National Renewable Energy Laboratory
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![The Energy Systems Integration Facility in Golden, Colorado.](/Images/godic/202501/30/National_Renewable_Energy_Laboratory1334.jpg")
![The main research wind turbines at NREL](/Images/godic/202501/30/NREL_Windmills1334.jpg")
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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located in Golden, Colorado, is the United States' primary laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is a government-owned, contractor-operated facility, and is funded through the United States Department of Energy (DOE). This arrangement allows a private entity to operate the lab on behalf of the federal government under a prime contract. NREL receives funding from Congress to be applied toward research and development projects. NREL also performs research on photovoltaics (PV) under the National Center for Photovoltaics. NREL has a number of PV research capabilities including research and development, testing, and deployment. NREL's campus houses several facilities dedicated to PV research.