Idaho’s National Laboratory
Idaho National Laboratory’s work is changing the nation’s energy and security landscape, while shaping local issues and economies in Idaho. Here you can learn about INL’s clean energy and national security missions, and the value of our partnerships with Idaho’s state and local governments, communities, and citizens.
INL is Idaho’s national laboratory; it belongs to all Idahoans. At INL, we take seriously the importance of trust, benefit, transparency and sustainability with our state.
We invite you to read our digital magazine below to learn about our valued partnerships with Idaho’s state and local governments, communities and citizens, as well as our clean energy and national security endeavors. (Tip: Expand the magazine by hovering your mouse in the bottom right-hand corner and clicking the full-screen icon.)
What We Do
Idaho National Laboratory is part of the Department of Energy’s complex of 17 national laboratories. INL is the national laboratory for nuclear energy research, development, demonstration and deployment and we are engaged in the mission of ensuring the nation’s energy security with safe, competitive and sustainable energy systems and unique national and homeland security capabilities.
Inspiring Idaho’s Future Workforce
The mission of INL’s K-12 Education Outreach Program is to inspire Idaho’s future STEM workforce; impact students, teachers and families by integrating best practices in STEM education; and empower employees to become STEM mentors to transform K-12 STEM into a driver for innovation.
- K-12 STEM grant opportunities are open until Nov. 15. Learn more.
Investing in Idaho’s future workforce
INL, the state of Idaho, and Idaho’s higher education institutions have worked together since 2005 to elevate the state’s status as an innovator and leader in developing creative solutions to energy and security challenges. They have developed a collaborative research, education, and innovation campus that brings INL and university researchers together with world-renowned experts, cutting-edge capabilities, and state-of-the-art equipment and laboratory space necessary to solve some of the nation’s most important energy and national security challenges.
- Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES)
- Collaborative Computing Center (C3)
- Cybercore Integration Center (CIC)
INL is always seeking qualified businesses as partners in achieving our missions.
All businesses are required to be registered in the INL vendor portal. Small businesses must be registered in the System for Award Management prior to registering in the INL vendor portal.
Contributing to a Strong Idaho Economy
The INL Technology-based Economic Development program targets projects aimed at stimulating regional economic development, technology-based economic development, talent pipeline and entrepreneurship throughout Idaho.
- Technology-based Economic Development grant opportunities are now open. Learn more.
Providing Access to Experts, Innovations and Labs
In support of U.S. industrial competitiveness, INL works to deploy and transfer the discoveries and inventions created at the lab. INL has hundreds of technologies and many distinctive capabilities that can be made available to benefit our customers and the public.
If you would like to license an INL technology, share in R&D, start or expand a business with INL technologies, or if you require business support, INL has several contracting mechanisms.
Tracking and Preserving Our Environment
The INL Environmental Surveillance, Education, and Research Program (ESER) is managed by Veolia Nuclear Solutions-Federal Services.
ESER conducts the off-site environmental surveillance program for the INL Site, including sample collection and analysis of air, precipitation, soil, milk, wheat, lettuce, potatoes, and tissue samples for radionuclides.
Experimental Breeder
Reactor No. 1 (EBR-1)
In 1951, INL researchers were the first ever to generate a usable amount of electricity from atomic energy at Experimental Breeder Reactor No. 1 (EBR-I).
Advanced Test Reactor
INL’s Advanced Test Reactor can cause years or decades worth of neutron aging in just weeks or months, helping to determine the safety of materials used in nuclear power plants.
Mars Curiosity Rover
INL assembled and tested the power source for the Mars Curiosity Rover and is doing so again for NASA’s planned mission to Mars in summer of 2020.
890 square miles
The INL Site encompasses 890 square miles – an area 85% the size of the state of Rhode Island. In addition to U.S. Department of Energy research facilities, other federal contractors work to remove legacy waste and operate the Naval Reactors Facility.
Team of Archaeologists
INL has its own team of archaeologists who work on a variety of projects on-site, including uncovering the remains of a pioneer who died along the Oregon Trail and identifying and recovering the personal effects from a World War II bomber that crashed during a training run.
Glass Blower Designs
INL employs a full-time glass blower who designs and creates special glassware that researchers use in experiments.
National Environmental Research Park
Designated as a National Environmental Research Park in 1975, the INL Site maintains several regionally and nationally important and long-term ecological data sets, including one of the largest datasets on sagebrush steppe vegetation anywhere.
Cancer Treatment
INL is the only U.S. entity that produces medical-grade cobalt-60 for cancer treatment.
Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency and INL together operate a test bed designed to simulate municipal water systems, where researchers contaminated the aboveground piping with an anthrax-related microbe and then flushed the system to determine the best methods for removing the microorganism. These test results are helping other agencies understand how to prepare for any type of anthrax attack.
Electronic-waste
Electronic-waste (discarded cellphones, PCs, laptops, tablets, etc.) accounts for 2% of the trash in America’s landfills but equals 70% of the nation’s overall toxic waste. INL researchers have developed a more economical and environmentally friendly method to recover the precious metals in these devices.
