Episode Details

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 Jeromin and Taylor Mankle dive into a banner year for innovation at NREL. Together, they explore the entrepreneurial side of energy technology, including: 

• NREL’s record-breaking 294 invention disclosures and 46 patents in Fiscal Year 2024—including the first patent from NREL’s Cybersecurity Research Center, an AI-powered system for grid security. Licensing Executive Eric Payne explains how patents reflect years of prior innovation, and the team highlights one invention that began its journey more than a decade prior. Plus, 
• The 30th anniversary of NREL’s Industry Growth Forum, which broke attendance records with more than 1,000 participants and introduced new features like reverse pitches and spotlight sessions. With $5 billion in investment capital represented and nearly 3,000 meetings between startups and investors, this year’s forum marked a significant step in accelerating the commercialization of advanced energy solutions. 

Correction: More than 200 active investors attended the Industry Growth Forum together representing $5 billion in capital that they are looking to deploy over the next 12 months, not years. 

This podcast is hosted by Jackson Fletcher, Kerrin Jeromin, Taylor Mankle, and Nataleah Small and written and produced by Hannah Halusker, Allison Montroy, and Kaitlyn Stottler. Editors are Joe DelNero, Brittany Falch, and Taylor Mankle. Graphics by Brittnee Gayet. Music by Ted Vaca and 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.