Energy Leadership Program at NREL Accepting Applications for 2020

Dec. 3, 2019 | Contact media relations

Applications are now being accepted for next year’s Energy Executive Leadership Academy, a program the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) created in 2007 to help participants guide their organizations in making energy-related decisions.

The program, informally known as Energy Execs, is accepting applications through Jan. 13. Approximately 20 people are chosen each year.

People stand outside as part of a tour. — Daniel Laird (center), director of the National Wind Technology Center, leads a tour of the campus near Boulder for participants in NREL's Executive Energy Leadership Academy. (Photo by Werner Slocum / NREL)

Energy Execs provides non-technical business, governmental, and community leaders throughout the country an opportunity to learn about renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies, analytical tools, and financing. Leaders in the private sector, communities, nonprofits, and government are eligible to participate.

While Energy Execs is free, participants are responsible for covering their own travel and lodging expenses. Members of the 2020 class will meet May 20–22, June 24–26, July 22–24, and Aug. 26–28.

The program gives executives an in-depth look at a variety of advanced energy technologies, including solar and wind power, biofuels and transportation, and energy-efficient buildings. Participants benefit from first-hand briefings from NREL technology experts, as well as visits to research laboratories and energy technologies in the field. During the final month of the program, participants demonstrate what they've learned by presenting a viable project involving advanced energy or energy efficiency.

“NREL Energy Execs is easily one of the best professional development opportunities I've been able to participate in,” said John Jameson, a managing consultant on energy and climate at ICF in Colorado and a graduate of the program. “I came away with a more thorough understanding of not just my area of work in the energy space, but of the next big frontiers across all of NREL's research areas. I now have the benefit of integrating that knowledge and systems thinking in my work. Energy Execs is a no-brainer for anyone working in energy.”