ARIES Platform Has Essential Capabilities To Emulate and De-Risk Marine Energy Systems for Range of Applications Energy from ocean waves has the potential to power offshore and coastal microgrids for applications like recharging autonomous underwater vehicles, supporting ocean sensors and aquaculture, and securing local power for remote communities. But to … [continued]
New U.S. Department of Energy Collegiate Competition Invites Interdisciplinary Student Teams To Develop Practical Energy Solutions for College Campuses and Districts By Karen Petersen, NLR Could your next class project help solve a real energy challenge—and give you winning work to showcase to future employers? If you answer the call … [continued]
Marking the opening of PacWave South on Aug. 27, leaders from Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Energy, Congress, and the Oregon Legislature joined PacWave Director Dan Hellin (far right) for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the nation’s first grid-connected, pre-permitted open-ocean wave energy test facility. Photo from Darryl Lai, Oregon State University.
NLR and Partners Unveil America’s First Pre-Permitted Proving Ground for Commercial-Scale Wave Energy Converters on Oregon Coast By Karen Petersen, NLR On Aug. 27, the nation’s first grid-connected, internationally accredited open-ocean wave energy test facility made its debut on the Oregon coast. The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) marked … [continued]
The Geothermal Center of Excellence convenes leaders from industry, the U.S. Department of Energy, National Laboratory of the Rockies, and National Energy Technology Laboratory. From left: Joshua Nordquist, Ormat Technologies; Jud Virden, NLR; John Lassek, DOE; Kyle Haustveit, DOE; Tim Latimer, Fervo Energy; Amanda Kolker, NLR; Angelos Kokkinos, NETL; and Lauren Boyd, DOE. Photo by Joe DelNero, National Laboratory of the Rockies.
New Center Will Address High-Impact Technical Barriers and Serve as Geothermal Industry’s Gateway to the Expertise of the National Laboratories On Sept. 3, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) announced the establishment of a Geothermal Center of Excellence on the National Laboratory of the … [continued]
NLR and University of Hawaii Deploy Wave Energy Device, Capturing and Sharing Data for Marine Energy Industry By Samantha Cuneo, NLR Like a surfer, the Small Underwater Research Flap Wave Energy Converter, or SURF-WEC, rides the ocean’s waves—but this system converts wave motion into electricity. The WEC recently made the leap … [continued]
Fellows Aim To Make Critical Minerals in the US, Generate Affordable Geothermal Energy, and Build Ultralight and Advanced Batteries—With Some Help From NLR Experts This article is part one of a two-part series featuring the laboratory’s seven newest West Gate fellows. Part one profiles four startup founders. By Caitlin McDermott-Murphy … [continued]
A new tool that integrates data from cameras, lidar, radar, and vehicle sensors could enable cities and departments of transportation to monitor and analyze intersection activity more effectively, helping reduce crashes and improve efficiency. Illustration by Besiki Kazaishvili, National Laboratory of the Rockies/
Digital-Twin Framework Provides Real-Time Visibility Into Traffic Conditions We have all been there: stopped at a red light at an empty intersection or narrowly avoiding a collision after a driver runs a red light. Researchers at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) are working to reduce such risks by … [continued]
Operated by Grant Public Utility District (PUD), Priest Rapids is the lowermost dam in a cascading hydropower system on the Columbia River in Washington. Photo from Grant PUD.
NLR Modeling Shows Coordinated Operation of Mid-Columbia Hydropower Plants Could Boost Efficiency Systemwide By Karen Petersen, NLR Collaboration is essential to any successful river expedition. Turns out, it is no different in a cascaded hydropower system—especially one where different operators run dams, each with their own goals and needs. But … [continued]
Representatives from the University of Minnesota and NRRI tour the 3D Visualization Lab at NLR, one of many research capabilities powered by NLR’s Kestrel supercomputer. Photo by Joe DelNero, National Laboratory of the Rockies.
By Lindsey McGuirk and Brooke Van Zandt The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) and the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) have launched a new initiative to demonstrate, at scale, the technologies that will secure supply chains for critical minerals and materials and power the next generation … [continued]
Visitors from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and the National Laboratory of the Rockies convened in November 2025 to explore opportunities for deeper technical collaboration. Photo by Bethany Frew, National Laboratory of the Rockies.
Collaboration Will Advance Research and Technical Insights Needed To Support Reliable, Resilient Energy Future for More Than 400 Million North Americans By Madeline Geocaris, NLR The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) announced a new partnership to advance the reliability of the … [continued]
