By Pepper Fisher

SEQUIM, WA – On Thursday morning, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer and other local officials at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Sequim lab to celebrate the dedication of the RV Resilience, a first-of-its-kind electric-hybrid powered research vessel.

“Well, today is about a vision of pushing the envelope on R&D at the Energy Department’s only marine lab. Aren’t we lucky? Aren’t we lucky? The Sequim lab is really a hidden treasure. I don’t think a lot of people know about it, even within the state of Washington. This partnership here at Sequim is very critical to our nation. Today, we are thanking DOE. We are thanking PNNL for bringing the best and brightest to Sequim, and for today’s dedication of this unique vessel that is going to help us solve and meet some very big challenges. Thank you all very much.”

The all-aluminum, 50-foot Resilience is the U.S. Department of Energy’s first research vessel of its size that can run on either electric or diesel power. When powered just by electricity, the catamaran is nearly silent and emissions-free, allowing it to collect valuable data without disturbing surrounding wildlife.

PNNL scientists will use Resilience to study the environmental impacts of harnessing marine energy. Marine energy from the natural movement of ocean tides, waves, and currents has the potential to produce clean, renewable, and predictable electricity.

In addition to researching marine energy, PNNL scientists will also use Resilience to study coastal environments and ocean-based carbon dioxide removal, as well as ways to decarbonize marine transportation.

Scientists at PNNL are among the top 1% of highly-cited scientists in the world.