What’s new:
Earlier this week, the Department of Energy rebranded the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL, as the National Laboratory of the Rockies, effective immediately, and to be “reflected in all public communications and official correspondence.”
NREL is responsible for many of the advances in solar and battery technology that we’ve seen in the past few decades.
Why it matters:
The renaming is part of the Trump Administration’s continuing “all-of-the-above” energy strategy.
Department of Energy materials still list wind and solar as major laboratory research areas, and when asked if those would be deprioritized, NREL spokesperson David Glickson said:
“No such changes are planned at this time. Program funding is determined by the appropriations process.”
The Golden, Colorado-based lab, which was founded after the 1973 oil crisis to make America less dependent on energy imports, has historically been a hub for researching newer and more sustainable energy technologies.
In response to the rebrand, Earthjustice’s Michael Hiatt said:
“Solar, wind, and other clean energy technologies are the cheapest and most cost-effective resources in Colorado, and they have been for years. Changing NREL’s name will not change that fact. The reality is that the Trump administration’s attacks on clean energy and its attempts to prop up uneconomic coal and gas plants are increasing costs and causing unnecessary energy affordability burdens for millions of Americans.”
Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson said:
“The energy crisis we face today is unlike the crisis that gave rise to NREL. We are no longer picking and choosing energy sources. Our highest priority is to invest in the scientific capabilities that will restore American manufacturing, drive down costs, and help this country meet its soaring energy demand. The National Laboratory of the Rockies will play a vital role in those efforts.”
White House Taking a Counterintuitive Approach to Meeting Data Center Energy Demand
What’s new
According to a new report by Bloomberg, the White House’s plan to speed up new data centers while slowing down the wind and solar projects that could quickly power them will raise energy prices for millions of Americans.
Why it matters
Utilities now expect a huge jump in power use by 2030, mostly from data centers. AI needs a lot of power, fast.
Solar, wind, and battery projects can be built in under five years, while gas and coal plants take much longer. They’re also the cheapest to build.
As one energy expert said:
“In the next 10 years, there’s really nothing to replace renewables.”
If we slow down clean energy, data centers may face delays, and power bills could rise. It’s clear that the fastest, lowest-cost path to meet this new demand is to build more renewables and storage now.
U.S. Solar Manufacturers Strike Deals to Bring Solar to Space
What’s new:
Two U.S. companies are taking solar power into space. Solestial in Arizona signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Glenn Research Center. Ascent Solar in Colorado sent test panels to a major space company (which remained anonymous) for missions between Earth and the Moon.
Why it matters:
Space has no clouds and no night, so solar is the perfect power source for spacecraft. But space is harsh on any materials, and getting anything into orbit takes a ton of fuel. Spacecraft need solar panels that are light, tough, and safe from radiation.
Both companies aim to create more reliable power for Moon and orbit missions.
Ascent’s thin-film panels are designed to be light and strong, producing high power at low weight.
NASA will test Solestial’s ultra-thin silicon panels to see how they handle space charging and shocks. The panels can heal some radiation damage in sunlight and are built to last up to 10 years in space.
Sources
News Release: Energy Department Renames NREL ‘National Laboratory of the Rockies’‘
POLITICO Pro | Article | DOE removes ‘renewable energy’ from lab’s name, shifts focus
Trump admin renames National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Trump’s Plan For AI Dominance Threatened by His Own Attacks on Solar, Wind Power
US Solar Manufacturers Ink Spacecraft Deals
