Research Areas

ESD provides solutions for increasing domestic energy content while reducing the quantity and impact of greenhouse gases. Specific areas of research and development include the following:

• Carbon capture and geologic sequestration — provide solutions to the U.S. Department of Energy and industry that enable continued use of domestic fossil fuel sources.
• Alternative energy sources — develop sources such as methane-hydrates, enhanced oil recovery, geothermal energy and more efficient hydropower.
• Clean nuclear power — conduct environmental and safety/hazards assessment in support of site licensing; and conduct experimental and model-based research for development and evaluation of waste forms directed at safe disposal of waste generated from nuclear power production.
• Energy development — improve efficiency of processes while simultaneously minimizing adverse impacts to the environment; provide a technical basis for management decisions on energy development, hydropower operations and siting of new facilities dependent on an adequate water supply.
• Climate change — predict local and regional watershed responses to predictions from global climate models.
• Aquatic, terrestrial and human ecology — evaluate interactions within and between ecosystems in response to natural and human activities and identify optimal management strategies.

The ESD has a long history with environmental management, restoration and monitoring of contaminated sites. Areas of focus include:

• Cleanup of legacy waste — provide expertise and tools to aid the U.S. Department of Energy and other agencies address complex contamination problems. We determine the chemistry and source release behavior of high-level waste tank solid waste residuals and the stability and contaminant release behavior of waste forms, develop new and innovative soils and groundwater cleanup remedies, evaluate groundwater-surface water interactions, conduct site characterization, predict contaminant fate and transport, evaluate ecotoxicology, address deep vadose characterization and in situ remediation using sustainable techniques and strategies, conduct environmental monitoring to ensure public safety and monitoring and protection of cultural resources, and provide environmental risk assessments and project decision support to guide effective management of cleanup programs.
• Regional water issues — identify tools and techniques to understand and protect regional water sources and aquatic ecosystems impacted by climate change, energy development, water use and hydropower system operations.