National Laboratory of the Rockies

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for energy systems research and development. Based in Golden, Colorado, at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, NLR is federally funded and managed for the Department of Energy by the Alliance for Energy Innovation, a partnership dedicated to accelerating energy innovation to market.

NLR's work spans from fundamental science to applied systems engineering and analysis. Its technical domains include renewable energy, critical minerals, energy efficiency technologies, solar, wind, bioenergy and geothermal energy, hydrogen and fuel cells, building technologies, grid integration, and advanced materials science. The laboratory's stated mission is oriented toward lowering energy costs, boosting the economy, strengthening security, and delivering abundant and reliable energy.

Research areas include renewable energy technology development across solar, wind, bioenergy and geothermal, advanced from concept to the commercial marketplace through industry partnerships; hydrogen and fuel cell technologies; building technologies and energy efficiency; grid integration; critical minerals; and advanced materials science supporting new energy materials. NLR positions itself as a bridge between foundational research and practical applications.