The USA Energy Department has renamed the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR). The change takes effect immediately and will be used in public communications and official correspondence.

Founded after the 1973 oil crisis, the laboratory has long supported research across the energy system, including generation, distribution, and end use. Its past work placed a particular emphasis on renewable technologies and their integration into the wider energy system. The new name is intended to reflect the administration’s focus on applied energy research and the setting of the laboratory in Golden, Colorado.