A FORCE to be reckoned with: Computer modeling for optimal energy partnerships
Imagine modern computing as the conductor of an orchestra. Just as a conductor brings harmony to a complex musical arrangement, modern computing is crucial to harmonizing the intricate mix of energy producers and users, optimizing the use of precious resources for the greater good. One strategy for establishing that harmony would pair the nuclear energy […]
Watching trends: How INL helps the NRC model risk and reliability
Since the 1990s, Idaho National Laboratory has helped the Nuclear Regulatory Commission understand the safety and reliability of all U.S. nuclear power plants. Supporters of nuclear energy tout the safety and reliability of nuclear power, and data supports their claims. According to detailed studies, nuclear power accounts for 0.03 deaths per terawatt-hour of electricity generated, […]
Hold on! Did you know that microreactors were field deployed over 60 years ago?
Microreactors hold promise for the future of nuclear power, but they are also part of our past. There is a growing interest in alternatives to carbon-based power sources, particularly in remote locations where fuel is expensive, and supplies are difficult to secure throughout the year. An Idaho National Laboratory U.S. Department of Energy Microreactor Program […]
Mobile supercomputer of the future: INL researchers explore connecting data centers to microgrids, microreactors
Roughly 30,000 data centers dot the landscape in the United States and Europe. These computer facilities serve functions as varied as modeling and simulation, cloud-based applications, artificial intelligence and weather forecasting. They are the brains of search engines and social media platforms, and they help engineers design the automobiles and airplanes of the future. In […]
New tech brings resilience to small-town hydropower
FELT, Idaho — Idaho National Laboratory (INL) celebrated the ribbon–cutting of its new Microgrid in a Box, which was deployed in partnership with the Fall River Electric Cooperative at its hydropower plant in rural Idaho. Using newly developed technologies, INL researchers demonstrated how hydropower with advanced controls and use of a mobile microgrid, can enable […]
Intern develops technology to find EV charging vulnerabilities
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – Idaho National Laboratory intern Jake Guidry has developed a cybersecurity research tool that could improve the security of electric vehicle charging. INL experts demonstrated the tool to colleagues from Sandia and Pacific Northwest national laboratories on June 7. The AcCCS tool provides access capabilities through CCS (combined charging system) communications protocol. AcCCS (pronounced access) […]
Global learning collaboration: International researchers, visitors connect at INL
Idaho National Laboratory’s International Researcher and Visitor Program drives cross-cultural exchange and promotes collaboration with worldwide scientists and academia inspiring creativity within INL’s scientific community. This program has enabled INL to bring several distinguished researchers and scientists to the lab to participate in vital programs and projects. For several years, Idaho National Laboratory has partnered […]
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Idaho National Laboratory begin irrigation modernization case study
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is partnering with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to modernize the Fort Hall, Idaho-based irrigation system. INL, along with partners at Pacific National Northwest Laboratory, will support this effort, funded by the Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office. To forge the partnership, INL staff members held a series of meetings with the […]
The tool to build a better battery
Batteries play a pivotal role in the world’s mission to reach net-zero carbon emissions, from electric vehicles to grid-scale electricity storage to home use. This includes helping nuclear power work with renewables to develop sustainable, carbon-free energy systems. But current batteries are too expensive and inefficient because of material procurement, battery life, power limitations and […]
How molten salt could be the lifeblood of tomorrow’s nuclear energy
Salt isn’t just for popcorn anymore. In fact, molten salt has caught the eye of the nuclear industry as an ideal working fluid for reactor cooling, energy transfer, fueling and fission product absorption. Many of the salts being considered are inexpensive, nontoxic, and easily transportable. In fact, table salt is one of the constituents many […]
Finally, an industrial-scale facility for testing new, clean hydrogen technologies
Hydrogen, the simplest and most abundant element in the universe, is vital for any number of industries, from fertilizer production to metal manufacturing and from petroleum refining to chemical synthesis. Hydrogen is also an excellent way to store energy for electricity generation or to power vehicles. But the most common way to produce hydrogen — […]
It’s your nickel: Small changes in materials could lead to big improvements in fast charging
The key to developing an electric vehicle battery that can charge as quickly as it takes to fill a car with gasoline lies within its materials. High-nickel, layered-oxide cathode materials have potential to make EV batteries charge faster, go farther and last longer. Now a team of researchers led by Idaho National Laboratory has learned […]
National lab helps Wyoming explore nuclear energy frontier
An agreement between Idaho National Laboratory and Wyoming positions the state to continue as a leader in energy production and innovation. The collaboration comes after TerraPower announced plans in 2021 to build its Natrium Power Plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming. Wyoming’s elected officials, educators and business leaders have since reached out to experts at INL for […]
Students worldwide learn to deploy a microreactor at US nuclear energy lab
Students around the world will present their plans on deploying a nuclear microreactor today, the last day of a weeklong internationally organized program held at Idaho National Laboratory May 22-26.
Secretary Granholm heralds upgraded Biomass Feedstock National User Facility
IDAHO FALLS — U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm heralded upgrades to the world’s most complete biomass preprocessing research and development facility during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Idaho National Laboratory today.
Using excess energy to split water could help make hydrogen a key player in the clean energy future
For decades, some energy experts have dreamed of a carbon-free landscape where clean hydrogen is the dominant transportation fuel, energy storage medium and chemical building block. Indeed, hydrogen already plays a big role in the manufacturing processes of many common goods, from metal to fertilizer to food products. Likewise, several recent technologies allow hydrogen to […]
New study examines US markets for microreactors
Developers seeking to deploy advanced nuclear reactors can find high market potential in states with energy-intensive industries, nuclear-friendly laws, and widespread social acceptance – factors outlined in a new report by researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The report, “Microreactor Applications in U.S. Markets,” evaluated state-level legal, regulatory, economic and technology implications for microreactor applications […]
National laboratories team with Idaho Power to evaluate hydrogen generation integrated with hydropower
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Idaho National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have partnered with Idaho Power to evaluate the feasibility and advantages of making hydrogen at existing hydropower plants.
Idaho researchers develop tool to help restore electricity after natural disasters
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast with wind speeds reaching 140 mph, eventually causing more than 1,800 deaths and $1.8 billion in damage. The hurricane also left roughly 3 million people in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia without electricity for up to three weeks. In February 2021, ice […]
First-of-a-kind technology: INL demonstrates mobile hot cell for radioactive source recovery
A crowd gathers around a black wooden box that resembles a short refrigerator, waiting for the motion of a pair of robotic arms sitting just outside the box. When the arms move, a wave of excited energy in the room at Idaho National Laboratory conveys how this simple action may alter the future of international […]