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The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the new name of the U.S. Department of Energy laboratory in Golden, Colorado that was known for decades as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The U.S. Department of Energy announced the rename on December 1, 2025. This guide explains what the laboratory is, what changed and what did not appear to change, and how to handle the old name in citations, award records and partnership searches. Facts below are stated as described on the official pages listed in the Sources section, checked on 2026-10-29.
What is happening with NREL?
NREL has been renamed. On December 1, 2025 the Department of Energy announced that the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies, abbreviated NLR. According to the announcement, the renaming is effective immediately and will be reflected in all public communications and official correspondence.
The release quotes the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Audrey Robertson said: “The energy crisis we face today is unlike the crisis that gave rise to NREL.” The release also says the laboratory was founded in response to the 1973 oil crisis and places it in Golden, Colorado.
The announcement describes a renaming. It does not list any change to the laboratory’s contract or to named research programs.
Is NREL being renamed to NLR?
Yes, and the rename is already in effect rather than pending. NREL is the former name and NLR is the current name. Both abbreviations will keep appearing in older papers, patents, award records, news coverage and web pages, so a search for either name should include the other.
Old name to new name
| Former | Current, per the DOE announcement and the laboratory’s own site |
|---|---|
| National Renewable Energy Laboratory | National Laboratory of the Rockies |
| NREL | NLR |
What does the National Laboratory of the Rockies do?
NLR describes itself as “DOE’s primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation, and energy security.” Its stated mission is “leading research, innovation, and strategic partnerships to deliver solutions for an affordable and secure energy future.” As described on its About page on 2026-10-29, the laboratory reports:
- 16 research programs.
- More than 1,100 active partnerships with industry, universities, foundations and governments.
- More than 920 patented or patent-pending technologies available for licensing.
The About page also names two facilities: the Energy Systems Integration Facility, and the Energy Materials and Processing at Scale Facility, which it lists as to be completed in 2027.
What it is and who runs it
NLR is a federally funded national laboratory. The About page says it is managed and operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by a partnership led by MRIGlobal and Battelle, under DOE’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation. The page gives the contract number as DE-AC36-08GO28308.
In short, DOE is the sponsor and a contractor-led partnership operates the laboratory. For the general mechanics of pass-through funding relationships, see the CASRAI entry on subawards.
Where is the National Lab of the Rockies located?
The laboratory is based in Golden, Colorado. The About page lists four campuses: Arvada, Colorado; Golden, Colorado; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Washington, D.C.
Eligibility and funding, as described on the official page
The About page lists no open funding opportunity and no eligibility rules. It presents partnership pathways instead. The routes it lists are partnerships with the laboratory itself. For the grant side of DOE funding, see NSF vs. DOE grant requirements and the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) guide.
Partnering pathways
The laboratory’s “Partner With Us” section lists the pathways below. The About page gives only the pathway names, so the table does not describe terms or eligibility for each.
| Pathway named by NLR | Related CASRAI page |
|---|---|
| Entrepreneurship | None |
| Universities | What is cost sharing |
| Licensing | None |
| Agreements | CRADA, CRADA negotiation guide |
| Procurement | SAM.gov |
The CASRAI pages in the right-hand column are general references on those topics. They are not a description of NLR’s own terms, which the laboratory sets on its partnering pages.
What changed for researchers and grants offices
The rename affects names, not (as far as the official pages state) the underlying contract. Practical points for research administrators:
- Searches. Search award databases, repositories and publication records under both “NREL” and “National Renewable Energy Laboratory” as well as “NLR” and “National Laboratory of the Rockies”.
- Contract reference. The laboratory’s About page lists contract number DE-AC36-08GO28308. If an older agreement or invoice cites that number under the NREL name, the number is the stable identifier to match on.
- Affiliations. The DOE release says the new name applies to all public communications and official correspondence. For new publications and agreements, use the name the laboratory itself uses and confirm the exact affiliation string with the laboratory.
- Existing documents. Papers, patents and agreements issued under the NREL name remain what they are; the announcement does not say they are reissued.
Application and timeline
The About page names the pathways above and does not set out an application procedure, eligibility test or timeline. For a specific project, the laboratory’s own Partner With Us pages are the place to start for the matching pathway.
Common mistakes
- Citing only the old name. Records from before December 1, 2025 say NREL; newer ones say NLR. Searching one name misses the other.
- Assuming programs or contracts changed. The DOE announcement describes a renaming and states no program or contract change.
- Treating the laboratory as a funder. The About page lists no funding opportunities. Grant solicitations come from DOE program offices.
FAQ
What is happening with NREL?
DOE announced on December 1, 2025 that NREL is now the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), effective immediately.
What does the National Laboratory of the Rockies do?
It describes itself as DOE’s primary national laboratory for critical minerals, energy innovation and energy security, with 16 research programs and more than 1,100 active partnerships.
Is NREL being renamed to NLR?
It already has been. NREL is the former name and NLR the current one.
Where is the National Lab of the Rockies located?
Golden, Colorado, with campuses also in Arvada, Colorado; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Washington, D.C.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy, “Energy Department Renames NREL the National Laboratory of the Rockies”, December 1, 2025, checked 2026-10-29: https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/energy-department-renames-nrel-national-lab-rockies
- National Laboratory of the Rockies, About page, checked 2026-10-29: https://www.nlr.gov/about/
