Grid, Storage, and Data Centers Domain

About Grid, Storage, and Data Centers

This domain maps the technology white spaces in the energy and grid infrastructure. It spans modernizing electrical grids through advanced sensors, cybersecurity, and power electronics; scaling energy storage via next-generation battery chemistries, gravitational, and thermal systems; deploying AI-driven software for grid management, demand forecasting, and load balancing; and optimizing data centers through efficient cooling, waste heat recovery, on-site generation, and digital twins. Underpinning all of this is the challenge of integrating intermittent sources with firm, dispatchable power to ensure grid resilience. The domain sits at the intersection of hardware innovation, software intelligence, and energy systems engineering.

Emerging Technologies

Examples of key technology focus areas in Grid, Storage, and Data Centers include:

Grid

Advanced Sensor Technologies: Grid monitoring, sensing, and predictive fault-detection systems (real-time situational awareness)
Power electronics controls particularly for grid-forming inverters
AI software solutions to automate and accelerate interconnection studies
Cybersecurity technologies: for bulk power systems and critical energy infrastructure
Dispatchable backup generation: natural gas peakers, hydroelectric optimization, pumped storage (grid resilience)
Transmission hardware upgrades: high-voltage direct current (HVDC), advanced conductors, grid-enhancing technologies such as dynamic line rating, advanced power flow control, topology optimization
Power Electronics: Smart Solid-State Transformers and Power Flow Controllers
Intelligent Appliances and Smart Distribution
V-2-G systems: Vehicle-Grid Integration and Vehicle-to-Grid Technology
Hardware and software that enable flexible and interactive large loads, particularly data centers.

Grid Scale Energy Storage

(Two key categories for electrochemical batteries: Flow and Non-Flow)
Grid-scale batteries: long-duration storage to firm intermittent sources and manage peak demand - sodium-ion, Zinc, Pb, flow (Redox, Vd, Fe) batteries, iron electrolytes,
Li solid state
Second life batteries
Gravitational storage
Thermal storage

Pure Software

Advanced Data Analytics and Modeling
AI-driven grid management software for demand forecasting and load balancing and load flexibility, demand response
Intelligent Communications and Control Systems

Data Centers

Decentralized (edge) data centers
Integrated power delivery architectures that pair firm generation directly with hyperscale compute loads | Potential onsite energy generation
Siting and environmental impact assessment, particularly water
New sources for cooling and peak shifting (incl geothermal, TES)
Advanced cooling technologies (liquid, 2-phase and immersion cooling), recycled water use for cooling systems, evap cooling to air cooled dcs
Heat management and waste heat recovery
Datacenter energy efficiency and controls
Digital twins for design, operation and maintenance: Platform-Based Design for sequential decision-making under uncertainty to design and reconfigure data centers as compute/cooling infrastructure, energy technologies and markets/policies evolve | capacity market value
Grid-integrated modeling with scenarios to understand the value of certain technologies (GenX Princeton)
Hardware and software that enable flexible and interactive large loads, particularly data centers.
Robotics to assist in construction, and real-time O&M for efficiency and reliability
Noise controls

Intellectual Property

26

IP available for licensing

Grid, Storage, and Data Centers Test Bed Facilities

Smart Energy Plaza

Location: Argonne National Lab

Home to the laboratory’s Interoperability Center, a fully renovated and repurposed gas station designed to conduct research on the integration and management of EV charging, building systems, and energy storage.

Electrical Distribution Lab

Location: Argonne National Lab

A real-time simulation lab to transition from software-based modeling and simulation towards real-time Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) and field prototype-based capabilities.

Cell Analysis, Modeling, and Prototyping (CAMP) Facility

Location: Argonne National Lab

Enables the design, fabrication, and characterization of high-quality prototype electrodes and cells based on the latest discoveries in battery materials.

Electrochemical Analysis and Diagnostics Laboratory Facility

Location: Argonne National Lab

Provides reliable, independent, and unbiased evaluations of battery performance and life, which serve as progress measures for DOE and U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium projects

Post-Test Facility

Location: Argonne National Lab

Enables the identification of physical and chemical changes in aged batteries that reduce performance

Battery Research and Testing Facility

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

A complete set of capabilities for the fabrication of cathodes and anodes and for producing hermetically sealed coin cells and pouch cells under inert atmospheric conditions.

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.

Molecular Foundry

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

A National User Facility supported by the Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences through their Nanoscale Science Research Center program. Foundational in helping small businesses and early stage companies develop materials and devices for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) advancement.

Demand to Grid Lab

Location: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab

The Demand to Grid lab tests demand response (DR) signaling to devices. We have a simulated OpenADR2.0a/b server and client (VTN and VEN) and equipment like Communicating Thermostat for benchtop or FLEXLAB testing, OpenADR embedded devices and DR Suitcase.

MIT Department of Chemistry Instrumentation Facility (DCIF)

Location: Massachusetts Institue of Technology

Facilities for Mass Spectroscopy, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, and Other Spectroscopy Instrumentation

Northeastern University Kostas Center

Location: Northeastern University

Facilities for Micro/Nanofabrication, Nanoelectronics, Nanodevices, Sensors, Energy Storage, and NEM

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 Grid, Storage, and Data Centers Innovation

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) is the domain chair for Grid, Storage, and Data Centers in the Cradle to Commerce program.

LBNL is a multi-program lab where research in advanced materials, life sciences, energy efficiency, and accelerators serves the United States’ needs in technology and the environment. Berkeley Lab’s six research areas contribute unique expertise that supports the DOE’s mission, advances scientific understanding, and addresses the most urgent challenges of our time: through R&D on biosciences, computing sciences, earth and environmental sciences, energy sciences, energy technology, and physical sciences.