Overview

• The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) laid off 114 employees on May 5, 2025, citing paused or canceled federal funding as the primary cause.
• The layoffs impacted multiple departments, including wind, water, communications, and community energy, affecting both remote and on-site staff as well as long-term employees.
• President Trump’s fiscal 2026 budget proposal includes billions in cuts to renewable energy research funding, redirecting resources toward fossil fuels and nuclear energy projects.
• NREL employees described the layoff process as disorganized, with some staff locked out of work systems before receiving formal notice of termination.
• The workforce reductions are expected to strain NREL’s project execution, as the lab operates on a model where specific workloads are assigned to individual employees.