The electric grid powers our daily lives and our nation’s economy. It is often described as one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century. To meet the growing electricity needs of our digital economy, the grid must be modernized.      

The electric grid is our most complex—and essential—machine.  
Learn how the grid powers America

Our grid must also be reliable. We must protect the nation’s power delivery system from cyber and physical attacks and from weather events and natural disturbances. We also must address load volatility and power quality issues caused by distributed energy resources and power demand from data centers. Managing grid demand is essential, for reliable performance, cost of service, and safety.

At PNNL, we are taking on the toughest challenges presented by grid modernization. We are a national leader, with deep scientific knowledge and technical resources, defining the modern grid for the 21st century. PNNL plays a leading role in developing a power grid that enables real-time predictive operation to improve reliability and efficiency; incorporates advanced controls that engage new devices and enable new services at scale while ensuring resilience; and uses new approaches and technologies, such as energy storage, microgrids, and transactive energy. These advances will enable us to fully leverage the capabilities of and effectively integrate distributed energy resources and loads to provide flexibility that can help meet the rising demand for electricity, lower cost, and improve resiliency of the electricity system.