News

Houston-based partners to create new $75M Pacific Northwest National Lab Grid Storage Launchpad

Hoping to speed energy storage innovation, clean energy adoption, and a more resilient grid, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $75 million to Harvey | Harvey-Cleary and Kirksey Architecture of Houston to create the Grid Storage Launchpad for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

“The Grid Storage Launchpad will offer tremendous opportunities for collaborative research and development of next generation grid storage technologies,” Patricia Hoffman, the DOE acting assistant secretary for electricity, said. “By bringing together the best and brightest minds in a state-of-the-art facility, we will accelerate energy storage innovation, boost clean energy adaptation, and increase grid safety, reliability and resilience to support a growing fleet of electric vehicles and increasing renewable power.”

This collaborative research center will offer systematic and independent validation of new grid storage technologies from fundamentals to execution, with the ability to test them under realistic grid operating conditions. It will also serve as a link between researchers from the different national labs, universities, and industries to collaborate on grid-scale energy storage technologies.

Although the facility has yet to be designed, specs call for a minimum of 85,000 gross square feet, with room for 30 research laboratories plus testing chambers. The Houston partners will design and build the facility, as they have been tapped to do with other PNNL buildings. Construction could begin later this year, and the DOE wants to see it operational as soon as 2023. It will be staffed by approximately 100 staff at that time.

“Affordable grid-scale energy storage is a requirement for broad decarbonization of the electricity supply and a more resilient and flexible power grid,” PNNL Director Steven Ashby said. “Today, widespread deployment of energy storage for grid applications is inhibited by the need for improved performance and reduced cost, and the ability to validate the reliability and safety of new technologies. Research at the Grid Storage Launchpad will address these challenges, accelerating the development and deployment of new grid storage technologies.”

The facility will also benefit from $8.3 million of funding from the state of Washington to buy advanced research equipment and specialized instrumentation to provide greater insights into how battery materials behave during use.

Chris Galford

Recent Posts

DOE issues final rule on transmission permitting

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a final rule on transmission permitting and announced a commitment for up to…

8 hours ago

Con Edison updates clean energy progress in annual sustainability report

Con Edison released its annual sustainability report, in which it outlines its progress in developing the energy infrastructure to support…

8 hours ago

Joint NASEO, NARUC report suggests nuclear options amid coal closures

As the U.S. energy industry moves further from coal as a resource, many options have arisen as replacements, but a…

8 hours ago

Duke Energy reports carbon emissions down 48 percent since 2005

According to Duke Energy’s 2023 Impact Report, electric generation carbon emissions are down 48 percent since 2005 and the company…

8 hours ago

EPA announces clean heavy-duty vehicle transition grants

On Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it would provide nearly $1 billion in grants for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles,…

8 hours ago

EPA’s new pollution limits on coal-fired power plants will impact grid reliability, experts say

The newly finalized package of rules released today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limiting coal-fired power plant emissions…

1 day ago

This website uses cookies.