Sandia’s Energy & Climate PMU to Participate in July 8th National Lab Day on Capitol Hill

The 17 US Department of Energy national laboratories are a cornerstone of the US innovation ecosystem, performing leading-edge research in the public interest. The DOE’s national laboratories solve important problems in fundamental science, energy, and national security, in collaboration with academia and industry, to develop and deploy scientific and technological solutions in support of national needs.

For the past two years, the Energy Secretary has sponsored this event to attract, educate, and engage the broadest range of US Senate and House of Representatives members on DOE discovery science, energy security and independence, national security, and economic prosperity and global competitiveness research initiatives and activities. With roots going back to the 1930s, the National Laboratory System has:

• increased the efficiency of wind-turbines, helping to reduce the cost of wind power by more than 80% over the past 30 years;
• developed optical digital recording, the basic technology behind CDs and DVDs;
• created the toughest and lightest ceramics and the smallest synthetic robots in the world;
• explained the biological process of photosynthesis, laying the groundwork for new bio-based technologies;
• confirmed the Big Bang and discovered dark energy in collaboration with NASA;
• applied nuclear capabilities to the understanding and production of isotopes for medicine and industry;
• revolutionized materials with widespread applications in medicine, manufacturing, and transportation;
• greatly improved our ability to detect explosives and weapons, including nuclear and biological agents and plastic devices; and
• assured the safety, security, and reliability of the nation’s nuclear stockpile, without testing.

Through these and countless other achievements, the national laboratories have saved lives, generated new products, spawned new industries, uncovered secrets of the universe, and helped establish and sustain US global preeminence in science and technology.

This “by invitation only” event will be attended by Sandia’s senior leadership team including Paul Hommert, Jill Hruby, Kim Sawyer, Marianne Walck, and a few other senior staff. At the July 8th, 2015, event, the researchers from the Energy & Climate PMU will present information on

• enabling hydrogen and fuel-cell vehicles through advances in hydrogen production, delivery, storage, and safety infrastructure;
• modernizing the nation’s electric grid;
• the energy-water nexus (hybrid energy system table-top design concept); and
• subsurface science.