A clean energy future for all requires shifts in how we create, distribute, consume, and
store energy.
At the U.S Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, big ideas come
from the brilliant thinkers inside the lab and through collaborations with our partners.
We need to translate those big ideas into real-world solutions ... quickly.
Enter, advanced computing.
NREL has the most energy-efficient data center in the world, housing the largest supercomputer
dedicated to energy efficiency and renewable energy research.
Inside the racks, we’re bringing science to life, transforming ideas into breakthrough solutions.
Let’s take a look.
Lithium-ion batteries are currently the state-of-the-art power sources for electric vehicles.
But, we still have work to do to ensure these batteries are safe, especially in the event
of an accident.
Using NREL’s computer simulations and visualizations, we can better understand the physical and
chemical changes that happen when batteries are crushed or damaged ...
an impact that can lead to short-circuiting of the battery.
In the simulation, we can see exactly how stresses affect the battery, with hot spots
pinpointing short-circuiting and the ripple effects.
Understanding these reactions, can help us design better and safer batteries for electric
vehicles now and in the future.
With great ambition and goals for a clean energy future, comes great need for actionable
data and analysis, which NREL provided through the Los Angeles
100% Renewable Energy Study, also known as LA100.
NREL delivered in-depth analysis to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to show
how the city’s goal of reliable, 100% renewable electricity is achievable in the next 1-2 decades.
Brought to life by data visualization, we can see the potential electricity needs of
various clean energy scenarios like this one, visualizing the dancing demand
as electric vehicles would plug and unplug throughout the city.
Or how energy demands ebb and flow with various clean energy sources, such as hydropower or
wind, incorporated to the city’s future.
With this knowledge, NREL provided LA decision-makers with crucial information to guide their clean
energy future, ensuring they can meet the need
for the city’s growing demands for electrification.
This next visualization might blow you away, as we suddenly have the ability to see the invisible.
NREL’s physics-based calculations create mesmerizing visualizations, to let us see
and understand how the air flows in and around wind farms.
Watch how air changes and moves around a wind turbine, both at the blade and downstream.
We see how one turbine might affect the next, helping decision-makers get the information
they need to optimize wind farm location and technology performance.
A better-designed wind farm means more efficient integration of the generated wind energy into
the grid and lower cost for the consumer.
We cannot delay on these urgent energy challenges.
We must use advanced computing to develop, scale, and implement solutions for all—
spanning renewable power, sustainable transportation, energy efficiency, and systems integration.