Michigan and Argonne join forces to drive clean energy transition

By: Argonne National Laboratory via Business Wire

April 04, 2024 at 12:40 PM EDT

Using cutting-edge scientific research to realize a cleaner and more resilient Michigan economy is the aim of a newly formed partnership between the state and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory.

“Today’s MOU (Memorandum of understanding) will help us achieve our goal of 100% clean energy by 2040,” said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “We are excited to partner with Argonne researchers and work together to lead the future right here in Michigan.”

The partnership focuses on researching, developing, demonstrating and deploying technologies in four areas: industrial decarbonization, battery manufacturing and recycling, workforce development and future mobility systems planning. Investment decisions involving the decarbonization of Michigan’s industrial base, which includes manufacturing products such as iron and steel, cement, chemicals, forest products and furniture, will be informed by Argonne’s expertise in energy efficiency, industrial electrification, low-carbon fuels, and carbon capture and storage. The laboratory is located about 25 miles southwest of Chicago in Lemont, Illinois.

“As a national laboratory, Argonne is uniquely positioned to provide research-backed insights to support Michigan’s efforts,” said Claus Daniel, associate laboratory director for Advanced Energy Technologies at Argonne. “We look forward to applying our expertise to support the state as it seeks to grow investment in key sectors and prepares a diverse talent pipeline for emerging sectors.”

Argonne’s energy storage research — focused on reducing dependence on critical materials, facilitating sustainable resource recovery, discovering new lower-cost and higher energy density materials and enabling safe fast charging — will inform decisions as Michigan advances economic expansion in battery manufacturing and assembly.

“Similarly, the laboratory’s workforce training and career development models, developed through more than 30 years managing DOE’s advanced vehicle technology competitions, will aid Michigan’s efforts to train and reskill workers for next-generation industries,” Daniel added.

As Michigan seeks to decarbonize transportation through public transit and mobility solutions like car sharing and bike and walking infrastructure, Argonne’s state-of-the-art software and systems simulation workflows will help assess impacts of various solutions.

“Argonne is thrilled to partner with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Together, we will help deploy the industrial decarbonization and sustainable transportation technologies that are needed for a clean-energy future,” said Argonne Director Paul Kearns. “Through this agreement, Argonne will further its commitment to accelerating science that drive U.S. prosperity and security.”