ORNL Showcases Transformative Tech at ARPA

Researchers to share innovations in energy storage, nuclear, grid, and materials at ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:18am

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Researchers from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory will present their latest discoveries and innovations at the ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit in San Diego, California from April 7-9. The summit will feature groundbreaking ARPA-E-funded energy technologies, with speakers including the U.S. Secretary of Energy and AMD's CEO.

Why it matters

ORNL, the largest interdisciplinary science and energy research lab in the U.S., plays a key role in turning disruptive concepts into impactful products. The summit provides a platform for ORNL researchers to showcase their work in critical areas like energy storage, nuclear fission and fusion, grid and materials supply chains, and alloys for extreme environments.

The details

ORNL researchers will highlight advancements in next-generation sodium-carbon dioxide redox flow batteries, fast-charging bulk ionic glass batteries, fusion reactor blanket concepts, AI-driven efforts to enhance particle accelerator reliability, materials design for flexible fuel power generation, and high-performance steel for power transformers. They will also discuss projects focused on graphite production, nickel-based alloys for molten salt reactors, and refractory alloys for turbine applications.

  • The ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit will take place from April 7-9, 2026 in San Diego, California.

The players

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The United States' largest lab for interdisciplinary science and energy research, managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

ARPA-E

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, a U.S. Department of Energy agency that funds high-risk, high-impact energy technologies.

Chris Wright

The U.S. Secretary of Energy, who aims to unleash a golden era of American energy dominance.

Dario Gil

The U.S. Undersecretary for Science, who also directs DOE's Genesis Mission to accelerate science through artificial intelligence.

Lisa Su

The Chair and Chief Executive Officer of AMD, a company delivering next-generation computing and AI solutions.

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The takeaway

The ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit showcases ORNL's pivotal role in advancing transformative energy technologies, from next-generation batteries and nuclear innovations to materials breakthroughs that can improve grid resilience and industrial applications. These collaborations between national labs, universities, and industry partners are critical for driving American energy dominance and addressing pressing energy challenges.