Catalyzer Program

Dynamic Populations and Energy Planning Catalyzer—In Progress

Reliable energy projections empower decision makers to provide affordable, safe energy access that is critical to economic prosperity and energy security, however, these projections are increasingly difficult to design and apply as energy use patterns evolve to respond to changing population dynamics. The Dynamic Populations and Energy Planning Catalyzer is leveraging expanded data availability and computational analytics to improve energy planning through enhanced population projections.

Sustainable Agriculture Catalyzer—In Progress

Agriculture makes up a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions. The development and implementation of various decarbonization strategies can lead to benefits beyond emissions reductions, including those that impact energy equity and environmental justice, food security, ecology, health, local economics, workforce, education, and more.

The Sustainable Agriculture Catalyzer is investigating the potential opportunities, research gaps, and barriers to implementation related to cobenefits of agricultural decarbonization strategies.

Justice Underpinning Science and Technology Research Catalyzer—In Progress 

Decarbonizing the energy sector presents a unique opportunity to consider and address injustices associated with the existing energy system, as well as the energy technology research, development, and deployment practices that underpin it. 

The Justice Underpinning Science and Technology Research (JUST-R) Catalyzer is developing an online tool to help integrate energy justice considerations into energy technology research and development.

Climate Adaptation and Clean Energy Intersections Catalyzer—In Progress 

In response to climate change, communities and governments are recognizing the need to enhance resilience and ensure energy security, while implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies that promote the principles of equity and sustainability.

The Climate Adaptation and Clean Energy Intersections Catalyzer is informing how we design and plan for a clean, secure, and resilient grid in the face of climate change. 

Green Computing Catalyzer—In Progress

Demand for high volumes of data processing, data analysis, and artificial intelligence is increasing, and computing systems permeate many aspects of modern life. As a result, computing has become a burgeoning consumer of energy and contributor of carbon emissions.

The Green Computing Catalyzer is analyzing potential pathways to reduce the environmental impact of computing and advance green computing as a salient research domain at NREL.

Energy and Atmospheric Systems Catalyzer—Completed September 2023

Climate and air quality challenges are driving global transitions in power, transportation, industry, buildings, and product design. Clean energy technologies will be affected by a changing atmosphere while also impacting atmospheric systems in ways that go beyond reduced CO₂ emissions.

The Energy and Atmospheric Systems Catalyzer explored the multidirectional relationships across climate, air quality, and energy systems.

Sustainable Communities Catalyzer—Completed September 2022

Scaling clean energy integration, electrifying economies, and transforming energy systems will have major impacts on land use, economies, people, and the environment. All of these changes will occur in communities.

The Sustainable Communities Catalyzer advanced understanding of these social, economic, and environmental impacts and map pathways for sustainable transitions at the community level, focusing on rural and disadvantaged communities.