Today’s electrical grids are the primary way to deliver electricity to households and businesses. The new energy sources coming online will challenge the grid in new ways. For example, renewable sources such as wind are intermittent and can drop off without notice. Grids with more sources of renewable energy can be technically and economically challenging to stabilize. Advances will be critical for making the future grid reliable and resilient. For example, “shock absorbers” such as energy storage systems can help minimize brownouts or power surges. At INL, we reduce risks to the grid by testing new technologies in the lab before they are used in the field.