Stemming from immense government investment in scientific research during World War II, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) national laboratories have served as the leading institutions for scientific innovation in the United States for more than 70 years. Today, 17 national laboratories address large-scale, complex research and development challenges with a multidisciplinary approach that translates basic science to innovation.
DOE's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) funds several national labs to conduct early-stage research to accelerate innovative water power technologies. The national labs also work with industry, academia, and many other stakeholders to solve scientific challenges while providing test facilities, sophisticated instrumentation, and deep expertise.
Learn About All the National Labs | National Lab Map | Water Power Projects Map
How to Work with the National Labs
DOE’s national labs have strong partnerships with industry, government, academia, small businesses, international entities, and nonprofits to advance the research and development of U.S. water power. Whether an organization wants to partner with a lab to solve a specific problem, access unique testing facilities and instrumentation, or learn more about research and development opportunities available, more information about partnerships can be found on each lab’s partnering, technology transfer, or commercialization web pages.
For more information on our current portfolio of work, accomplishments, priorities and how you can work with our labs, view our Stakeholder Webinars.
National Laboratories with Water Power Expertise
ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY
Lemont, Illinois
Multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers at Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) advance basic and applied energy science, focusing their research and development on a broad portfolio of sustainable and innovative energy technologies. In water power, Argonne scientists are teaming up with research and industry partners to study next-generation conventional and pumped storage hydropower technologies and develop new models and methods to optimize and increase water use efficiency.
Major water power research areas include:
- Modeling, integration, and valuation analysis of hydropower and pumped storage projects
- Optimization of operations of hydropower reservoirs and cascades
- Hydropower plant and generating unit performance optimization
- Modeling and simulation of hydropower in electricity markets
- Environmental analysis and assessments of hydropower projects and river basins.
IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) applies considerable expertise in electrical power generation and distribution systems to challenges associated with renewable energy development, including grid development, mechanical design, reservoir assessment and monitoring, and advanced control systems. INL staff have experience in a range of water management topics designed to address the challenges of aging water and energy infrastructure. The lab's water power researchers focus on opportunities to deploy new technologies and assessment methods to help solve these renewable energy challenges.
Some of INL's major water power research areas include:
- Dynamic system modeling and analysis
- Techno-economic valuation assessments
- Grid value and reliability analysis
- Advanced control systems
- Hybridization.
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
Golden, Colorado
Experts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) focus on creative answers to today’s energy challenges. From breakthroughs in fundamental science, to new and innovative technologies, to integrated energy systems, NREL researchers are transforming the way the nation and the world use energy. In water power, NREL designs, evaluates, and demonstrates novel hydropower, marine energy, and water system technologies and helps ensure they are safely deployed. The lab’s experts also collaborate with industry, academic, and other partners to accelerate the development of cost-effective, efficient, and responsible technologies.
NREL’s water power areas of expertise include:
- Economic, regulatory, and grid modeling and analysis
- Laboratory and field technology validation and optimization
- Electrical and mechanical system design
- Industry workforce and educational development
- Market value and barrier mitigation research, analysis, and outreach.
OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) mission is focused on science and technology breakthroughs for energy innovation and global security. In water power, research focuses on solutions for more reliable, sustainable electric power systems by leveraging ORNL’s strengths in data analytics, high-performance computing, materials synthesis and characterization, environmental science, and advanced manufacturing.
Major water power research areas include:
- Component and facility technology, simulation, and design optimization
- Environmental science and assessment
- Resource and market assessment
- Materials science and advanced manufacturing
- Economic analyses and modeling.
PACIFIC NORTHWEST NATIONAL LABORATORY
Richland, Washington
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has discovered innovative tools and technologies for science, energy, the environment, and national security. PNNL aims to deliver low-cost power and resiliency to the nation’s power grid by developing more efficient and sustainable systems that harness energy from water while optimizing environmental performance. PNNL’s researchers and specialized facilities and infrastructure, which include aquatic and marine laboratories and research vessels, are supporting advances across hydropower and marine energy.
Major water power research areas include:
- Environmental performance, assessment, and monitoring
- Power grid integration
- Water and hydropower management and planning
- Materials science
- Cybersecurity and digitalization
- Marine energy resource characterization
- Powering the Blue Economy
- Laboratory and field validation of new technologies
- Marine carbon dioxide removal
- Technical assistance for community energy transitions.
SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) support a secure energy mix by enabling an uninterrupted and enduring supply of energy from domestic sources, while assuring the reliability and resiliency of energy infrastructure. In water power, Sandia develops tools for optimizing the performance of wave energy converters, current energy converters, and other technologies with minimal environmental impact and works to improve the power performance and reliability of multiple marine energy technologies.
Major water power research areas include:
- Controls development
- High-fidelity modeling
- System design and testing
- Resource characterization
- Current energy converters
- Environmental modeling and cost analysis.