The Alliance for Sustainable Energy appointed Jud Virden as the director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and president of the Alliance, effective Oct. 1, 2025. Virden was chosen after a competitive national search.
Virden joins NREL from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he has been the associate laboratory director for the Energy and Environment Directorate since 2011. In this role, he led a team of approximately 1,700 professionals focused on various applied energy priorities.
“Jud’s leadership in driving transformative energy solutions makes him an outstanding fit for NREL,” said Alliance Board co-chairs Ian Colrain and Juan Alvarez. They emphasized his scientific expertise, strategic vision and collaborative approach, highlighting his understanding of Department of Energy (DOE) priorities.
“It’s a privilege to step into this role at such a pivotal time,” Virden said. He expressed eagerness to enhance NREL’s reputation and foster collaborations across DOE, industry and academia to accelerate energy innovation.
Virden earned both his Bachelor of Science and doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Washington. He has been with PNNL since 1991, where he has a history of promoting partnerships and advancing energy technologies.
He will succeed Martin Keller, who has directed NREL since 2015 and will transition to a new role as president of the Helmholtz Association in Berlin, Germany. Keller will remain at NREL as a strategic advisor until early November to facilitate a smooth transition.
NREL, based out of Golden, is the U.S. Department of Energy’s primary national laboratory for energy research and development. It is managed by a partnership led by MRIGlobal and Battelle.
