Secretary of Energy visits PNNL for dedication of energy storage facility
TRI-CITIES, Wash. — The Secretary of Energy visited Southeastern Washington to sign a memorandum and learn about a new power storage facility.
The purpose of the visit is the dedication of the Grid Storage Launchpad. According to experts at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), this building is essentially modernizing the way people across the country get power.
Leaders at PNNL say this Grid Storage Launchpad will ensure the U.S. is a leader in energy storage.
Energy storage is important because it keeps prices reasonable for the consumer.
"Our administration is determined to lead the world in development, utilization and exportation of energy storage technologies,” said Secretary Dan Brouillette. “We're going to do it through efforts such as this Grid Storage Launchpad facility which will enable us at DOE to begin to scale energy storage technologies from the lab to the marketplace to increase domestic manufacturing ultimately in America."
The Grid Storage Launchpad will also connect researchers from national laboratories and universities to find and explore innovations in energy storage.
Secretary Brouillette, Representative Dan Newhouse and Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers spoke about the importance of the Grid Storage Launchpad to our area.
The Grid Storage Launchpad will require $75 million of federal funding plus $35 million from PNNL, Battelle and the state.
The Washington State Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding stating the parties will continue to collaborate in finding energy storage solutions and innovations.
