Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Energy and Engineering Division

Energy & Engineering Division

Advancing efficiency and energy systems

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's Energy & Engineering Division (E&ED), is developing strategies and technologies that meet growing energy demands while minimizing the release of greenhouse gases and reducing our dependence on imported oil.

We're working to bring the energy system into the information age through a "grid of the future" concept built around an integrated network of distributed resources. This transformed energy system would use real-time information to better manage the energy system and stimulate markets, dramatically reducing the need for expensive, conventional infrastructure while improving reliability and security of the system.

PNNL researchers are collaborating with industry to explore technologies for carbon capture and sequestration in support of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) FutureGen Initiative — a $1 billion initiative to construct the world's first near-zero emission fossil energy plant. And our state-of-the-art simulation and modeling techniques are valuable tools in addressing industrial challenges related to lightweight vehicles and structures, emission controls, fuel cells and fuel storage.

For decades, E&ED's capabilities have supported DOE in its efforts to reduce the energy intensity of the nation's buildings through expertise in automated building diagnostics and controls and energy codes and standards development and deployment. PNNL is building upon this and its materials science expertise to further research in solid-state lighting, which could revolutionize the way we light our homes and offices in the next decade. E&ED researchers also are working to bridge the gap to a hydrogen economy, addressing challenges associated with hydrogen generation, storage, safety and distribution.

Finally, we apply our engineering and robotics expertise to support environmental and national security missions that could benefit from the use of robots, such as hazardous or radioactive materials clean up or planning for potential terrorist attacks.

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