Spark Squad Comics’ Hydropower Heroes, Wind Energy’s Increased Potential, and a Tale of Two Cities Powered by Clean Energy—Plus, Clean Cities Coalitions

Hosts Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle discuss new stories from NREL:

• Beneath the Surface: The 'Spark Squad' Behind the Spark Squad: Inspired by the 1990s television show “Captain Planet,” three NREL researchers developed a super squad for a new generation. The Spark Squad Comic Book series features three heroes super-powered by clean energy innovations. The series first came out in 2022 and was developed by NREL and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.
• Technology Advancements Could Unlock 80% More Wind Energy Potential During This Decade: Researchers have identified new technologies that could make it possible to profitably capture more of the nation’s wind resources. In a recently published study, NREL researchers found that technology innovations making their way into commercial markets today and in coming years could unlock 80% more economically viable wind energy capacity within the contiguous United States. This could go a long way toward helping the nation meet its clean energy goals.
• A Tale of Two Cities (Powered by Clean Energy): Los Angeles, California, and Tehuantepec, Mexico, are almost 2,500 miles apart but share similarities in clean energy goals and challenges. A study led by researchers from NREL contrasts how these areas in California and Mexico have chosen to address inequities in plans for clean energy transitions and the very different outcomes of those approaches.
• Clean Cities Celebrates 30 Years of Acting Locally To Generate National Impact: The U.S. Department of Energy established the Clean Cities Coalition Network in 1993 to boost the country's economic vitality, energy security, and quality of life by advancing affordable, efficient, and clean transportation fuels and technologies. For the last 30 years, NREL, along with other national labs, has created tools and provided technical assistance to these communities.

This episode was hosted by Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle, written and produced by Allison Montroy and Kaitlyn Stottler, and edited by James Wilcox, 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. Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast is created by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. We express our gratitude and acknowledge that the land we are on is the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute peoples. Email us at [email protected]. Follow NREL on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Facebook.