The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, which manages the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), has named Jud Virden as its new Laboratory Director and President of the Alliance. The appointment follows a national search and will take effect on October 1, 2025.

According to NREL, Virden currently serves as Associate Laboratory Director for the Energy and Environment Directorate at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he has led approximately 1,700 staff members working on DOE’s applied energy priorities, including grid modernization, energy technologies, and nuclear and environmental management.