An overview of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and our Applied Energy Division
Abstract
SLAC is one of 17 Department of Energy National Laboratories, managed by Stanford University. While historically SLAC was a high energy physics lab, it has become more multi-disciplinary, through the creation of state-of-the-art x-ray characterization facilities, providing incredible tools to study chemistry, materials science, biology and many other scientific areas. Three years ago, SLAC added a new division, which I lead, that builds on this scientific discovery to build solutions to problems in the renewable energy and grid integration needed to enable a fully renewable grid.
I will provide a brief overview of SLAC and our division, in particular some of the materials challenges and grid integration work that we are doing – with an emphasis on the challenges being faced in California. Our grid work is focused at the distribution grid, and we work with large utilities, municipal generators, and rural co-operatives. Most of our grid projects have a data science and machine learning component, and you can find a short synopsis at our site gismo.slac.stanford.edu
Bio
Dr. Mark Hartney is the Chief Technology Officer, Division Director for Applied Energy, and Deputy ALD for Energy Science at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Mark is also a Precourt Energy Scholar with the Stanford Precourt Energy Institute. Mark is responsible for expanding the engagement of SLAC with industry partners, government agencies and Stanford University with an emphasis on renewable energy materials development and grid integration.
Mark has worked in Washington DC at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Mark also previously held research and development staff positions at MIT Lincoln Labs and AT&T Bell Labs.
Mark serves on the board of the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF), the Lab Affiliates of the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST), and is an advisor to energy-related start-up companies and the Cyclotron Road program at LBNL.
Mark is a graduate of MIT (B.S. and M.S.) and earned his doctoral degree at University of California at Berkeley, all in chemical engineering. He has over 60 technical publications, over 100 conference presentations and 4 issued patents.