Pyrocumulonimbus clouds are increasing in frequency as large wildfires become more prevalent in a warming climate. These clouds can inject smoke particles into the atmosphere, where they can remain suspended for several months.

Using numerical simulations to reproduce the laboratory experiments, this study reveals that liquid droplets are present near the bottom surface, which warms and moistens the air in the chamber.

PNNL has developed a decision tool that provides contractors and installers with the information they need to properly select and install cold climate heat pumps, which are a key technology for achieving decarbonization.

The Heat Pump Water Heater Installation Tool, developed at PNNL, has been released by the Department of Energy for public use.

Recycling polyolefin materials is challenging. One waste management strategy is plastic upcycling. New work demonstrates a single-step upcycling route coupling cracking and alkylation, recycling carbon and keeping valuable resources active.

Researchers show how satellite observations from the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and CloudSat radar can be used to constrain the ACI radiative forcing that is linked to droplet collection in marine liquid clouds.

Tennessee State University received Department of Energy funding to establish an academy focused on preparing students and professionals to work in an emerging field: clean energy systems. PNNL is helping with that effort and others.

A set of papers combines surface science measurements on tiny particles with uncrewed aerial systems to better understand and model aerosols.

Researchers devised a quantitative and predictive understanding of the cloud chemistry of biomass-burning organic gases helping increase the understanding of wildfires.

Models have identified a new source of anthropogenic emissions driving the observed weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation.

PNNL helps deliver efficiency-related rules and requirements that steadily improve performance of America’s buildings, saving energy and costs and reducing carbon emissions.

Atmospheric rivers, filaments of intense moisture transport in the atmosphere, can now be automatically detected in satellite observations.

Earth Scientist Laura Fierce mentors Department of Energy Science Graduate Student Research program awardees.

Mandy Mahoney, director of the DOE Building Technologies Office, visited PNNL in late November. One key agenda item involved meeting with staff for a discussion of effective equity and justice integration in buildings-related research.

This study revealed that fresh organic vapors are soluble in particulate organics that are actively growing in size. However, if the particulate matter ages, fresh organic vapors can no longer mix with the organic matter.

A larger HVAC workforce with training on modern heat pump technology will be pivotal to achieving the mass-scale electrification of household HVAC systems needed to meet building decarbonization goals.

Leaders from the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy visited PNNL October 19–20 for a firsthand look at capabilities and research progress.

Partitioning measured ice nucleating particle concentrations into individual particle types leads to a better understanding of the sources and model representations of these particles.

PNNL is at the midpoint of a study focused on the installation of electric heat pump water heaters in New Orleans homes. The efficient water heaters offer a unique capability that could help speed the transition from fossil fuels.

Researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory created and embedded a physics-informed deep neural network that can learn as it processes data.