National Renewable Energy Laboratory

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was established in 1977 as the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) following the Solar Energy Research Development and Demonstration Act of 1974, focusing on renewable energy and energy efficiency research for the U.S. Department of Energy. In September 1991, President George H.W. Bush designated it a national laboratory and renamed it NREL, making it the only federal lab dedicated solely to clean energy technologies. On December 1, 2025, it was renamed the National Laboratory of the Rockies to reflect its expanding mission.