Grid Research Innovation and Development Center
The Grid Research Innovation and Development Center (GRID-C) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is transforming the future of grid research with a spectrum of facilities, expertise and resources, enabling breakthroughs to support affordable and abundant energy and a reliable and secure grid.
GRID-C serves as a platform for pioneering research in grid systems integration, modeling, energy storage, analytics, and security. Researchers develop and build hardware and software, ranging in scope from the smallest power module switch to architectures for the distribution grid.
Industry, academic, and government partners can utilize GRID-C’s unique research environment and staff experts to develop and test innovative solutions for tomorrow’s grid, such as incorporating AI data center loads and reducing dependence on foreign supply chains. ORNL provides world-leading expertise in power and energy systems, power electronics and substation hardware, energy storage, grid sensors and controls, grid modeling, data analysis, and grid security for situational awareness, helping utilities keep the lights on and governments protect infrastructure.
GRID-C’s technology center houses more than a dozen co-located laboratories that emulate substations, microgrids and other parts of the power system while incorporating real grid equipment and realistic grid environments. Researchers can incubate new ideas, build and test technologies and concepts, and then model their integration for the modern grid.
When applicable, the advances can then be deployed in GRID-C’s power distribution field test site, which uses ORNL’s extensive energy distribution infrastructure to implement inventions at utility scale. GRID-C also includes the Powerline Conductor Accelerated Testing facility (PCAT), a real-world outdoor test bed that supports expansion of electrical transmission capacity by validating new conductor materials and coatings. These translate new approaches and technologies rapidly to utilities and the broader electric grid so Americans can rapidly experience the benefits.
Sensors and Data Analytics
Leveraging low-cost, high-fidelity sensors to monitor grid assets, voltage, current and frequency; developing private communications network architecture and technology; and using resulting sensor data such as waveforms to analyze grid operations and outages, including the causes and effects of system faults.
Modeling and Simulation
Developing large-scale grid models that use real-world data to study system interdependencies and responses at national scale. Researchers leverage AI-enhanced high-performance computing to simulate complex grid interactions as energy loads and sources multiply.
Microgrids
Researching microgrid controls and battery-based energy storage systems, including solid state and redox flow batteries and secondary vehicle battery systems for low-cost, efficient storage. Developing battery materials and manufacturing processes.
Power Electronics and Advanced Electrical Devices
Developing, building and testing affordable, flexible power electronics systems and their internal power modules and magnetics so they handle changing conditions and energy flows. Medium-voltage, DC power electronics and transformer advances are developed to smooth integration of large loads and all types of energy sources.
Grid Energy Storage/Critical Materials Recovery
Developing new battery materials and manufacturing methods for long- and short-duration energy storage systems that are affordable and safe. Research includes materials characterization, manufacturing process methods, diagnostics and automated disassembly processes for reusing or remanufacturing end-of-life cells, and performance analysis.
Cyber and Cyber-Physical Systems
Monitoring threats to grid assets and protecting grid equipment and communications with hardware and software innovations, which can be tested in unique cybersecurity test beds fed by real-time data. Research also focuses on developing universal grid timing methods independent of GPS or broader communications networks, as well as methods for grid operational surveillance.
The Grid Research Innovation and Development Center at ORNL combines electrification research activities across the utility, vehicles, and buildings areas into one 52,000 sq. ft. facility. This multidisciplinary environment enables the most impactful innovation across the electric ecosystem.
