Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

New Analysis Finds Substantial Value of Adding Up to 4-Hour Duration Batteries to Solar Or…

We are pleased to announce a new study that examines the value of adding batteries to wind and solar plants located in areas that face transmission congestion. We examine two types of areas facing transmission congestion. These areas represent portions of Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) or Independent System Operators (ISO) territory selected … [continued]

Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory broke new ground by surveying the national state of smart charge management strategies. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL

NREL Researchers Survey the State of Smart Charge Management Nationwide

Smart charge management—intelligently managing the flow of electricity that charges electric vehicles (EVs)—can have incredible benefits for drivers, utility companies, governments, and fleets. Yet smart charge management strategies have not been widely deployed nationwide. In response, two national laboratories, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory … [continued]

New Berkeley Lab Study Shows 2023 Was Another Big Year for Hybrid Power Plants —…

2023 was another big year for newly installed and proposed hybrid power plants, even with PPA price increases Please join us for a free webinar highlighting key information from the new Berkeley Lab annual report tracking the development of “hybrid” power plants that combine, for example, utility-scale wind and/or solar … [continued]

Graph courtesy of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

2023 Was Another Big Year for Newly Installed & Proposed Hybrid Power Plants, Even with…

Newly released data compilation from Berkeley Lab tracks operational and proposed plants Improving battery technology and the growth of variable renewable generation are driving a surge of interest in “hybrid” power plants that combine, for example, utility-scale wind and/or solar generating capacity with co-located batteries. A newly released briefing from … [continued]

Credit: AndySproles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Updated Report & Data Illustrate Distributed Solar Pricing & Design Trends

We are pleased to announce the release of the latest edition of Berkeley Lab’s Tracking the Sun annual report, describing trends for distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States, including the growing contingent of distributed solar-plus-storage systems. The report is based on data from roughly 3.7 million systems installed nationally … [continued]

ChatGPT & DALL-E generated panoramic image of US federal lands restored to nature with a sprinkling of wind turbines

Report Highlights Advancements in Wind Technology & Supply Chains

Though 2023 was a relatively slow year for new wind power deployment in the United States, the industry continues to see growth, solid performance, expanding supply chains, and attractive prices, according to a report prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). With … [continued]

Become a Community Science Partner with the Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring DALL·E generated image of a crowd of people moving together related to climate change

Utility-Scale Developers Seek Input From Renewable Energy Host Communities, But Experience Challenges Implementing Community Engagement

Berkeley Lab study reveals how industry engages with energy host communities when developing large wind and solar projects. The increasing deployment of utility-scale wind and solar energy across the US highlights debates about the appropriate role for the public in siting and permitting decisions. Important to these discussions is a … [continued]

Home & Utility Upgrades to Support Electrification & Clean Local Resources

Advances in electric appliances, electric vehicles (EVs), rooftop solar and energy storage — plus incentives from utilities and governments — are attracting growing consumer interest in these technologies. Consumer investments may include upgrades for electric service panels, especially when installing multiple electrification measures in older homes (see photo). In some … [continued]