Peaks to Power

16:14

Lab Notes: The Advanced Research on Integrated Energy...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/09/30

In this Lab Notes episode, hosts Kerrin and Taylor explore NLR's Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems, or ARIES platform. ARIES is a first-of-its-kind research platform that uses innovative capabilities to help us find solutions for the grid of the future. Learn about its history, what it actually does, and how this work can contribute to a more affordable, reliable, and secure energy future. Hear from leading ARIES experts and take a look at one ARIES project called SuperLab,...

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12:17

Geothermal Center of Excellence, Better Traffic...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/09/23

In today’s episode, we’re taking you below ground, through busy intersections, and over cascading hydropower dams in stories about: The launch of the lab’s Geothermal Center of Excellence to accelerate geothermal energy deployment in the U.S. A new tool that aims to make traffic signals more efficient, reducing crashes and delays at intersections A technical assistance project in Washington state that modeled the impacts of coordinated operations in a system of hydropower plants.Th...

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9:21

Underground Cooling Technology, Summer Internships,...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/09/09

In this episode of Peaks to Power, hosts Kerrin and Taylor get into the details on a partnership to advance grid reliability, some fantastic interns, and energy storage strategies. - NLR researchers, in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of Chicago, Princeton University, and industrial advisors, study opportunities to lower costs of computing facilities through cooling systems. - Lab interns take a trip into the Edgar Experimental Mine near G...

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9:45

The Lab Is Going Chiral. Plus: 4 Wins at the Oscars...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/08/26

In this episode of Peaks to Power, hosts Jackson and Taylor talk chirality-induced spin selectivity and the R&D 100 Awards: Experimental results show that chirality-induced spin selectivity can control electrochemical reaction products to generate useful chemicals. NLR took home four of this year’s R&D 100 Awards for innovative technologies, bringing the lab’s total award count to 80 since 1982. This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle, written and ...

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10:21

12 Genesis Awards, One Membrane Center, and 5...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/08/12

Peaks to Power is back with updates in advanced computing, materials science, and flight! In this episode, find out about: 12 project awards NLR received in the Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission A new collaboration with Argonne and Oak Ridge national laboratories to establish a national center for membrane technologies A recently published report evaluating the real-world potential of five emerging aviation fuels.This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle...

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9:04

Improving Energy Planning, Water Desalination Device,...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/07/29

This week on Peaks to Power, we break down battery research, gather updates on a water desalination device, and review a grid planning tool. NLR researchers are equipping state energy offices and public utility commissions with the Sienna analysis tool and trainings to make the most of the energy planning. The latest update to the HERO WEC device could provide a blueprint for future wave energy components. Years of work and a catalogue of data results in a new, open-ac...

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9:13

AI Research Digs Deep Into Mining Operations. Plus:...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/07/01

This week on Peaks to Power, dig into artificial intelligence, critical mineral mining, and national laboratory collaborations: Minnesota-based NLR researcher Ryan King is using AI to bolster critical mineral supply chains , thanks in part to a partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Natural Resources Research Institute.NLR’s Amanda Kolker and David Digon were named fellows in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oppenheimer Science and Energy Leadership Program, enhancing collaboration acr...

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9:11

Smarter Grids, Brain-Like Materials, and an...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/06/17

This week, we’re highlighting NLR advancements in grid management, materials science, and critical materials recovery. You'll hear about: A new open-source tool helping utilities use smart energy management to meet growing electricity demand while reducing the need for grid upgrades Brain-inspired materials that can "remember" light, opening the door to more efficient machine vision and neuromorphic computing An NLR postdoc’s award-winning pitch at the recent National Lab Rese...

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14:07

Lab Notes: Alaska Heat Pumps and Workforce Development

Peaks to Power ·

2026/06/10

Joined by guest host Molly Rettig, Peaks to Power travels to Alaska and the National Laboratory of the Rockies' campus in Fairbanks to learn more about heat pumps and the researchers making it easier to install this new technology that could save consumers money on energy bills. Learn more about our work with heat pumps and NLR's Alaska Campus. Find the transcript for this show here. This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle, written and produced by Allison...

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9:48

NASA Invention of the Year, First-of-Its-Kind Test...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/06/03

In this episode of Peaks to Power, learn about: The internal short-circuit device from NLR scientists that was awarded NASA’s Invention of the Year. The Agora large-load test bed, a first-of-its-kind national capability designed to help data centers become active participants in grid reliability. The semiconductor-catalyst combo that captures more energy to drive chemical reactions.This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle, written and produced by Al...

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11:26

University Partnerships, Self-Driving Laboratories,...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/05/20

In this episode of Peaks to Power, learn about: Two Memorandums of Understanding the National Laboratory of the Rockies signed with the University of Utah and the Colorado School of Mines Two researchers working to create self-driving laboratories using artificial intelligence and robotics NLR’s Aeroportal web platform helping airports manage increase infrastructure and energy demands. This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle, written and produced by...

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10:17

We’re Back! Rooftop Sunscreen, Plant-Based...

Peaks to Power ·

2026/05/06

The National Laboratory of the Rockies’ podcast is back with a new name and brand! In our first episode as Peaks to Power, you’ll hear about: A rooftop “sunscreen” that’s keeping buildings cool in summer while protecting roofs from ultraviolet sunrays A bioplastic made from hemp seed oil that might one day be found in aerospace, automotive, battery, and construction materials A new approach, called cell-free biomanufacturing, that NLR is pioneering to turn biomass and waste ...

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10:04

Improvements in Batteries, Trains, and Wave Technology

Peaks to Power ·

2025/11/19

New week, new discoveries! In today’s episode, you can: Explore the evolving world of battery safety research—from new energy storage technologies to a strategic approach for evaluating safety at the electrode, pack, and cell levels. Discover how self-propelled rail cars could make freight trains competitive in short-haul delivery for the first time. Revisit the HERO-WEC, now redesigned to better withstand storms and powerful waves as it turns ocean energy into fresh drinking ...

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14:00

A Dashboard for Trucking Efficiency, an HVAC Game...

Peaks to Power ·

2025/09/30

Are you curious about new technologies that maximize performance while minimizing energy use and costs? If yes, this episode is for you. Learn about: A tool package that is helping trucking companies reduce fuel usage and costs by streamlining their fleet design and logistics. A breakthrough in air conditioning that transforms how we condition air and when we use electricity to do it. A silicon-carbide-based power module with never-before-seen efficiency, power density, and l...

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11:10

Saving Energy and Money for Concrete and Cement...

Peaks to Power ·

2025/09/17

In this episode, you’ll learn about three real-world research applications for a more reliable and cost-effective future: Experts convened at NREL to focus on deploying next-generation concrete and cement technologies to decrease our reliance on cement imports and increase durability. Artificial intelligence has the potential to help snuff out wildfires caused by downed power lines before they even begin. NREL researchers are looking at how to lower the plug and process loads...

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10:02

3D Printing Metal for Ocean Energy Devices, Unlocking...

Peaks to Power ·

2025/09/03

It’s the 50th episode of The NREL Podcast! Today, you’ll hear about: A new tool that lets researchers and partners cut prototyping costs, wait times, and design barriers for ocean energy technologies. A recent gathering at NREL where experts explored how artificial intelligence can accelerate materials synthesis, characterization, and modeling—unlocking new insights and speeding technologies to market. NREL data scientist Hilary Egan's creative career path from astrophysics to...

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14:10

NREL’s New Laboratory Director and Google’s AI...

Peaks to Power ·

2025/08/20

It’s been a busy summer at NREL. In this episode, you’ll learn about: The appointment of NREL’s incoming laboratory director Dr. Jud Virden, who brings 34 years of national lab experience at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and a background in chemical engineering to his new position. How Google and NREL teamed up to host an AI Hackathon. (Yes, we Googled it: Hackathon is a real word.) This summer’s EnergyTech University Prize 2025 collegiate pitch event with many innov...

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9:51

An NREL Intern Takeover

Peaks to Power ·

2025/08/06

Ever wondered what it's like to intern at NREL? It might include supercomputers, hydrogen breakthroughs, and … a podcast mic. NREL intern Madelyn Weirich joins this episode of The NREL Podcast to take you behind the scenes of NREL's internship programs. This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle, written and produced by Allison Montroy, Hannah Halusker, and Kaitlyn Stottler, and edited by Taylor Mankle, Joe DelNero, and Brittany Falch. Graphics are by Brittnee Ga...

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14:31

Islands, Airports, and Arctic Heat: Energy Solutions...

Peaks to Power ·

2025/07/23

In this episode, explore three ways NREL researchers are creating energy solutions for small, remote, and rural regions: How a microgrid project on Martha’s Vineyard is strengthening the island’s energy resilience and reliability during outagesHow NREL’s ARIES platform is being used to test new electrification scenarios for airports—before infrastructure is builtHow geothermal heat stored underground could help meet building heating needs in Alaska’s Arctic climateThis episode was hosted by K...

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10:06

Finding Solutions for Tastier Tomatoes, Recycled...

Peaks to Power ·

2025/07/09

In this episode, explore three ways NREL researchers are seeking out energy solutions: An experiment dubbed “No Photon Left Behind” examined if growing tomatoes under the filtered light spectrum of a semitransparent photovoltaic panels would make them grow faster, bigger, and tastier. The BOTTLE consortium at NREL released a paper recently that looked at new methods for recycling carbon fiber composites, the high-strength, low weight materials made from epoxy-amine resins that en...

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