National Renewable Energy Laboratory

In 1977, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL, Golden, CO) started as the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), spurred by national concern during the 1973 oil embargo that caused long lines and high prices at gas stations. Three months after his 1977 inauguration, President Jimmy Carter announced his desire to reduce dependence on foreign oil and invest in alternative energy sources. He created SERI with the mission to launch a new American energy industry, and consolidated oversight of U.S. energy policy into the newly formed U.S. Department of Energy.