PNNL Playing Key Role in Modernizing the Electric Grid

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PNNL is partnering with the State of Washington's Clean Energy Fund, the University of Washington and Washington State University to create a testbed for campus buildings and devices to serve as flexible assets for integrating renewable power and reducing energy consumption.

PNNL is also teaming on four other projects in Idaho, New York, Alaska, and the Midwest, including one with Idaho National Laboratory to improve the ability of Idaho Falls' distribution grid to automatically and quickly reconfigure in the event of an outage.

"The global smart grid market is expected to surpass $400 billion worldwide within the next 5 years; there are huge economic opportunities for this U.S. technology," said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-WA and ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "This award of up to $220 million to the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium, co-led by PNNL, is essential in re-engineering the electric grid to meet new challenges and opportunities we couldn't have envisioned in the 20^th Century."

"Investing in our power grid will help us meet the demands of the 21^st century economy, lower power prices, and bring renewable energy to more homes and businesses," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA. "PNNL has been on the cutting edge of grid science and research while tackling our nation's most complex and urgent challenges, so I look forward to seeing how the grid modernization funding announced today will help transform technologies, approaches, and collaboration both in our region and across the country."

PNNL recently completed the nation's largest smart grid demonstration that included 11 utilities in five Northwest states. PNNL's expected grid modernization awards of approximately $38 million over three years will enable researchers to build on that effort.

"These energy research and development awards are a great opportunity for PNNL to extend its legacy of demonstrating the important role of science in grid solutions and modernization, said Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-WA. "I look forward to seeing how the new Systems Engineering Building at PNNL supports the development of a smarter electric grid and more resilient energy systems to benefit Central Washington and the country as a whole."

Funding for these projects comes from DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability and the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.

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