Origins
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was established by the Solar Energy Research Development and Demonstration Act of 1974. Originally called the Solar Energy Research Institute, NREL began operating in July 1977 and was designated a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in September 1991. NREL's 300-acre campus is at the foot of South Table Mountain in Golden, Colo.

Mission
NREL's mission is to develop renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advance related science and engineering, and transfer knowledge and innovations to address the nation's energy and environmental goals.

Energy
There's no shortage of renewable energy resources. North Dakota has enough wind to supply 35% of the total U.S. electricity demand. The sunlight falling on the United States in one day contains more than twice the energy we consume in an entire year. Fast-growing plants and other self-renewing resources awaiting the right technologies for harvesting. Continued research will ensure that these technologies are efficient, reliable and affordable.

Economy
In 2000, America imported more than half its oil at a cost of $109 billion, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). New energy technologies based on indigenous, self-renewing resources will help keep these dollars at home to strengthen the economy and create new jobs. A 2001 World Wildlife Fund study estimates that energy efficiency policies and renewable energy resource development could result in 1.3 million new jobs by 2020.

Environment
The EIA estimates that in 2000, 81% of all U.S. greenhouse gases were carbon dioxide emissions from energy-related sources. Clean energy sources such as sunlight and wind can be harnessed to produce electricity, process heat, fuel and valuable chemicals with little, if any, pollution. Sunlight also can be harnessed for tasks such as cleaning up contaminated soil and groundwater.

Research Programs
Almost 50 areas of scientific investigation include basic energy research, photovoltaics, wind energy, building technologies, advanced vehicle technologies, solar thermal electric, hydrogen, superconductivity, geothermal power and distributed energy resources.

Award-winning Science
Since its inception, NREL's research has won 31 R&D 100 awards-the most per staff member of any DOE laboratory. Many of NREL's research achievements have been ranked among the nation's most significant technical innovations by R&D, Discover, and Popular Science magazine.

Funding
NREL's operating budget for fiscal year 2001 was about $216 million. About 94% of NREL's funding comes from the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, with the remainder from sources such as grants, cost-shared research with industry, and other DOE offices.

The Sustainable Village is working with NREL to help redesign refugee camps as ecologically sustainable settlements. For more information about this project, click here. To reach NREL, click here.

Other Related Links
NREL International
NREL Village Power