Secretary Wright Celebrates Scientific Innovation at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 

The Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright paid his first visit to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) late last year. Wright met with leading innovators in chemistry, biology, and computing to learn more about PNNL’s steadfast commitment to delivering breakthroughs in fundamental science, energy reliability, and national security.  

Secretary Wright began his visit at PNNL’s Energy Sciences Center, where researchers bridge fundamental and applied science to accelerate chemistry and materials sciences in areas like critical mineral separations, in situ mining, and autonomous scientific discovery.  

At the X-RAY scattering laboratory, researchers briefed Secretary Wright on their progress in harvesting critical minerals from feedstocks long thought to be inaccessible. By revising modern mining methods and targeting rock formations common in the United States, PNNL researchers suggest their approach could dial down reliance on non-domestic supply chains for materials needed to build AI data centers, energy storage batteries, and advanced robotics. 

“We mine today not wildly different from how we mined a few hundred years ago,” Wright later said of the work, adding that “there’s a team here looking at how to do it smarter. That’s not only going to increase access to materials in the U.S., but it’s going to allow us to reduce some dependencies.”

At the Electrolyte Development Laboratory, where scientists create and test specially designed battery electrolytes, Secretary Wright met with staff to discuss rapid battery materials innovation made possible through collaboration with industry partners.

Last year, Microsoft and PNNL partnered to significantly accelerate the screening process for potential battery electrolytes, going from 32 million candidates down to 18 in days—a feat that typically takes years of high-performance computing. PNNL supported this work by evaluating the materials, as well as synthesizing and testing the strongest of the predicted candidates. Secretary Wright was joined by Microsoft Executive Vice President Jason Zander during the tour. 

The visit also included a stop at the Grid Storage Launchpad: a 93,000-square-foot facility dedicated to advancing next-generation grid energy storage technologies that help to make the U.S. electric grid more reliable. There, Secretary Wright initiated the testing and validation of GSL’s first utility-grade battery, provided by Invinity Energy Systems. 

The test marks a major milestone for DOE’s investment in advanced energy storage. At GSL, researchers can test batteries up to 100 kilowatts, providing an opportunity for industry partners to prepare their technologies for real-world applications and, ultimately, to bring about a more robust electric grid. 

Secretary Wright also learned about Batt500, a team of battery experts led by PNNL who are working to develop more dependable, less expensive high-capacity batteries. GSL brings all phases of the battery and energy storage technology development cycle under one roof to make the nation's energy system more affordable and secure. 

While at GSL, Secretary Wright also learned about PNNL’s Electricity Infrastructure Operations Center (EIOC). The EIOC serves as an innovation hub for advancing grid reliability. A realistic control room environment, utility data, and advanced testbeds enable researchers to design and validate technologies for real-time grid monitoring and control. Tools like DCAT (Dynamic Contingency Analysis Tool) and EGRASS (Electrical Grid Resilience and Assessment System), for example, help utilities assess risks from natural disasters, simulate cascading failures, and optimize recovery strategies to strengthen grid resilience. 

Secretary Wright later highlighted his priorities for the Department of Energy with PNNL staff through a fireside chat alongside Laboratory Director Deb Gracio. Wright shared his excitement for the rapid scientific progress made possible through artificial intelligence, and his surprise at just how quickly labs like PNNL are bringing impactful discoveries to fruition.   

“The national labs are innovative, risk-taking, and dynamic. They take chances of all kinds,” said Wright, noting his eagerness to speed up the progress of technological innovation even further, as well as his gratitude for the work carried out by PNNL researchers. “What you all do every day will change our country for the better. Thank you.”  

Wright also met with national security researchers to learn about PNNL’s focus in harnessing AI to address national security challenges. For over a decade, PNNL has leveraged robust expertise in deep learning and AI assurance to help make operational AI systems more reliable and secure. 

Secretary Wright also learned about efforts at the Center for AI @PNNL to attract mission-capable AI talent, coordinate partnerships, and expand AI infrastructure access and governance.  

At the Applied Engineering Laboratory, PNNL researchers apply their expertise in Smart Advanced Manufacturing to speed up materials production and strengthen U.S. supply chains. Staff members demonstrated their unique approaches to realizing higher-performance, affordable new materials by highlighting one fruitful technology: PNNL’s Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) machine. ShAPE produces metal alloys and composites for a wide mix of sectors including transportation, power transmission, and national security.  

Researchers have shown that ShAPE can slash energy costs, producing an aluminum alloy often used in vehicle manufacturing for roughly half the energy required by conventional methods. ShAPE can also extrude aerospace aluminum 10 times faster than standard approaches, yielding components that can stretch 50 percent further before breaking.   

Later in the day, Secretary Wright next spent time with a multidisciplinary group of researchers at the Radiochemical Processing Laboratory (RPL), one of the nation’s most advanced nuclear science research facilities. A wide breadth of work is carried out at RPL, from helping advanced fuel manufacturers get more out of their fuel (and consequently more energy onto the U.S. electric grid) to boosting efforts in U.S. space exploration. 

RPL is also one of only three facilities in the DOE complex that can receive and analyze spent nuclear fuel rods. Studying such rods could bring about more energy for the grid by making nuclear fuel more efficient—drawing more energy from existing materials is akin to adding generating capacity without building new infrastructure. 

At the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a DOE Office of Science Biological and Environmental Research program user facility, Secretary Wright commissioned the new Anaerobic Microbial Phenotyping Platform, known as AMP2, marking a major step in redefining how biological research is conducted in the United States.  

Scientists will use AMP2 to explore questions about bacteria and fungi that play important roles in industrial processes to make chemicals, energy, fuels, and biomaterials. The capability gives scientists a new window to explore the world of microbes—an invisible yet powerful workforce poised to boost biotech manufacturing as well as provide insights into basic science questions.  

DOE recently launched the Genesis Mission, which calls upon DOE to utilize artificial intelligence in transforming American leadership in science and innovation. PNNL stands to play a significant role for its creation of AI solutions that aid autonomous scientific discovery. AMP2 is among the first examples of those solutions realized within the Genesis Mission.  

“The range of innovation at PNNL is absolutely breathtaking,” said Wright shortly after commissioning the new platform, standing alongside the CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks Jason Kelly and U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse. “I’ll tell you, the 17 national labs in this country are absolute gems for our scientific discovery, our national security, and our economy. PNNL is absolutely world-class—big, broad, and collaborative with lots of smiling faces. People love what they do here. I’m thrilled to spend the day with them here, and I’m thrilled to see the future of this lab thrive.” 

In a press release published later that evening, Senator Maria Cantwell noted the promise of AMP2 in delivering wide-ranging benefits.  

“Washington’s life sciences sector already supports more than 100,000 jobs, shaping the next generation of science and technology. Now PNNL will be leading the nation in developing an AI biotech platform that will accelerate breakthroughs,” said Sen. Cantwell. 

Reflecting upon the Secretary’s visit, Laboratory Director Deb Gracio expressed her appreciation for Wright’s support and excitement for PNNL’s future.  

“It was an honor to host Secretary Wright during his time in Washington State,” said Gracio. “Providing Secretary Wright with the opportunity to see firsthand the scientific research that PNNL performs, and the impact it has on energy resiliency and national security was a highlight of this visit. I’m so proud of the work carried out by our amazing staff. PNNL delivers results every day that benefit the nation, and I can’t wait to see what the next discovery will bring.”