DOE offers big advantages to clean energy developers with proposed leases at Idaho site
As the United States moves toward net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the nation will need a broad mix of clean energy projects to carry the load. To build these projects, developers must overcome any number of challenges including financing, siting and environmental regulations. Now, the Department of Energy (DOE) is helping developers eliminate some of […]
U.S. researchers fabricate commercial grade uranium dioxide HALEU fuel
As the world clamors for carbon-free power, U.S. nuclear reactor developers have responded with a multitude of advanced reactor designs. These reactors would produce efficient, flexible heat and electricity. Nuclear energy from light water reactors already ranks among the safest forms of energy production, and most advanced reactors will use safety systems that rely on […]
Researchers with multiple R&D 100 Awards share their secrets
Whether it’s Edward Jenner, whose development of vaccines has likely saved billions of lives, or Marie Curie, whose theory of radioactivity helped unlock the mysteries of the atom, develop radiation therapy for cancer and create a carbon-free power source for the future, few endeavors wield as much power to change lives as that of the […]
Idaho National Laboratory to play a key role in Midwest hydrogen hub
As the United States works to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, different energy sectors will require different solutions. Renewables and nuclear energy will help decarbonize electricity production, and the light-duty transportation sector will reduce emissions primarily by switching to electric vehicles. Natural gas will continue to displace coal-fired power plants as carbon capture and […]
Pairing artificial intelligence with award-winning battery health measurement technology
Measuring battery health and safety continuously is an important challenge as more electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage devices and other clean energy technologies enter the market. Industry needs better ways to diagnose the batteries that power these devices to ensure their safety, performance and reliability from inception to recycling. For example, lithium-ion batteries, despite their […]
If you build a test facility, developers will come
In the classic baseball film “Field of Dreams,” Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) builds a baseball field in the middle of an Iowa cornfield, adhering to ghostly whispers that if he builds it “he” will come. Borrowing from the same script, the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) is now designing and constructing two fields, in the […]
Non-powered dams offer opportunity for clean energy
Ninety-seven percent of U.S. dams don’t make electricity. A new tool could help tap that resource. The era of building big dams may be over in the United States, but hydroelectricity still has a significant and untapped role to play in the nation’s energy future. Only 3% of the nation’s approximately 80,000 dams are equipped […]
Common Data Link: Engaging with military leaders around the world
Against the backdrop of a windy Australian morning, the camera of a remotely piloted aircraft system zooms in on a military scene, complete with toy soldiers, helicopters and tanks. That same vehicle spent most of the previous week flying over the Queensland countryside, collecting data to support the Common Data Link initiative. Common Data Link, […]
Celebrating 20 Years of Preparing U.S., Partners for Radiological Response
Programmatic growth can sometimes involve seeking new customers, but this has not been the case for Idaho National Laboratory’s Nuclear/Radiological Search and Response Training (N/RSRT) program, which turns 20 this year. Starting with a few training events in March 2003, the program has grown organically to the point where it now conducts year-round training for […]
Novel framework improves resilience to extreme weather
America’s infrastructure is getting older and more complex. Electricity production and distribution in the U.S. currently depends on more than 10,000 power plants, 642,000 miles of high voltage lines, 56,000 substations and 6.3 million miles of local distribution lines. Much of that infrastructure is over 30 years old. Meanwhile, extreme weather events such as hurricanes, […]
