Licenses Technology to Increase Solar Cell Efficiency [Tue Dec 20 02:00:00 EST 2011]
The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced today that Natcore Technology Inc. has been granted a patent license agreement to develop a line of black silicon products.... Read more...

Discovery of a 'dark state' could mean a brighter future for solar energy [Thu Dec 15 14:16:16 EST 2011]
The efficiency of conventional solar cells could be significantly increased, according to new research on the mechanisms of solar energy conversion.... Read more...

NREL Scientists Report First Solar Cell Producing More Electrons In Photocurrent Than Solar Photons Entering Cell [Thu Dec 15 02:00:00 EST 2011]
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy?s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have reported the first solar cell that produces a photocurrent that has an external quantum efficiency greater than 100 percent when photoexcited with photons from the high energy region of the solar spectrum.... Read more...

Ramping up wind energy research [Wed Dec 14 12:58:58 EST 2011]
As the percentage of wind energy contributing to the power grid continues to increase, the variable nature of wind can make it difficult to keep the generation and the load balanced. But recent work may help this balance through a project that alerts control room operators of wind conditions and energy forecasts so they can make well-informed scheduling decisions. This is especially important duri... Read more...

Small reactors could figure into US energy future [Tue Dec 13 19:01:01 EST 2011]
A new study concludes that small modular reactors may hold the key to the future of U.S. nuclear power generation.... Read more...

Engineers study how hills, nearby turbines affect wind energy production [Tue Dec 13 12:26:26 EST 2011]
Engineers are using wind tunnel tests to study how hills, valleys and the placement of wind turbines affect the performance of wind farms. While the wind power industry has data about offshore turbine performance over flat water, there's little information about the effects of uneven ground on wind turbines and their power production.... Read more...

NREL Employees Recognized by Industry Peers [Tue Dec 13 02:00:00 EST 2011]
Trade media and industry groups recently have honored several employees at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for contributions to advancing renewable energy research and furthering their professions.... Read more...

Affordable solar? [Mon Dec 12 14:42:42 EST 2011]
A new analysis shows that solar photovoltaic systems are very close to achieving the tipping point in many regions: they can make electricity that's as cheap -- sometimes cheaper -- than what consumers pay their utilities.... Read more...

Literature review on solar energy and wildlife impacts research [Fri Dec 09 15:02:02 EST 2011]
More peer-reviewed scientific studies of the effects on wildlife of large-scale solar energy developments and operations are needed to adequately assess their impact, especially in the desert Southwest.... Read more...

New solar-powered classroom brings science to schools in developing countries [Fri Dec 09 12:31:31 EST 2011]
An innovative project is using solar generators to provide IT resources and 'hands-on' science for students in developing countries.... Read more...

Scientific Literature Review Finds Opportunities for More Research on Solar Energy Development and Impacts to Wildlife [Fri Dec 09 12:00:00 EST 2011]
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – More peer-reviewed scientific studies of the effects on wildlife of large-scale solar energy developments and operations are needed to adequately assess their impact, especially in the desert Southwest, according to a scientific literature review conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and published in the journal BioScience. In their literature review, the aut... Read more...

Visual Representation of Renewable Energy Growth in the US (Grist) [Wed Dec 07 16:14:32 EST 2011]
... Read more...

Nuke Pressure from Environmentalists Doing More Harm Than Good? (Guardian UK) [Wed Dec 07 16:13:38 EST 2011]
... Read more...

Fuel From Waste? (Science Magazine) [Wed Dec 07 16:12:12 EST 2011]
... Read more...

Solar power much cheaper to produce than most analysts realize, study finds [Wed Dec 07 13:29:29 EST 2011]
The public is being kept in the dark about the viability of solar photovoltaic energy, according to a new study.... Read more...

NREL Releases Report on Testing Electric Vehicles to Optimize their Performance with Power Grids [Wed Dec 07 02:00:00 EST 2011]
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy?s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have released a technical report that could help improve the performance of electric vehicles (EVs) and the efficiency of the electric utility grids that power them.... Read more...

Helping Cleantech Start-ups with Strategic Messaging [Mon Dec 05 02:00:00 EST 2011]
The Colorado Center for Renewable Energy Economic Development (CREED) at U.S. Department of Energy?s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) invites cleantech entrepreneurs to attend the next event in its Entrepreneur Series.... Read more...

Six myths about electricity in the U.S. South dubunked [Thu Dec 01 11:26:26 EST 2011]
Clean energy can help meet growing electricity demand and minimize pollution in the Southern United States, but progress to adopt renewable energy strategies has been hindered by a number of myths, according to a new study.... Read more...

Interdigitated back-contact silicon solar cells above 23% efficiency [Thu Dec 01 09:42:42 EST 2011]
Scientists have demonstrated an excellent conversion efficiency of 23.3% on interdigitated back-contact (IBC) silicon solar cells.... Read more...

Gone with the wind: Why the fast jet stream winds cannot contribute much renewable energy after all [Wed Nov 30 10:00:00 EST 2011]
The assumption that high jet steam wind speeds in the upper atmosphere correspond to high wind power has now been challenged by new research. Taking into account that the high wind speeds result from the near absence of friction and not from a strong power source, scientists found that the maximum extractable energy from jet streams is approximately 200 times less than reported previously.... Read more...

Cost-effectiveness of biofuels and their ability to cut fossil fuel use questioned [Tue Nov 29 12:32:32 EST 2011]
A new study questions the cost-effectiveness of biofuels and says they would barely reduce fossil fuel use and would likely increase greenhouse gas emissions.... Read more...

Nanoparticle electrode for batteries could make grid-scale power storage feasible [Wed Nov 23 15:19:19 EST 2011]
Researchers have used nanoparticles of a copper compound to develop a high-power battery electrode that is so inexpensive to make, so efficient and so durable that it could be used to build batteries big enough for economical large-scale energy storage on the electrical grid -- something researchers have sought for years.... Read more...

Insect cyborgs may become first responders: Search and monitor hazardous places [Wed Nov 23 13:35:35 EST 2011]
New developments may lead to insects monitoring hazardous situations before humans are sent in. The principal idea is to harvest the insect's biological energy from either its body heat or movements. The device converts the kinetic energy from wing movements of the insect into electricity, thus prolonging the battery life. The battery can be used to power small sensors implanted on the insect (suc... Read more...

Carbon mitigation strategy uses wood for buildings first, bioenergy second [Tue Nov 22 14:33:33 EST 2011]
A new study is first to focus on the extra carbon savings that can be squeezed from trees when wood not suitable for long-term building materials is used for bioenergy: Depending on the process used, ethanol from woody biomass emits less greenhouse gas than an equivalent amount of gasoline, between 70 percent and a little over 100 percent less. In contrast, corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emis... Read more...

Corn gene boosts biofuels from switchgrass [Fri Nov 18 15:14:14 EST 2011]
Introducing a special corn gene into switchgrass was found to significantly boost the viability of the switchgrass biomass as a feedstock crop for advanced biofuels. The gene, a variant of the Corngrass1 gene, holds the switchgrass in a perpetual juvenile state, more than doubling its starch content and making it easier to convert its polysaccharides into fermentable sugars.... Read more...

Large differences in the climate impact of biofuels, Swedish research finds [Tue Nov 15 17:53:53 EST 2011]
When biomass is combusted the carbon that once was bound in the growing tree is released into the atmosphere. For this reason, bioenergy is often considered carbon dioxide neutral. Research from Sweden, however, shows that this is a simplification. The use of bioenergy may affect ecosystem carbon stocks, and it can take anything from 2 to 100 years for different biofuels to achieve carbon dioxide... Read more...

2012: Killer solar flares are a physical impossibility, experts say [Fri Nov 11 09:55:55 EST 2011]
Given a legitimate need to protect Earth from the most intense forms of space weather ? great bursts of electromagnetic energy and particles that can sometimes stream from the sun ? some people worry that a gigantic "killer solar flare" could hurl enough energy to destroy Earth. Citing the accurate fact that solar activity is currently ramping up in its standard 11-year cycle, there are those who... Read more...

Greg Wilson to Lead National Center for Photovoltaics [Fri Nov 11 02:00:00 EST 2011]
Dr. Gregory M. Wilson has been named director of the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) at the U.S. Department of Energy?s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), effective Nov. 28.... Read more...

A light wave of innovation to advance solar energy: Researchers adapt classic antennas to harness more power from the sun [Thu Nov 10 12:59:59 EST 2011]
Engineers are developing a solar panel composed of nano-antennas instead of silicon semiconductors. They say that through the use of these antennas, a much higher conversion rate from light into usable energy can be achieved -- and could lead to a more cost-effective way to harvest and utilize "green" energy.... Read more...

Rare earth metal shortages could hamper deployment of low-carbon energy technologies [Thu Nov 10 12:56:56 EST 2011]
Scientists report that five metals, essential for manufacturing low-carbon technologies, show a high risk of shortage. Reasons for this lie in Europe's dependency on imports, increasing global demand, supply concentration and geopolitical issues.... Read more...

NREL?s Industry Growth Forum Brings Together Energy Innovators [Thu Nov 10 02:00:00 EST 2011]
The U.S. Department of Energy?s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 24th Industry Growth Forum this week attracted more than 500 investors, entrepreneurs, scientists and policymakers to Denver.... Read more...

Americans using more fossil fuels [Wed Nov 09 14:30:30 EST 2011]
American energy use went back up in 2010 compared to 2009, when consumption was at a 12-year low. The United States used more fossil fuels in 2010 than in 2009, while renewable electricity remained approximately constant, with an increase in wind power offset by a modest decline in hydroelectricity. There also was a significant increase in biomass consumption, according to the most recent energy f... Read more...

Wood biofuel could be a competitive industry by 2020 [Tue Nov 08 13:30:30 EST 2011]
Fuel made from wood could become a competitive commercial alternative to fuel made from corn by 2020 if the wood biofuel industry is supported, according to a new study.... Read more...

Hybrid power plants can help industry go green: Affordable solar option for power plants [Thu Nov 03 12:04:04 EDT 2011]
Researchers have developed a technology that combines the conventional fuel used in today's power plants with the lower pressures and temperatures of steam produced by solar power. His new "hybrid" power plant is a potentially cost-effective and realistic way to integrate solar technology into existing power plants.... Read more...

NREL Growth Forum Features 30 Clean Energy Companies [Thu Nov 03 03:00:00 EDT 2011]
Thirty clean energy companies, including five Colorado companies, will gather in Denver Nov. 8-10 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 24th Industry Growth Forum.... Read more...

Solar power could get boost from new light absorption design [Wed Nov 02 12:55:55 EDT 2011]
Researchers have developed a new material that absorbs a wide range of wavelengths and could lead to more efficient and less expensive solar technology.... Read more...

Solar energy: Solar concentrator increases collection with less loss [Wed Nov 02 12:55:55 EDT 2011]
Converting sunlight into electricity is not economically attractive because of the high cost of solar cells, but a recent, purely optical approach to improving luminescent solar concentrators may ease the problem, according to researchers.... Read more...

The NBII Program is administered by the Biological Informatics Program of the U.S. Geological Survey

About NBII | Accessibility Statement | NBII Disclaimer, Attribution & Privacy Statement | FOIA