RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS BY THE DECADE
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1970: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created 1973: Global energy crisis 1975: Energy and Policy Conservation Act passed 1975: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission established 1977: U.S. Department of Energy established 1978: Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act enacted 1979: Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Accident
of R&D Achievements
One of the greatest psychic rewards of the field we are in is the feeling of having made a contribution that is not going to be washed out with the sands of time...because real benefits flow to succeeding generations. In fact, the only justification for society's supporting R&D is not to keep society happy at that time, but to make the world better for the future...to create an intellectual and technological endowment for our children and their children.
- Dr. Chauncey Starr EPRI Founder
So much has changed since EPRI’s founding in 1972 — spurred by the challenges of the 1960s and 1970s that led the U.S. Congress, state governments, and public and private energy companies to recognize the need for an independent, collaborative research and development organization. Energy challenges may evolve, but they persist. Today, extreme weather events, the integration of intermittent energy sources, and new cybersecurity attacks present increased risks to energy systems — meaning EPRI’s value proposition is as important as ever.
A Letter from EPRI's President
"To transition to a clean energy future, we need an economy-wide transition — transportation, industrial uses, and buildings. Our work of collaboration has increased considerably, and I envision EPRI as the voice of science to bring forward solutions across sectors and industries.”
Arshad Mansoor EPRI President and CEO
Rooted in independence and objectivity, EPRI collaborates with scientists, engineers, governments, and experts from academia and industries to shape and drive innovative, global energy solutions. As a nonprofit organization, EPRI focuses on public interest energy and environmental research that providesscience-based analysis, evaluations, andguidance. Because now more than ever, the clean energy transition challenge requires allavailable tools and resources.
I am proud to follow our founder, Chauncey Starr, and the five other CEOs before me to lead EPRI in delivering value and societal benefit. The pages that follow offer a glimpse at some of the most important research contributions made by EPRI and its collaborators over these last 50 years — as well as current initiatives underway. Our collaborative mission and business model provide critical, objective support to global stakeholders advancing energy transitions. EPRI looks forward to being fully engaged in this work for decades to come — working together across many sectors to achieve a net-zero economy that is reliable, affordable, equitable, digital, and resilient.
As the world transitions to a sustainable, net-zero future, we have a generational opportunity to unlock even more value for customers in unprecedented ways.
Together, EPRI and its members can deliver previously unimagined access to clean, abundant energy and even further enhance the quality of life for all those that we are privileged to serve.
This opportunity demands transformational technology solutions, a collaborative spirit, and continuing leadership — all qualities EPRI has embodied over the past half century.
Stan Connally EPRI Board Chair and Executive VP of Operations, Southern Company
Looking Back, Facing Forward
For 50 years, our talented team of researchers and partners have provided tangible benefits to society and value to our members —and will do so for decades to come. We are proud to have worked with more than 450 companies in 45 countries — collaborating with universities, national labs, and other organizations to make a difference in how society produces, distributes, and uses energy.
50 Years of Research to Advance Reliable, Affordable Energy Transitions
1980s: Energy mix begins to change; for example, more U.S. energy generated from nuclear than oil 1981: First commercial availability of personal computers 1986: Chernobyl Nuclear Plant accident 1987: National Appliance Energy Conservation Act passed 1987: Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer adopted
1990s: Electric power industry restructuring globally 1993: Public launch of the World Wide Web 1997: Publicly available Wi-Fi 1999: First hybrid electric vehicles sold in the U.S. Late 1990s: Preparations for Y2K
2001: 9/11 attacks 2005: Energy Policy Act of 2005 enacted to address energy security, environmental quality, and economic growth 2006: First large-scale rollout of smart meters completed in Italy 2007: Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 passed 2008: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and International Electrotechnical Commissionagree to collaborate on the development of international standards 2009: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted
2011: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Accident 2011: AI wins Jeopardy with IBM’s Watson 2015: First successful cyber attack on power grid in Ukraine 2012: Largest power outage in history occurred in India, affecting 400 million people 2014: Growing interest in distributed energy resources 2016: Increased adoption of smart devices and more efficient appliances
2020: Start of COVID-19 global health pandemic 2020: Growing push to divest from fossil fuels 2021: U.S. rejoins Paris Agreement ahead of COP26 2021: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed 2021: Launch of Net-Zero Industrial Clusters Initiative by World Economic Forum, Accenture, and EPRI 2022: Inflation Reduction Act enacted
Advancing clean energy transitions while maintaining reliability, affordability, resiliency, and reliability is our top priority — and requires enduring solutions, accelerating progress, and collaborating broadly. EPRI delivers independent and objective thought leadership, industry expertise,and collaborative value to help the energy sector identify issues, technology gaps, and broader needs that can be addressed through effective research and development programs. Join us.
Together, we are shaping the future of energy.
ACCELERATING.
COLLABORATING.
Supporting Transitions to a Net-Zero Future
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A Letter From EPRI's President
Enhancing Resilience
EV Fleet Electrification
Supporting Advanced Nuclear
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