National Laboratory of the Rockies

The National Laboratory of the Rockies is a research-oriented software publisher that makes its engineering tools publicly available through its website at nlr.gov. Its catalog centers on the System Advisor Model, commonly known as SAM, a free desktop application designed for techno-economic analysis of energy technologies. The software enables users to model the performance and financial viability of renewable and conventional energy systems, combining technical simulation with cost and financing calculations in a single environment. Typical use cases include estimating the energy output of photovoltaic installations, evaluating concentrating solar power and wind projects, and assessing how variables such as system size, location, incentives, and financing structures influence project economics. The application falls within the broader category of engineering and energy analysis software, serving users who need credible performance projections and cash-flow modeling before committing to capital-intensive decisions. Its audience spans project developers, engineers, policy analysts, researchers, and students who require transparent, repeatable calculations rather than black-box estimates. Because the tool is distributed at no cost, it lowers the barrier to rigorous feasibility studies and supports education, early-stage project screening, and comparative assessments of competing technology options. As a desktop application, it is suited to detailed scenario work on individual workstations, where users can adjust assumptions, run sensitivity analyses, and document results for reports or investment reviews. The National Laboratory of the Rockies positions its publishing activity around public-interest research software, and its single flagship product reflects a focus on analytical depth rather than breadth, offering a specialized instrument for evaluating energy systems rather than a wide portfolio of general-purpose applications.