Building-Grid Integration
PNNL develops new concepts and technologies that connect buildings and the power grid for a better energy future.
Advanced Lighting
DOE’s Building Technologies Office, which manages the Solid-State Lighting Program, is focused on research to realize these tremendous additional energy savings, with the goal to cut U.S. lighting-related energy use by 75 percent by 2035, while improving lighting quality, functionality, and service. PNNL is supporting DOE’s mission through research that informs new lighting metrics and methods of measurement adopted by industry standards organizations such as Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), American National Standards Institute, and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).
Waste Processing
What to do with Hanford’s 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemical waste stored in 177 underground tanks, which already are past their expected lifetime? In partnership with DOE and site contractors, PNNL researchers are leading the development of the chemical and engineering processes to determine the mixture in each tank, the safest way to remove it, and the most efficient way to treat and store it.
High-Performance Computing
At PNNL, High-Performance Computing (HPC) encompasses multiple research areas with impact on both computer science and a broad array of domain sciences.
Solid Phase Processing
PNNL—with a rich, successful history of materials research and development—is delving deeper into the world of materials manufacturing. Solid Phase Processing, or SPP, is an emerging approach to producing a wide range of metal and multi-material products that has the potential to decrease the energy intensity of manufacturing and deliver higher-performing components, all at a lower cost.
Energy Storage
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is speeding the development and validation of next-generation energy storage technologies to enable widespread decarbonization of the energy and transportation sectors through innovation and collaboration.
Grid Energy Storage
Redox. Vanadium. When combined with “batteries,” these highly technical words describe an equally daunting goal: development of energy storage technologies to support the nation’s power grid. Energy storage neatly balances electricity supply and demand. Renewable energy, like wind and solar, can at times exceed demand. Energy storage systems can store that excess energy until electricity production drops and the energy can be deposited back to the power grid.
Hydropower
PNNL is working to advance hydropower capabilities for the nation’s grid while supporting the environmentally sound deployment and operation of hydropower around the world.
Hydropower and the Electric Grid
PNNL provides analytical tools to manage hydropower costs effectively and efficiently in real time.