Coastal Science
PNNL researchers develop tools and make discoveries for harnessing the abundant energy present in coastal environments. From the renewable power in waves, tides, and currents to biofuel feedstocks from algae, this research supports increased energy resilience for all Americans.
Brian Thrall
Brian Thrall manages PNNL’s biological research sectors, which include major biomedical and environmental biology research programs sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Grid Cybersecurity
PNNL supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s cybersecurity goal of strengthening today’s energy delivery systems and creating more resilient, self-defending energy systems for the future. With more than 100 technical experts focused on cybersecurity infrastructure research and solutions, PNNL has been advancing the reliability and security of the nation's power system for more than a decade.
Ian Cameron
Ian Cameron serves as the interim director of the Department of Defense and Department of State Sector at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Radiation Measurement
Radiation measurement and irradiation science research and services at PNNL focus on the effects of dosage on humans, equipment, and nuclear power reactors. Both the 318 Building—also known as the Radiological Exposure & Metrology (REM) Laboratory—and the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL) have lab space dedicated to researching and applying these technologies, some of which are not available or licensed anywhere else in the United States.
Cold Spray
The Smart Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) program at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is using its cold spray capabilities to research alternative approaches for repairing hydropower turbines and nuclear waste tanks. With cold spray, neither melting nor material degradation occurs, and in the case of hydroelectric turbines, the blades remain in their original shape. The technology facilitates in-field repairs to large, high-value structures.
Distribution
America needs a smarter electric grid. One where utilities can see and respond to changing electricity demands in real time. Where systems automatically reroute electricity when equipment fails or outages occur, keeping power flowing. And where utilities can meet increasing demands by tapping into distributed and renewable energy resources at exactly the right amounts. PNNL has a legacy of pioneering smart grid advancements, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and industry.
Grid Architecture
Grid architecture is a connected body of work that has found ever-increasing use in the electric utility industry, not just in the United States, but worldwide. For example, the Electric Power Research Institute has adopted the PNNL grid architecture approach as the basis for its utility modernization road maps. PNNL's approach is utilized by electric utilities and utility regulatory commissions and boards in dozens of states, with uptake in other countries worldwide. Grid Architecture helps stakeholders understand the issues of grid modernization from a structural standpoint and provides principles and reference models that they can adopt and then adapt to their unique circumstances.
Doug MacDonald
Doug MacDonald is a systems engineer in the Emerging Threats and Technologies Division at PNNL. He currently serves as the advisor for physical security to PNNL’s Department of Homeland Security Sector.
Chris Aardahl
Chris Aardahl is a sector manager whose principal role is outreach to intelligence community and homeland security partners, industry, and academia to deliver R&D address to address important missions and technical challenges.