News Releases

ORNL and Kyoto Fusioneering are developing UNITY-3, a first-of-its-kind, world-class fusion breeding blanket test facility capable of generating high-energy neutrons typical of those produced by a burning plasma. The strong neutron source will enable researchers to evaluate candidate commercial blanket designs and train AI-powered digital twins of next-generation fusion devices.

ORNL has licensed a suite of fusion fuel pellet technologies to Type One Energy to accelerate commercial fusion energy development. This agreement marks the first major transfer of ORNL's world-leading pellet fueling technology to a private fusion company.

Rigoberto "Gobet" Advincula, a Governor's Chair Professor jointly appointed at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the American Chemical Society's Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Division.

Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory created a platform that pinpoints genetic triggers that turn microbes into efficient factories for new chemicals and materials. The method enables rapid, precise reprogramming of bacteria as biotechnology tools, supporting the domestic production of valuable products and the recovery of critical minerals and materials, enhancing the nation’s supply chains and global competitiveness.  

The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies, has launched a new national center to help strengthen the U.S. cement and concrete supply chain at a time of rising demand, increasing imports and mounting pressure on domestic infrastructure.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Rutherford Energy Ventures recently kicked off FULCRA, an innovative consortium that combines national lab capabilities with private-sector investment to develop shared fusion testbeds, de-risk critical technology, and speed commercialization. As the first initiative of its kind, FULCRA has the potential to reshape how fusion test infrastructure is designed, funded, and operated, creating a model that can be replicated across the public research ecosystem.

Sandia National Labs tests a portable security system for military applications and border security. 

Three grid researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory were recently elevated to senior membership in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Shamim Hasan, Mohammad Khalid and Deepika Patel focus on energy infrastructure in their research within the lab’s Energy Science and Technology Directorate.