By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been renamed the National Laboratory of the Rockies by the Trump administration, reflecting a shift away from its focus on renewable energy. The U.S. Department of Energy stated the change aims to prioritize broader scientific capabilities and address soaring energy demands. This change has raised concerns among organizations involved in renewable energy projects, particularly in Alaska, where NREL partners with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center. This alteration is part of a series of name changes by the Trump administration, which have included renaming the Gulf of Mexico and Denali Peak.
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U.S. Department of Energy lab, active in Alaska, drops ‘renewable’ from name – well, here’s a thought that popped up, and it’s a bit of a head-scratcher. It seems that a U.S. Department of Energy lab, specifically one operating in Alaska, has decided to ditch the word “renewable” from its official name. Now, on the surface, you might think, “Okay, a minor tweak,” but the deeper I go, the more I realize this little change is actually a pretty big deal, albeit in a slightly absurd way.
It feels like this whole name change process was probably a major time sink for the folks involved. I can imagine endless meetings, directives coming down the chain, and all that bureaucratic red tape, all for a seemingly cosmetic alteration. The real work the lab does, you know, the actual scientific research and projects, likely got a bit sidelined in the process. It’s like the equivalent of a toddler throwing a tantrum over a mismatched sock – it feels monumental to the toddler, but to everyone else, it’s just a minor inconvenience. But hey, it’s getting hacked at. It’s pretty clear that this name change was a priority for someone higher up the food chain.
The thing is, though, this change might not even matter to anyone outside of the lab itself. How many people even know this lab exists, let alone what it’s called, or care about a name change? I’m willing to bet it’s a small number. The practical impact is probably minimal, but the symbolism…that’s what gets interesting. It brings up questions of priorities and where the focus of the administration lies.
This whole thing feels like a complete waste of resources, and a distraction from the important work that should be happening. It’s definitely not a good look, and it raises concerns about the direction we’re headed.
What’s really frustrating is how polarized the issue of renewable energy has become. It’s become a political football, a left-right issue, and that’s a real problem. It’s like the Department of Transportation, or how things are now. And I can’t help but wonder what it will take to “clean up” all of this when a new administration comes in. All the changes that need to be undone, tracked, and undone. It’s hard to imagine how long this lab’s name change will be remembered by the time a new President is here. Will they be able to sort out all of this mess? It makes you wonder if there’s even a list being kept of all these seemingly small actions that will have to be undone later on.
It’s all just so petty and backwards. It makes you wonder what’s going on, and why. Are we supposed to be leading the world, or the joke of it? I can’t figure out if this is pure stupidity or a more nefarious plan.
The scary part is how some of the current actions could play out in the future. It’s like they don’t understand the long-term consequences of their actions. It makes you realize that Americans need to stand up and do something, now, before it gets worse.
The idea that the world is being broken down just to be controlled by those in power feels terrifying. There are no plans for the future.
There’s an underlying sense of dread, a feeling that we’re in a “takeover stage”. The future feels very grim.
Maybe one day we will be able to do something. The interests against the ones wanting renewable energy would have to be undermined at every step. It’s like there’s a big fight with the rich running our country, and they got their hands full.