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Peaks to Power — Science
Peaks to Power

A podcast highlighting the latest research and news from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

Copyright: © 2023 Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast

Latest Episodes:

We’re Back! Rooftop Sunscreen, Plant-Based Snowboards, and Cell-Free Biomanufacturing May 06, 2026

Show notes

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 into useful chemicals.

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

Improvements in Batteries, Trains, and Wave Technology Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 water.

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

A Dashboard for Trucking Efficiency, an HVAC Game Changer, and More Power With Less Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 low-cost manufacturability.

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

Saving Energy and Money for Concrete and Cement Manufacturing, Power Line Utilities, and Hospital and Commercial Buildings Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 of medical buildings by examining idle energy consumption of equipment like MRI scanners.

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

3D Printing Metal for Ocean Energy Devices, Unlocking AI’s Potential, Early Career Spotlight Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 applied artificial intelligence.

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

NREL’s New Laboratory Director and Google’s AI Hackathon—Plus, an Energy Tech Pitch Event Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 innovative university students vying for the prize pool of more than $430,000.

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

An NREL Intern Takeover Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

Islands, Airports, and Arctic Heat: Energy Solutions for Every Community Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 outages
How NREL’s ARIES platform is being used to test new electrification scenarios for airports—before infrastructure is built
How geothermal heat stored underground could help meet building heating needs in Alaska’s Arctic climate

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

Finding Solutions for Tastier Tomatoes, Recycled Carbon Fiber, and Better Battery Performance Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

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 encase long carbon fibers and form a stiff material found in many consumer products like bicycles, planes, and cars.
NREL researchers are using an advanced imaging tool called x-ray nanoscale computed tomography imaging – or nano-C-T imaging, to analyze batteries at the end of their useful life and reveal hidden flaws that give us insights into how battery materials change during its life.

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

Managing Marine Energy and Monitoring Battery Health Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

Disclaimer: This episode was produced when the laboratory operated as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR).

In this episode, hosts Kerrin and Taylor dive into three stories with one goal: powering our world with curiosity, creativity, and just a dash of “What if it fails?” Listen in to explore:

Updates to NREL’s risk management framework. Remember the HERO-WEC from last episode? Researchers are working with the team behind this device to help developers identify, prioritize, and address the challenges of designing and deploying wave energy converters.
How NREL engineer Bri Friedman will deploy a new underwater wave energy converter. As she prepares to take the SURF-WEC to Hawaii, Friedman is embracing early challenges as a way to accelerate learning and share open data with the marine energy community. Plus,
Insights into how researchers are fast-tracking battery diagnostics with AI. NREL’s new physics-informed neural network can predict battery health nearly 1,000 times faster than traditional models, combining the speed of AI with the accuracy of physics—and it’s available for free!

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 Gayet. Our title music is written and performed by Ted Vaca and episode music by Chuck Kurnik, Jim Riley, and Mark Sanseverino of Drift BC. Peaks to Power is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies in Golden, Colorado. Email us at podcast@nlr.gov. Follow NLR on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.

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