“Tennessee is not just a good place to do business – it’s where the future of energy is being built,” says Stephen Streiffer, Director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Tennessee offers a strategic location, a highly skilled workforce and a growing ecosystem of clean energy companies. At the heart of this ecosystem is ORNL – a Department of Energy national laboratory located in the state’s eastern region, and a world leader in scientific research and technology development.

The laboratory’s multidisciplinary expertise makes it a key partner for businesses that need scientific solutions to stay ahead in increasingly competitive markets.

“Our collaborations with industry are integral to our mission of driving innovation and economic growth for the nation,” Streiffer said, “We translate research into real-world solutions through our partnerships.”

East Tennessee is a hub for energy businesses seeking growth and connectedness within their communities. The area is home to the University of Tennessee (UT), an R1 research university, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, which serves 10 million Americans in seven states with a robust energy infrastructure.

“East Tennessee, and particularly the Knoxville-Oak Ridge area, offers one of the world’s highest concentrations of PhDs in science,” says Christofer Mowry, CEO of Type One Energy.

Type One is at the forefront of fusion energy technology, and ORNL was a major reason the company established its headquarters in the area to launch its Infinity One testbed. In addition to the lab’s long-standing fusion research and development, ORNL manages the United States’ contributions to ITER, the world’s largest fusion project, in France.

“With ORNL being the lead lab for fusion and US ITER, there’s no better place than East Tennessee,” Mowry says. “Our partnership with ORNL is one of the things that’s going to ensure that we become successful.”

Tennessee rising

Type One joins the largest concentration of nuclear firms in the world, as more than 200 companies have operations in Tennessee. About 150 are in the Oak Ridge–Knoxville area, including Kairos Power, Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation and TRISO-X.

Type One’s leadership team includes former ORNL scientists with decades of experience in fusion research, including John Canik, Chief Science Officer, and Brad Nelson, Vice President and Chief Engineer.

“The experience with large-scale experiments and cutting-edge technology at ORNL is unbeatable,” Mowry says. “It’s ultimately what makes partnership with ORNL so attractive.”

ORNL’s history of scientific breakthroughs, particularly in materials science, high-performance computing and energy research, makes it an invaluable partner for industry.

“At ORNL, we are dedicated to advancing the frontiers of science and technology, which includes fostering partnerships that drive commercial success,” Streiffer said. “In 2023, our research staff disclosed nearly 300 inventions and were granted 91 patents – and we just broke our record for R&D 100 Awards, earning 14 this year.”

ORNL also supports businesses through initiatives like the RevV program, which is funded by the state of Tennessee to help manufacturers work with ORNL and UT to enhance their processes and products. 

Researchers at the UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, a joint endeavor focused on advanced degree programs, are developing radiopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer. UT’s Department of Nuclear Engineering was the nation’s first nuclear engineering program and its graduate program is highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

ORNL also collaborates with Pellissippi State Community College and Roane State Community College to create direct career paths for students, ensuring a steady pipeline of skilled talent.

Innovation hub

Innovation Crossroads, a branch of DOE’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program, pairs clean energy startup founders with ORNL experts for a two-year fellowship. Since its inception in 2017, 38 companies have completed the program. More than half of the entrepreneur-fellows have remained in Tennessee to build their companies, including:

• Eonix, which designs materials for batteries manufactured to solve industry-specific problems

• Shift Thermal, which advances heating and cooling through icephobic heat exchange systems

• SkyNano, which creates carbon materials directly from CO2 emissions from industrial sources.

Innovation Crossroads’ alumni companies have raised more than US$200 million in follow-on funding and have generated more than US$11 million in sales.

A company’s decision to relocate or expand operations is influenced by multiple factors, including talent, infrastructure and innovation. Tennessee offers these advantages, as well as a commitment to fostering a business-friendly environment.

“The State of Tennessee made a commitment to us, which was the first commitment to any private company through their nuclear fund. This level of support is unmatched,” Mowry said.

UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States.

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