Forging Our Nation's Clean Energy Future
Americans consume more energy per person than any other country in the world. At PNNL, we believe there can be no energy solutions without associated environmental solutions. From grid modernization and building controls to providing scientifically-defensible solutions for legacy nuclear waste, our researchers are helping deliver our nation's clean energy future.
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Workshop Pursues Framework for Building Better Grid Tools
A recent gathering of industry and research experts at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory took important steps toward creating advanced computational tools to analyze and support power grid operation and planning, which ultimately will help ensure the grid’s reliability and efficiency.
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Controls Engineer Named Fellow of Renowned Engineering Institute
Researcher Zhenyu Huang was elevated to the grade of Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for his work in dynamic analysis and high performance computing.
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How the Wind Blows
Scientists at PNNL worked with partners to study the effect of different variables in forecasting wind speed and power at turbine hub heights. Using a range of values as opposed to values that were previously viewed as constants, the team found depending on the variables chosen, wind power could range from 20 to 100 percent of the rated power during select time periods.
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Sturgeon, Lamprey, and Eel: Special Tags for Special Fish
Small, long-lasting new fish tags developed by PNNL allows researchers to better study the lives of adult eels, lamprey, and sturgeon. By studying migration patterns of these species around hydropower dams, scientists can increase safe fish passage rates around waterway structures.
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Trucks, Trains, Ships, and Cranes: Tracking Transportation Stress and Vibration
PNNL is part of an international team studying the stresses that spent fuel rods may experience during transport by truck, rail, barge, and ocean-going vessel, as well as transfer between these modes. A rail transport cask containing simulated spent nuclear rods and assemblies will be fitted with instruments to measure mechanical stresses as it travels in 2017 between Europe and the United States.
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Energy Storage Expert Among Most Influential Scientists
Jun Liu is ranked among the most highly cited scientists in the world in the areas of chemistry and materials science.
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No Coking Zone
A PNNL team evaluated different microscopy and spectroscopy methods to gain a clearer understanding of coking in catalysts. The team used X-ray absorption spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and atom probe tomography to map out the catalyst and identify the location and chemical nature of the coke during conversion of ethanol to high value fuel.
Core Research Areas
We are organized into core research areas that align with customers' mission needs.
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Clean Fossil Energy
Enabling safe and sustainable fossil fuel exploration, production, transportation, conversion, and end use.
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Electricity Infrastructure
Transforming the U.S. power grid to meet consumer, economic, environmental, and security priorities for the 21st century.
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Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Delivering distinctive science and technology solutions for efficient and sustainable energy.
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Environmental Health and Remediation
Reducing the cost and risk to resolve the most challenging legacy waste issues.
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Nuclear
Mobilizing interdisciplinary teams to advance safe and reliable nuclear power.
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