Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, along with Representatives Martin Heinrich, Harry Teague and Ben Ray Lujàn, today announced that Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories have been selected as “Energy Frontier Research Centers.”

The designation comes with funding from the Department of Energy for the advancement of clean energy technology. 

Sandia will receive $3.6 million to further research into solid-state lighting – the next generation of lighting that creates very little heat, and is therefore highly efficient. 

LANL will receive $3.9 million to research how to improve the efficiency of converting sunlight to electricity.  The lab will receive an additional $3.9 million to research the behavior of materials under extreme conditions.  It could lead to more efficient nuclear energy production. 

Sandia and Los Alamos are also partnering with several universities and laboratories on other clean energy projects. 

“Sandia has been an international leader in the area of efficient lighting, and this funding will help push this important research forward,” Bingaman said.  “The funding awarded to Los Alamos offers further evidence that the lab offers a wide range of expertise and I’m glad it is being recognized for its energy-related research.”

“With many accolades in this field of study, Sandia scientists have the knowledge and expertise to help consumers save hard-earned money by making lighting in America more energy efficient,” said Udall.  “This funding will also lead LANL scientists towards further breakthroughs in solar power, helping to create a new generation of green jobs while moving our nation towards a cleaner energy future.”  

“Energy efficiency is a key part of building our new energy economy, and the work of Sandia scientists on solid-state lighting is helping to bring this cutting-edge technology to the market.  Energy efficiency projects like those spearheaded at Sandia will help reduce our demand for electricity and our reliance on fossil fuels,” Heinrich said. 

“Our national laboratories are on the forefront of creating clean, efficient, American energy,” said Teague. “The recent funding announced is a long term investment in New Mexico that will keep both Los Alamos and Sandia National laboratories as leaders in shaping a comprehensive energy plan for the future.

“The new Energy Frontier Research Center will use the expertise at Los Alamos National Laboratory to solve some of our nation’s greatest challenges,” said Luján. “The Center will enable Los Alamos National Laboratory to grow its science programs and offers an exciting opportunity for the laboratory to expand its work in energy and material research.”