Skip to main content

PNNL

  • About
  • News & Media
  • Careers
  • Events
  • Research
    • Scientific Discovery
      • Biology
        • Computational Biology
        • Ecosystem Science
        • Human Health
          • Cancer Biology
          • Metabolic Inflammatory Diseases
        • Integrative Omics
          • Advanced Metabolomics
          • Chemical Biology
          • Mass Spectrometry-Based Measurement Technologies
          • Spatial and Single-Cell Proteomics
        • Microbiome Science
          • Biofuels & Bioproducts
          • Human Microbiome
          • Soil Microbiome
      • Chemistry
        • Catalysis
        • Chemical Physics
      • Earth & Coastal Sciences
        • Atmospheric Science
          • Atmospheric Aerosols
          • Human-Earth System Interactions
          • Modeling Earth Systems
        • Coastal Science
        • Ecosystem Science
        • Plant Science
        • Subsurface Science
        • Terrestrial Aquatics
      • Materials Sciences
        • Solid Phase Processing
        • Science of Interfaces
        • Precision Materials by Design
        • Materials in Extreme Environments
      • Nuclear & Particle Physics
        • Dark Matter
        • Neutrino Physics
        • Flavor Physics
        • Fusion Energy Science
      • Quantum Information Sciences
    • Sustainable Energy
      • Electric Grid Modernization
        • Distribution
        • Earth System Modeling
        • Grid Resilience and Decarbonization
          • Energy System Modeling
        • Emergency Response
        • Grid Cybersecurity
        • Grid Analytics
          • AGM Program
          • Tools and Capabilities
        • Grid Architecture
        • Grid Energy Storage
        • Transmission
      • Energy Efficiency
        • Building and Grid Modeling
        • Building Technologies
          • Advanced Building Controls
          • Building-Grid Integration
          • Advanced Lighting
        • Residential Buildings
          • Energy Efficient Technology Integration
          • Home Energy Score
          • Building America Solution Center
        • Commercial Buildings
        • Federal Buildings
          • Federal Performance Optimization
          • Resilience and Security
        • Building Energy Codes
        • Appliance and Equipment Standards
      • Energy Storage
        • Chemical Energy Storage
        • Electrochemical Energy Storage
        • Flexible Loads and Generation
        • Grid Integration, Controls, and Architecture
        • Regulation, Policy, and Valuation
        • Science Supporting Energy Storage
      • Environmental Management
        • Environmental Remediation
        • Waste Processing
        • Radiation Measurement
      • Fossil Energy
        • Carbon Management
          • Carbon Capture
          • Carbon Storage
          • Carbon Utilization
        • Subsurface Energy Systems
        • Advanced Hydrocarbon Conversion
      • Nuclear Energy
        • Reactor Licensing
        • Reactor Operations
        • Fuel Cycle Research
        • Advanced Reactors
      • Renewable Energy
        • Grid Integration of Renewable Energy
        • Hydropower
          • Environmental Performance of Hydropower
          • Hydropower and the Electric Grid
          • Hydropower Cybersecurity and Digitalization
          • Materials Science for Hydropower
          • Pumped Storage Hydropower
          • Water + Hydropower Planning
        • Marine Energy
          • Environmental Monitoring for Marine Energy
          • Marine Biofouling and Corrosion
          • Marine Energy Resource Characterization
          • Testing for Marine Energy
          • The Blue Economy
        • Wind Energy
          • Distributed Wind
          • Offshore Wind
          • Uncertainty Quantification
          • Wildlife and Wind
          • Wind Data Archive and Portal
          • Wind Resource Characterization
        • Geothermal Energy
        • Solar Energy
        • Energy Equity & Health
      • Transportation
        • Vehicle Technologies
          • Emission Control
          • Energy-Efficient Mobility Systems
          • Lightweight Materials
          • Vehicle Electrification
        • Bioenergy Technologies
          • Algal Biofuels
          • Aviation Biofuels
          • Waste-to-Energy and Products
        • Hydrogen & Fuel Cells
    • National Security
      • Chemical & Biothreat Signatures
        • Contraband Detection
        • Explosives Detection
        • Pathogen Science & Detection
          • Threat-Agnostic Biodefense
      • Cybersecurity
        • Discovery and Insight
        • Proactive Defense
        • Trusted Systems
      • Nuclear Material Science
      • Nuclear Nonproliferation
        • Nuclear Explosion Monitoring
        • Nuclear Forensics
        • Radiological & Nuclear Detection
        • Ultra-Sensitive Nuclear Measurements
      • Stakeholder Engagement
        • Disaster Recovery
        • Global Collaborations
        • Legislative and Regulatory Analysis
        • Technical Training
      • Systems Integration & Deployment
        • Additive Manufacturing
        • Deployed Technologies
        • Rapid Prototyping
        • Systems Engineering
      • Threat Analysis
        • Advanced Wireless Security
          • 5G Security
          • RF Signal Detection & Exploitation
        • Climate Security
        • Internet of Things
    • Data Science & Computing
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Graph and Data Analytics
      • High-Performance Computing
      • Software Engineering
      • Visual Analytics
      • Computational Mathematics & Statistics
    • Lab Objectives
    • Publications & Reports
    • Featured Research
    • Computing & Analytics
  • People
    • Inventors
    • Diversity
    • Lab Leadership
    • Lab Fellows
    • Staff Accomplishments
  • Partner with PNNL
    • Academia
      • Distinguished Graduate Research Programs
      • Internships
      • Visiting Faculty Program
      • Joint Appointments
      • Joint Institutes
      • Linus Pauling Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship
    • Community
      • STEM Education
        • Resources
        • Student STEM Ambassadors
        • STEM Ambassadors in the Classroom
      • Philanthropy
      • Volunteering
      • Economic Impact
    • Industry
      • Available Technologies
      • Industry
      • Industry Partnerships
      • Licensing & Technology Transfer
      • Entrepreneurial Leave
  • Facilities & Centers
    • All Facilities
      • Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility
      • Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center
      • Energy Sciences Center
      • Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
      • Grid Storage Launchpad
      • Institute for Integrated Catalysis
      • Interdiction Technology and Integration Laboratory
      • Radiochemical Processing Laboratory
      • PNNL Seattle Research Center
      • PNNL-Sequim
      • Shallow Underground Laboratory

Breadcrumb

  1. Research
  2. Sustainable Energy
  3. Renewable Energy

Renewable
Energy

Integrating renewable
energy into the power grid

PNNL researchers are working to better integrate renewables onto the power grid.

  • Electric Grid Modernization
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Energy Storage
  • Environmental Management
  • Fossil Energy
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Renewable Energy
    • Grid Integration of Renewable Energy
    • Hydropower
    • Marine Energy
    • Wind Energy
    • Geothermal Energy
    • Solar Energy
    • Energy Equity & Health
  • Transportation
  • News & Updates
  • Attend a Renewable Energy Event
  • Publications
  • Projects
  • Explainer Articles

Throughout the modern age, fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas have powered homes and businesses. But the world is increasingly seeking to add renewable sources of power into the generating mix. These renewable resources have traditionally included hydropower, terrestrial wind, and solar photovoltaic, and we envision newer resources—such as marine energy, wind energy, and geothermal—enabling a sustainable energy future for our nation. 

But there are challenges to overcome. Integrating renewables into the grid is a complex issue, and we also need to understand and mitigate potential environmental impacts. With newer technologies, such as marine energy, there is a great deal of research and development to be done to make the most of these resources. 

We tap our strong base of atmospheric sciences, grid operations and controls, and our engineering and analytical capabilities to help overcome these challenges. Our research encompasses a wide range of renewables, drawing on resources below ground, on the surface, and in the sky. Our partnerships with other national laboratories, industry, and universities are bringing renewable energy closer to an everyday reality. 

We’re driving for an energy future that accommodates new sources. These sources introduce real cost savings and improved performance, as well as new jobs. 

Recent News

MAY 27, 2022
Staff Accomplishment

Becker-Dippmann Joins Inaugural Climate Advisory Group

Read
Smiling dark haired woman
MAY 25, 2022
News Release

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Plans Transition to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Read
Campus Flags
MAY 20, 2022
Staff Accomplishment

Fifield Receives H.M. Hashemian Mid-Career Award

Read
Leo Fifield is a materials scientist specializing in how electrical cables age in extreme environments
SEE MORE RELATED NEWS

Facilities

Aquatic Research Laboratory Systems Engineering Building Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory Bio-Acoustics and Flow Laboratory Advanced Battery Facility Applied Process Engineering Laboratory

Related Divisions

Coastal Sciences Division
Electricity Infrastructure and Buildings Division
Earth Systems Science Division
Energy Processes & Materials Division
Advanced Computing, Mathematics, and Data

Contacts

Dennis Stiles
Sector Lead, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
dennis.stiles@pnnl.gov
Shannon Bates
Advisor
shannon.bates@pnnl.gov

Related Links

What are Renewable Fuels?What is Environmental Justice?What is Tidal Energy?

PNNL

  • Get in Touch
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Doing Business
    • Environmental Reports
    • Security & Privacy
    • Vulnerability Disclosure Program
  • Research
    • Scientific Discovery
    • Sustainable Energy
    • National Security
Subscribe to PNNL News
Department of Energy Logo Battelle Logo
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is managed and operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn