 Energy is at the heart of our economy as well as our national security. Energy is the engine that drives industry; lights, heats and cools our homes; and allows us to create and enjoy wealth. Energy, in all its myriad forms, is a fundamental element of our modern life. It is not optional. We employ energy to accomplish the important work of our society — our livelihood, our health, our education, our security, and our great national goals. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was created to help fulfill and sustain these needs. As the U.S. Department of Energy's premier laboratory for renewable energy research and development and a leading laboratory for energy efficiency research, NREL is developing new energy technologies to benefit both the environment and the economy — helping the Nation plan for the future.
NREL's scientists, engineers and administrators envision endless supplies of energy from a variety of clean, sustainable sources — the sun, the wind, plants and the Earth's heat. Our mission is to develop the technology to harvest energy from these resources and to use energy more efficiently.
NREL is at the forefront of new scientific discoveries that will enable hybrid vehicles, and ultimately hydrogen-fueled vehicles, to diminish the U.S. dependence on fossil fuels. By looking at the whole picture, NREL is developing cleaner lubricants and is working with car manufacturers and states to create higher BTU fuels.
NREL is also making important advances in sustainable building technologies. These advances include concepts like zero-energy buildings, where buildings produce as much energy as they need to operate, to research on improved lighting, roofing materials, windows, as well as heating and cooling systems.
Many major contributions that advance wind technology originated with NREL. These advances include the development of new low-wind-speed turbines, which will open the market for more diverse use of wind energy to the development of better blades and ocean-based systems.
NREL also takes pride in its history of advances in solar and bioenergy technologies. Research creating higher efficiency solar cells has been a critical goal that relies on new materials such as nanomaterials and predictive solid-state theory that allows us to generate new products.
Bioenergy research has created the concept of a "biorefinery" where biomass materials such as wood chips and switch grass would be feedstocks. Acting like a modern oil refinery, the process would include a large stream of valuable products.
And through our Sustainable NREL initiative, we are "walking the talk" by changing procedures and redesigning buildings and working spaces in order to lower cost and reliance on scare resources. We realize that the way we conduct our own operations and invest in our Laboratory is important to our future.
As director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, I look forward to this new century, knowing that NREL will be a vital force for changing the way we produce and use energy for the benefit of everyone.
Richard H. Truly
Director
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