Research Areas
Although research areas often tend to align with a particular technical group, the capabilities of many staff across the Energy & Efficiency Division are supporting three of the contribution areas stewarded by the Energy and Environment Directorate:
Clean Fossil Energy [+ expand/ - collapse]
E&ED delivers
- novel production technologies for unconventional hydrocarbons
- innovative processes for near-zero emission hydrocarbon processing and power generation
- carbon capture and sequestration solutions
to the U.S. Department of Energy, the hydrocarbon and power industry, and other major CO2 emitters; thereby enabling a new near-zero emission hydrocarbon industry by 2015.
Electricity Infrastructure [+ expand/ - collapse]
E&ED delivers to industry and government clients advanced research concepts and innovations that dramatically improve the performance of the nation's power systems, enhance its security, and position the grid as a central asset for national strategic imperatives such as increased domestic energy content and management of carbon emission. Central themes of this include
- moving grid monitoring and control from minutes to seconds
- enabling demand as a full tool in managing the grid
- improving monitoring and control so large fractions of power generation can be renewable sources such as wind and solar
- transforming reliability management services based upon advances in information, networking and cyber security management
- establishing the Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center as a nationwide research and development test bed to deliver vital national outcomes.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [+ expand/ - collapse]
E&ED delivers energy management solutions for a carbon-constrained world by
- advancing vehicle and energy storage technology with signature capabilities in materials, catalysis, electrochemistry and grid management and visualization tools
- improving buildings energy efficiency through innovative building design, simulation and engineering, supported by cost and market analysis; design and implementation of deployment programs for energy-efficient technology; and development of advanced buildings technology using materials sciences, diagnostics and controls capabilities
- enabling infrastructure-compatible bio-based fuels and chemicals, building on established strengths in chemistry, catalysis, biotechnology and process engineering
- supporting development and commercialization of renewable sources of electricity—from water, wind, geothermal and solar—using unique capabilities and facilities in marine, atmospheric and sub-surface and materials sciences.
View the complete list of research areas, sorted by technical group.
