NREL: NREL Research Facilities Home Page

NREL's world-class research happens at 11 major research facilities, located near Golden, Colorado. Descriptions of each facility can be found below.

	Alternative Fuels User Facility This facility provides laboratory space and a pilot plant for research on the conversion of biomass into fuels, chemicals, and other materials.
	Denver West Building 16 Laboratories in Building 16 support three research areas: transportation, photovoltaics, and basic sciences.
	Field Test Laboratory Building This building houses numerous laboratories for research in converting biomass to fuels and chemicals, basic chemical and biological sciences, testing PV and solar materials, and buildings and thermal systems.
	High-Flux Solar Furnace The heat generated is used for materials processing, advanced materials manufacturing, ultra-accelerated weathering, and detoxifying hazardous wastes.
	National Wind Technology Center NREL's wind energy research is conducted here, including research and development of state-of-the-art wind turbine designs.
	Outdoor Test Facility Researchers use laboratories and test beds to assess the performance and reliability of photovoltaic modules and systems under simulated and outdoor conditions.

	ReFUEL Laboratory This research laboratory tests advanced fuels in heavy-duty engines and advanced heavy hybrid vehicles.
	Science and Technology Facility NREL's newest facility provides laboratories for research in photovoltaics, hydrogen, solar buildings, solid-state lighting, thin-film coatings and devices, electrochromics, and nanotechnologies.
	Solar Energy Research Facility Researchers use laboratories in this facility for research in photovoltaics, basic materials and chemical sciences, carbon nanotubes for hydrogen storage, and superconductivity.
	Solar Radiation Research Laboratory This facility provides a local solar resource database, provides outdoor radiometer calibrations, and supports radiation measurement and instrumentation needs.
	Thermal Test Facility Researchers here develop and test energy-saving technologies for buildings, and evaluate energy-storage systems for electric, hybrid electric, and fuel-cell vehicles.