The National Laboratory of the Rockies has published a first-of-its-kind “capability maturity matrix” to help the aviation sector assess its readiness to support and deploy advanced air mobility. Photo from Joby Aviation.
Airports, Governments, Communities, and Aviation Sector Can Chart Their Readiness for Next-Generation Air Mobility Advanced air mobility (AAM) is rapidly moving from concept to reality. Flying taxis are no longer a figment of “Jetsons”–style science fiction—they are preparing to cross American skies, joined by planes that can take off and … [continued]
Transporting large power transformers requires specialized vehicles and trailers that can support large and heavy loads and reach isolated areas over rough terrain. Photo from Nippon Express.
New Report Identifies 9 Unique Challenges That Hydropower Facilities Face When Upgrading or Replacing Large Power Transformers The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) just released a report examining the U.S. supply chain for large power transformers, or LPTs. The latest report, titled Large Power Transformer Supply Chain Gap Analysis and … [continued]
National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) researcher Alec Schnabel tests the custom-built charge controller in the Water Power Instrumentation Laboratory on NLR's Flatirons Campus. Photo by Taylor Mankle, National Laboratory of the Rockies.
Latest HERO WEC Mission Status Update Examines How New Charge Controller Design Addresses Critical Challenge in Wave Energy Industry Since 2024, researchers at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) have been improving the overall design of NLR’s hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis wave energy converter—or HERO WEC. Their work aims … [continued]
National Laboratory of the Rockies Director Jud Virden (seated at left), Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Audrey Robertson (center), and Gov. Mike Dunleavy (seated at right) are joined by NLR leadership and staff and University of Alaska Fairbanks leadership. Photo from the Office of Governor Mike Dunleavy.
NLR Laboratory Director Jud Virden Signs Partnership Agreements at Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference in Anchorage The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) signed two new memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on May 19 that aim to increase research and innovation in critical minerals, energy, and buildings in Alaska and the Arctic. … [continued]
Sarah Inskeep Talks Supply Chains for Energy Technologies—and One NLR Model That Brings Them Together When you plug in your phone or laptop, do you ever think about the wires that carry the electricity to the battery? Okay, now what about the powerlines, transformers, and substations that move the electricity … [continued]
Partnership With Xcel Energy Reveals Solutions To Meet Needs of and Avoid Unnecessary Expenses for Grid Customers. As demand for electricity in the United States grows and evolves, utilities need to continually analyze whether distribution infrastructure is up to the task. Strain on the power grid can risk transformer overloads … [continued]
JUSTIFI is a free tool that quantifies potential cost-saving outcomes of energy productivity projects. Image by Taylor Henry, National Laboratory of the Rockies.
Free Software Will Help Industry Understand the Full Value of Energy Projects Energy productivity—the measure of how much economic value is generated for every unit of energy used—can be underestimated when multiple benefits are overlooked. Multiple benefits are the operational and strategic improvements—such as productivity gains, quality enhancements, safety improvements, reduced downtime, … [continued]
This figure illustrates the ethylenepyridine linkage between the silicon nanocrystal (Si) and the molecular catalyst cobaloxime (Co). This strong bonding enables formation of a high-energy hybrid electronic state. Image from J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2026, 148, 6, 6412-6421.
Semiconductor-Catalyst Combo Captures Energy To Drive Chemical Reactions By Connor O’Neil Plants and algae make their fuel from sunlight. Perhaps we could do the same using semiconductors. A team of scientists at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) made strides in that direction. They discovered a silicon semiconductor coupled … [continued]
Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson announced the National Laboratory of the Rockies’ (NLR’s) two memorandums of understanding with the Colorado School of Mines and University of Utah at NLR’s Partner Forum on May 5, 2026. Photo by Joe DelNero, National Laboratory of the Rockies.
Memorandums of Understanding Combine Facilities and Capabilities To Build Pipelines for Tech Commercialization and Skilled Domestic Workforces By Brooke Van Zandt The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) this week signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the Colorado School of Mines and the University of Utah that will help strengthen … [continued]
The ON.energy team meets with NLR staff at the Flatirons Campus. Photo by Agata Bogucka, National Laboratory of the Rockies.
Inside the First Data Center–Grid Simulator Built To Test the Promising New Technology As demand for data centers continues to rise, many center operators, utilities, and American communities are asking: Can the U.S. power grid handle these energy elephants? The answer depends on just how many elephants the country adopts. … [continued]
