Energy Generation and Fuels Domain

About Energy Generation and Fuels

Alternative fuels and chemicals derived from abundant domestic feedstocks as a key component of a more diverse, resilient, and secure U.S. energy system. Converting biomass, agricultural residues, municipal wastes, and other domestic resources into strategic fuels and value-added chemicals supports DOE priorities of expanding American energy production, strengthening domestic supply chains, lowering energy costs, and advancing U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. Accelerated development and commercialization of these technologies can reduce reliance on energy and chemical imports, create new markets for agricultural and industrial sectors, and enhance national energy security through cost-effective production pathways for fuels, chemicals, and other essential products.

Emerging Technologies

Emerging energy technologies are being made possible by two-way communications technologies, control systems, and computer processing. Advanced emerging energy technology categories include

Alternative Fuels and Intermediates

Processes that convert varied feedstocks into cleaner fuel options and chemical intermediates through thermochemical, biological, and/or catalytic pathways.
Catalytic technologies that handle diverse and mixed feedstocks and improve the quality and consistency of output streams.
Analytical frameworks and processing tools that combine system evaluation and sustainability assessments for cost‑effective fuel solutions.

Geothermal

Systems that improve subsurface heat and fluid flow evaluation for more predictable geothermal resource performance.
Tools that strengthen underground resource assessment, support well integrity, and inform technical and economic decision processes.
Software platforms that provide advanced modeling and simulation capabilities for geothermal planning and optimization.

Water Power and Hydropower

Operational tools that assist hydropower operators in evaluating flexibility, securing against threats, and expanding reliable water‑based energy production.
Turbine and environmental compatibility devices, including testing and monitoring systems that assess water‑energy interactions.
Systems, materials, and frameworks that support maintenance and growth of hydropower and water-power assets

Intellectual Property

27

IP available for licensing

Energy Generation and Fuels Test Bed Facilities

Advanced Light Source (ALS)

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Specialized particle accelerator that generates bright beams of x-ray light. Used by researchers in materials science, biology, chemistry, physics, and the environmental sciences.

Molecular Foundry

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

Equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, laboratories, and computational resources for nanomaterial synthesis, characterization, fabrication, and theory

FLEXLAB® for Buildings, Energy Generation and Grid Microreactor

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

One-of-a-kind testing facility for energy-efficient building technologies, grid technologies, and distributed energy resources testing individually or as an integrated system, under real-world conditions that is helping to develop the next generation of innovative, energy-saving systems.

Microgrid Testbed

Location: Idaho National Lab

The microgrid test bed at INL includes solar panels, energy storage devices, load banks, smart inverters, a power distribution system and multiple switchgear sets. The system’s load control capabilities and grid interaction algorithms allow researchers to study demand response, peak shaving and ancillary services, and to test component interactions, performance, controls and integration challenges.

Center for Nanoscale Materials

Location: Argonne National Lab

Provides researchers from across the globe with world-class expertise and instrumentation for multidisciplinary nanoscience and nanotechnology research.

Materials Engineering Research Facility

Location: Argonne National Lab

Staff at MERF apply advanced synthesis and processing protocols, advanced in situ/operando characterization and modeling/simulation for the science-based scale-up of newly invented experimental materials and chemicals. The facility produces kilogram quantities of materials and makes samples available for industrial evaluation, prototyping, and to support further research. The MERF develops economically viable processes for materials manufacturing at scale and produces detailed process descriptions for accurate techno-economic modeling.

Fuel Cell Electrolyser Research and Test Facility

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

The Berkeley Lab fuel cell and electrolyzer research and test facility (Energy Conversion Group) has a complete set of capabilities for the fabrication and testing of membrane electrode assemblies and solid oxide cells for low and high temperature fuel cells and electrolyzers.

Harvard Center for Nanoscale Systems

Location: Harvard University

Facilities for Nanofabrication, Nanoscale Analysis, and Electron Microscopy

MIT Materials Research and Science Engineering Center (MRSEC) Center for Nanoscale Systems

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Facilities for Materials Analysis (Surface, Thermal, and Optical), Electron Microscopy, and X-Ray Diffraction

MIT.nano

Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Facilities for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Materials Engineering Research Facility (MERF)

Location: Argonne National Lab

Facilities for:
- Combining in situ measurements, real-time analysis, AI, and modeling to accelerate innovation and scale-up for complex materials.
- Generating insights into materials synthesis through feedback to discovery science.
- Enhancing the scientific basis for the next generation of American manufacturing technologies.

Leading Energy Generation Innovation

Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) is the domain chair for Energy Generation and Fuels in the Cradle to Commerce program.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a leading research center where scientific discovery meets practical innovation in national security, energy resiliency, and environmental sustainability to serve the United States' strategic needs. PNNL's specialized research directorates contribute advanced capabilities that support the Department of Energy's mission, protect critical infrastructure, and solve pressing scientific challenges: through R&D on earth and biological sciences, energy and environment, national security, and physical and computational sciences.