NREL researchers are studying structures 10,000 times thinner than paper to improve solar energy, advance computers, and capture energy from unexpected sources.
The 15,700-square-foot Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL) will provide multipurpose lab space for energy efficiency and renewable energy research.
Such devices could eventually help computers process visual information more like the human brain and be used as sensors in things like self-driving vehicles.
Researchers at NREL investigating use of perovskite semiconductors for solar cells proven to be highly efficient at converting sunlight to electricity.