Wind turbines at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's National Wind Technology Center.Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty

Staff at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Department of Energy division that guides public and private research and development involving renewable energy and energy efficiency, were blindsided with a round of layoffs on Monday morning.

Three lab sources told Mother Jones the cuts affect several NREL departments, including communications, wind, water, and community energy. Remote and in-person staffers are both affected, as are non-probationary employees—those who have worked at NREL for more than two years.

A current staffer described the firings as “rather haphazard and unorganized.” According to agency........

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