Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to pursuing a true “all-of-the-above” energy agenda.
August 14, 2020
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By Dan Brouillette, Secretary of Energy
Under the Trump Administration, the Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to pursuing a true “all-of-the-above” energy agenda that reinforces our national security, while advancing environmental stewardship and energy efficiency through innovation. Our 17 National Labs, like Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), are the true incubators for the creative solutions that will maintain and enhance American energy security and independence.
On Friday August, 14, I had the honor of visiting PNNL and seeing firsthand how the DOE-funded research and development (R&D) conducted by some of America’s top scientists is driving the scientific discovery that will keep America safe, secure, and competitive. Their important work will continue to protect our nation’s power grid, expand our energy storage capabilities, and increase energy efficiency and reliability across natural gas, oil, and renewable energy sources.
I could not be prouder of one of our most promising and exciting new efforts, the Grid Storage Launchpad (GSL) hosted at PNNL. I was delighted to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for this facility, and learn more about the future R&D that will be conducted here, the fruits of which will benefit all Americans.
President Trump has made it a national priority to modernize the power grid, so that in the event of a manmade or natural disaster, Americans keep moving and the economy doesn’t skip a beat.
Through implementation of the recent bulk-power executive order, and through initiatives like the GSL, the Department is committed to securing our national power grid so that we can guard against storms, or attempted attacks from foreign adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia who seek to disrupt our way of life.
Our goal with the GSL is to accelerate the development of next-generation energy storage technology so that America will have a more reliable power grid. This will better allow all of our energy resources to be used to their full potential, sustain U.S. global leadership in the development of energy storage technologies, safeguard and expand our domestic manufacturing supply chain, and build a workforce of Americans trained in energy storage technologies.
This will be done in three ways.
The first is through collaboration. PNNL’s top scientists will work with experts from around the country to innovate technology.
Second, our validation process will ensure proper testing and realistic conditions to create energy storage technology that will hold up in the real world.
And finally, by having this all take place at the GSL, we will ensure the acceleration of the deployment of new technologies through the propagation of rigorous performance requirements at all stages of grid storage development.
PNNL also plays a crucial role for our Department’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge and Grid Modernization Initiative. These two efforts go hand in hand with the Bulk Power EO and the GSL.
The Grand Challenge is designed to accelerate the development, commercialization, and utilization of energy storage technologies.
The Grid Modernization Initiative, which works across our Department and our National Labs, will make our grid more resilient, flexible, and secure by investigating the use and integration of next-generation energy technologies.
As I told industry leaders in Washington, this past December we announced that PNNL will lead three new grid modernization projects, valued at more than $15.5 million, and collaborate with other National Labs and industry partners on eight other projects. This funding will be essential for securing our power grid, creating more efficient energy storage, and taking advantage of America’s preponderance of energy sources.
So, whether it’s at PNNL or one of our other “crown jewels,” DOE is committed to investing in first-wave R&D that fuels energy innovation for energy technology, natural gas, and renewable sources. We are proud that our National Labs are leading the way in energy storage technology advancements, new infrastructure, and measures that reinforce the reliability and flexibility of the national power grid.
Dan Brouillette
Dan Brouillette, Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy
Dan Brouillette served as the 15th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. Secretary Brouillette has three decades of experience in both the public and private sector. Most recently he was the Deputy Secretary of Energy.
He also served as the Senior Vice President and head of public policy for USAA, the Nation’s leading provider of financial services to the military community. Before joining USAA, Secretary Brouillette was a Vice President of Ford Motor Company, where he led the automaker’s domestic policy teams and served on its North American Operating Committee.
At Ford and USAA, he was part of senior management teams that helped bring to market innovative technologies like auto collision avoidance and remote deposit capture, a technology invented by USAA that allows the use of smart devices to deposit funds into our banking accounts.
Before his transition into the private sector, Secretary Brouillette held numerous positions in government. He was Chief of Staff to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has broad jurisdictional and oversight authority over five Cabinet-level Federal agencies. He also served as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs from 2001 to 2003. In addition, he is a former state energy regulator, having served as a member of the Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board from 2013 to 2016.
Secretary Brouillette and his wife, Adrienne, are both U.S. Army veterans and have been married for 28 years. They hail from San Antonio, TX, and have nine children.