NREL Energy Data MCP Server for Windsurf 10 tools — connect in under 2 minutes
Windsurf brings agentic AI coding to a purpose-built IDE. Connect NREL Energy Data through Vinkius and Cascade will auto-discover every tool. ask questions, generate code, and act on live data without leaving your editor.
ASK AI ABOUT THIS MCP SERVER
Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.
Vinkius Desktop App
The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install NREL Energy Data and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.
{
"mcpServers": {
"nrel-energy-data": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About NREL Energy Data MCP Server
Connect to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) API through your AI agent and explore a vast archive of sustainable energy data and analysis tools using natural conversation.
Windsurf's Cascade agent chains multiple NREL Energy Data tool calls autonomously. query data, analyze results, and generate code in a single agentic session. Paste Vinkius Edge URL, reload, and all 10 tools are immediately available. Real-time tool feedback appears inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor.
What you can do
- Alternative Fuels — List and locate alternative fuel stations (Electric, Hydrogen, E85) globally, or find the nearest one to any address.
- Solar Production — Run PVWatts® estimates to calculate the potential energy production of photovoltaic systems based on specific system configurations.
- Resource Intelligence — Access detailed solar radiation data (GHI, DNI) and check geothermal resource potential for any coordinate.
- Utility Oversight — Retrieve residential and industrial electricity rates and identify which utility companies serve a specific area.
- Incentives & Laws — Browse federal and state laws and incentives for alternative fuels and energy-efficient vehicles.
- Deep Inspection — Fetch complete metadata and station details using their unique IDs.
The NREL Energy Data MCP Server exposes 10 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Windsurf in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
How to Connect NREL Energy Data to Windsurf via MCP
Follow these steps to integrate the NREL Energy Data MCP Server with Windsurf.
Open MCP Settings
Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Add the server
Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Save and reload
Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Start using NREL Energy Data
Open Cascade and ask: "Using NREL Energy Data, help me...". 10 tools available
Why Use Windsurf with the NREL Energy Data MCP Server
Windsurf provides unique advantages when paired with NREL Energy Data through the Model Context Protocol.
Windsurf's Cascade agent autonomously chains multiple tool calls in sequence, solving complex multi-step tasks without manual intervention
Purpose-built for agentic workflows. Cascade understands context across your entire codebase and integrates MCP tools natively
JSON-based configuration means zero code changes: paste a URL, reload, and all 10 tools are immediately available
Real-time tool feedback is displayed inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor without switching contexts
NREL Energy Data + Windsurf Use Cases
Practical scenarios where Windsurf combined with the NREL Energy Data MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Automated code generation: ask Cascade to fetch data from NREL Energy Data and generate models, types, or handlers based on real API responses
Live debugging: query NREL Energy Data tools mid-session to inspect production data while debugging without leaving the editor
Documentation generation: pull schema information from NREL Energy Data and have Cascade generate comprehensive API docs automatically
Rapid prototyping: combine NREL Energy Data data with Cascade's code generation to scaffold entire features in minutes
NREL Energy Data MCP Tools for Windsurf (10)
These 10 tools become available when you connect NREL Energy Data to Windsurf via MCP:
get_geothermal_resource
Check geothermal resource potential
get_nearest_stations
Find nearest fuel stations
get_pvwatts_estimates
Estimate solar energy production
get_solar_data_query
Check solar dataset availability
get_solar_resource
Get solar radiation data
get_station_details
Get specific station details
get_utility_companies
Identify local utility companies
get_utility_rates
Get average electricity rates
list_alt_fuel_stations
) in the database. List all alternative fuel stations
list_transportation_incentives
List alternative fuel incentives
Example Prompts for NREL Energy Data in Windsurf
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Windsurf agent to start working with NREL Energy Data immediately.
"Find all electric vehicle charging stations in Asheville, NC."
"Estimate solar energy production for a 5kW system at latitude 35.6, longitude -82.5."
"What are the average electricity rates for residential buildings in zip code 28801?"
Troubleshooting NREL Energy Data MCP Server with Windsurf
Common issues when connecting NREL Energy Data to Windsurf through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
Server not connecting
NREL Energy Data + Windsurf FAQ
Common questions about integrating NREL Energy Data MCP Server with Windsurf.
How does Windsurf discover MCP tools?
mcp_config.json file on startup and connects to each configured server via Streamable HTTP. Tools are listed in the MCP panel and available to Cascade automatically.Can Cascade chain multiple MCP tool calls?
Does Windsurf support multiple MCP servers?
mcp_config.json. Each server's tools appear in the MCP panel and Cascade can use tools from different servers in a single flow.Connect NREL Energy Data with your favorite client
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Connect NREL Energy Data to Windsurf
Get your token, paste the configuration, and start using 10 tools in under 2 minutes. No API key management needed.