NREL in the Community

NREL's commitment to the community includes public tours, stakeholder outreach, and charitable giving efforts.

In-Person Tours

NREL offers in-person, staff-led tours of its South Table Mountain campus, in Golden, Colorado, to U.S. citizens 18 and older interested in learning about our research and work producing clean energy technologies, reducing waste, and eliminating atmospheric pollution. Register for an in-person NREL campus tour.

Virtual Campus Tours

We also offer virtual, staff-led tours to the public. The virtual tour is a high-level overview of the South Table Mountain campus in Golden, Colorado; the Flatirons Campus in Arvada, Colorado; and our far-north Alaska campus in Fairbanks. Register for a virtual NREL campus tour.

In addition, we offer virtual tours designed for students. Register for a tour for students in grades 4–8 or grades 9–12.

For collegiate tour requests, contact Collegiate Visits.

For questions, contact the NREL Visits Team.

Campus Construction

Aerial view of NREL's South Table Mountain campus, with the mountains in the background

Learn about NREL construction projects that will support a clean energy future.

Subscribe to NREL's Community Connection Newsletter

Subscribe to this quarterly newsletter to see how we're supporting the community and how you can help.

Community Outreach

NREL staff regularly engage with neighbors, community organizations, and visitors worldwide to share innovations, raise money, and support causes related to the laboratory's mission.

Four people seated and crouched in a field with solar panels, planting.

NREL staff regularly volunteer at Jack's Solar Garden in Longmont, Colorado. Photo by Bryan Bechtold, NREL

Five people in hard hats stand on a roof carrying a large square object.

NREL staff work alongside the GRID Alternatives Colorado team to install rooftop solar panels. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

NREL's Impact

Employees donated almost $2 million to 480 nonprofits from October 2020 to September 2023.

From October 2022 through September 2023, NREL staff:

Logged 1,100 volunteer hours, which unlocked an $11,000 donation match from the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, which manages and operates NREL

Connected 18,181 individuals to the lab's work and mission through visits, tours, and other educational activities

Partnered with and supported more than 2,500 communities, Tribes, jurisdictions, utilities, and businesses in planning for an affordable, resilient clean energy future.

See NREL's Fiscal Year 2023 Community Outreach Impact Report for more details.