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of President Donald Trump Energy Department removed the wordsRenewable energyFrom National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
The decades-old research facility – headquartered in Golden, colorado – Now to be called National Laboratory of the Rockies, DOE announced on monday,
“The energy crisis The crisis we face today is different from the one that gave birth to NREL,” Assistant Secretary of Energy Audrey Robertson said in a news release. “We’re no longer picking and choosing energy sourcesOur top priority is to invest in scientific capabilities that will restore American manufacturing, reduce costs and help this country meet its growing energy demand,
The laboratory serves the federal government as primary hub To create and improve energy technologies that ensure abundant electricity at low cost. Historically, it has focused primarily on renewable energy such as solar and wind.
Established in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, it was created to address the energy shortage caused by high oil prices and reduced imports. It was initially named the Solar Energy Research Institute, but was renamed NREL under President George H.W. Bush.
In the 2010s, the lab conducted research on reducing the cost of ethanol improve efficiency of solar cells. In 2021, it launched a Cybersecurity Office “to accelerate the Laboratory’s leadership in securing renewable energy technologies”. That same year, then-President Joe Biden visited the laboratory, where he called further investment In renewable energy.
“For decades, this laboratory and its scientific capabilities have pushed the boundaries of what is possible and made an impact on the nation,” laboratory director Judge Virden said in the release.
“This new name reflects the broader applied energy mission assigned to us by the Department of Energy to deliver a more affordable and secure energy future for all,” Virden said.
The rebranding comes as the Trump administration has signaled a desire to use fossil fuels — not just renewable energy — as an energy source.
Shortly after returning to office in January, Trump signed an executive order aimed at reducing energy costs by cutting “the burden and ideologically motivated rulesThat same month, the Republican President began the process of pulling the US out of paris climate accord and made an announcement national energy emergencyDirecting agencies to use all available authorities to increase energy production.
Trump himself has been around for a long time expressed doubt Some forms of clean energy, including wind power. Earlier this year, he called on the UK government to “shut down expensive and unsightly windmills” and instead do more drilling for offshore oil.
In May, DOE More than 100 employees were fired from their jobs In NREL, according to Colorado Public Radio,
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After the laboratory was renamed, some groups expressed disapproval.
“Solar, wind, and other clean energy technologies Colorado has the cheapest and most cost-effective resources, and they have been around for years,” said Michael Hyatt, deputy managing attorney for Earthjustice in the Rocky Mountains. colorado sun“Changing the name of NREL will not change this fact,”
“The reality is that the Trump administration’s attacks on clean energy and efforts to prop up unprofitable coal and gas plants are driving up costs and creating unnecessary energy affordability burdens for millions of Americans,” Hyatt said.
In a post on X, Colorado Democrat Senator Michael Bennet called for the newly named laboratory to maintain its mission.
“Under its new name, the Lab should continue its unprecedented work To achieve an affordable, net-zero economy and address our nation’s complex energy challenges,” Bennett wrote.