Pacific Northwest Site Office: Federal projects set to expand PNNL capabilities
The Richland campus of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is getting set for several significant facility additions and actions, including an estimated $90-million-dollar facility currently referred to as the Energy Sciences Capability (ESC).
Sited on the northwest corner of the campus, with construction already underway, this facility is anticipated to begin operating in the summer of 2021. ESC will be the latest facility to join the suite of scientific capabilities at PNNL — capabilities that are often beyond the scope of academic and industrial institutions and in place to benefit national strategic priorities.
The facility is expected to bring in over 250 construction jobs during the project and, when finished, house over 50 labs, 200 work stations, and space for more than 50 visiting researchers. The ESC will consolidate many of PNNL’s chemistry, material sciences and computational capabilities, allowing researchers to communicate and collaborate more efficiently. Additionally, the space is designed to facilitate collaborations with academic partners and joint institute collaborators such as the University of Washington and Washington State University as well as other regional partners.
Following shortly behind the ESC project will be the Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL). The Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity is sponsoring the project to support accelerated development of grid energy storage technology, modernizing the grid and unlocking its economic and societal potential. GSL will likely begin its construction phase in 2021. The GSL is another multi-year project, estimated at $75 million dollars, that will be sited at the north end of the Richland campus.
GSL is designed to facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration between researchers and industry as well as validate testing of next generation grid storage materials and technology. The facility will serve to accelerate these new technologies, from bench-top sized to full-scale systems, helping mitigate potential risks and speed up development and deployment. From basic materials to advanced prototyping and operational validation, the GSL is set to guide grid and energy technology from cradle to grave.
Due to the unique origins of PNNL, with its roots in the Manhattan Project and Atomic Energy Commission, much of the campus has historically been a complex mix of contractor-owned, third party- owned and federally owned land and facilities. To preserve the Lab as a national asset, the Department of Energy’s Office of Science has moved forward with strategic acquisitions and has already acquired several facilities as well as adjoining parcels of land.
These actions are reducing the complexity and risks associated with disparate ownership, while also allowing for cohesive and integrated systems, and supporting the continued growth outlined in PNNL’s Campus Master Plan. By thoughtfully federalizing the ownership of the PNNL campuses and continuing to build world-class research facilities, we are ensuring this national asset will be around and thriving for years to come.
This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Pacific Northwest Site Office: Federal projects set to expand PNNL capabilities."