New Database Quantifies What the Country Needs To Meet Its Big Clean Energy Goals – Wind and sun may be nearly infinite resources. But the materials needed to build wind turbines and solar panels are not always common. Take the rare earth metals—neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium—for example. Chances are those names are just as unfamiliar as the silvery metals they represent. And yet, some wind turbines cannot function without them. Solar power also relies on a diverse list of materials—from aluminum to zinc—to convert sunlight to electricity. Working with partners from other national laboratories, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have created a new database, the Renewable Energy Materials Properties Database (REMPD), which examines materials needs for both wind and solar power plants. The REMPD, which is introduced in an accompanying summary report, quantifies the demand for materials per megawatt of wind or solar generating capacity and compares that demand to today’s supplies.”