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The EERE Blog includes updates to current Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) projects, interviews with energy experts, and success stories about EERE’s technology offices and national laboratories. Subscribe to the blog email list.

April 19, 2017
EERE Blog
How are Ocean Waves Converted to Electricity?

5 steps to convert ocean waves to electricity, and it all starts with the sun.

April 18, 2017
These hybrid Ford Escape vehicles at Grand Teton National Park were purchased with support from the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative. Photo | NREL
7 National Park Projects Enhanced by Clean Energy

The National Park Service has several energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that enhance the park experience and preserve its historical...

April 17, 2017
The photo above is a view "underground". This Real-time Four-Dimensional Subsurface Imaging Software created at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory utilizes E4D-RT to image fractures in real time. This software provides faster, more accurate interpretations of data from simulation models, and improves the cost competitiveness of EGS development.
EERE Success Story—“Seeing Underground” to Advance Geothermal Energy
Energy sources originating from beneath the Earth’s surface satisfy over 80% of total U.S. energy needs, and a key energy challenge today is to e...
April 13, 2017
5 Common Myths about Robotics Debunked
With the rise of robotics in both entertainment and the general marketplace, we decided to set the record straight on five common robot myths.
April 12, 2017
SolarReserve’s Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Plant in Nevada is the first utility-scale facility in the world to use advanced molten salt receiver technology, which was developed with funding from the SunShot Initiative. The 110 megawatt power plant incorporates storage to power 75,000 homes, day or night. Photo Courtesy of SolarReserve.
EERE Success Story—Mirage to Reality: Energy Department Investment Brings Crescent Dunes to Life
The same visionary scientists responsible for pioneering space exploration are also behind a national effort to commercialize concentrating solar p...
April 12, 2017
Thumbnail image of the video, showing a screenshot.
No Heat? No Problem: This Ultrasonic Dryer Dries Clothes in Half the Time
Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed an ultrasonic drying concept that uses vibrations instead of heat to dry clothes.
April 11, 2017
Pictured above is the Excel 15 wind turbine. This innovative turbine is anticipated to be 40% more efficient than Bergey’s 10 kW turbine, produce 85% more energy, and be sold at a similar price point. Photo Courtesy | Bergey Windpower
EERE Success Story—Distributed Wind Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) Partner Delivers Next-Generation Wind Turbine for On-Site...
Distributed wind is used at or near where it is generated, and has gained a strong footing in the marketplace among commercial, industrial, and uti...
April 6, 2017
Digging In: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Creates World's First 3D Printed Excavator

Oak Ridge National Laboratory produced the world’s first 3D printed excavator. But this prototype does more than just move dirt. It demonstrates...

April 6, 2017
7 Intriguing Names of the National Lab Supercomputers

A powerful computer needs a powerful name. And given the imaginative names of the supercomputers at the national laboratories, it’s fair to say...

April 4, 2017
EERE Blog
3 Emerging National Lab Technologies in Building Energy Efficiency
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories are getting three more energy efficiency technologies ready for market evaluat...
April 3, 2017
A recent report funded by the U.S. Department of Energy takes a closer look at how sport venues are finding opportunities to deploy energy saving strategies.
Play Ball! American Baseball Stadiums Round the Bases on Energy Efficiency

Taking the Field, a recent report funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, takes a closer look at how sport venues are finding opportunities to...

March 30, 2017
The Cori supercomputer has roughly 750,000 more disk capacity than the average desktop computer. Photo | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Cori: The Story Behind the Scientist and Supercomputer

The Cori supercomputer at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is the fifth most powerful supercomputer in the world and it’s aptly named after a...

March 28, 2017
Graphic by Sarah Harman
The Road to the Final Four Preview: A Fuel Cost Comparison to Get to Glendale

Thinking about hitting the Road to the Final Four? If so, we calculated fuel expenses for fans driving from their respective colleges to the...

March 27, 2017
Cooling towers emit water vapor at the Hudson Ranch geothermal plant in California's Imperial Valley. Hudson Ranch powers nearly 50,000 homes and businesses. Image|EnergySource.
How California Can Expand U.S. Geothermal Energy Production

California produces more geothermal power than any other state, and alone accounts for more than 20% of total geothermal energy production...

March 24, 2017
Graphic | National Renewable Energy Laboratory
New Platform Helps Maximize Energy Resources

In what was originally designed to help the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC pursue its goal of net zero energy consumption, the...

March 23, 2017
EERE Blog
Q&A: Breaking Down Barriers in Clean Energy Communications

From magazines to television to social media, EERE Communications Director Karla Olsen has watched the industry shift to the digital age, and to a...

March 21, 2017
EERE Blog
5 Secrets to Giving Your Best Cleantech Business Plan Pitch Revealed

Selling your cleantech business plan to investors and industry can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. Here's our top 5 secrets to...

March 21, 2017
EERE Blog
Gearing up the Grid for Greater Solar Deployment

SunShot's Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment (GEARED) program educates thousands of grid engineers and university...

March 16, 2017
EERE Blog
Women's History Month: Breaking Down Fuel Cells Barriers

Adria Wilson helps break down barriers associated with fuel cells, such as technology cost and durability. For her, science is an art and...

March 15, 2017
Energy efficiency upgrades in McKinley County, New Mexico made possible by energy savings performance contracts.
EERE Success Story—The Power of Energy Savings Performance Contracts
New Mexico’s McKinley County, like many counties across the nation, is growing, and growth is often a stress on government budgets. In 2015, the ...
March 15, 2017
EERE Blog
Manufacturing Madness: Competitive on and off the Court

Innovative approaches can take a team a long way in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The same is true for innovation in manufacturing and...

March 14, 2017
Milestones on the Road to the Wind Vision

The Department of Energy’s Wind Vision report assesses the potential economic and social benefits of a study scenario where U.S. wind power...

March 14, 2017
The CoServ Solar Station in Krugerville, Texas. Photo: KEN OLTMANN/CoServ
EERE Success Story—Electric Cooperatives Channel Solar Resources to Rural American Communities
Some of the most remote areas in the United States were among the last locations to access electricity, with as many as nine out of 10 rural homes ...
March 14, 2017
EERE Blog
3 Cool Ways to Finance Community Solar Projects

Decided to go solar? Here's how to pay for it. The SunShot Initiative highlights three ways teams are financing community solar projects.

March 9, 2017
EERE Blog
5 Common Fuel Cell Myths

Fuel cell electric cars are some of the most advanced vehicles on the road today – and they’re here in the United States. Toyota, Hyundai, and...