Dr. Johney Green Jr. has been appointed the new Laboratory Director of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), a prominent research facility focused on advancing solutions in energy, environmental sustainability, and national security. SRNL operates with an annual budget of approximately $400 million and plays a critical role in supporting the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Environmental Management and Legacy Management programs, as well as the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Weapons and Nonproliferation initiatives.
Green, who previously served as the Associate Laboratory Director for mechanical and thermal engineering sciences at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), brings a wealth of experience in energy and sustainability research. He will now lead SRNL’s multidisciplinary team, continuing the laboratory’s legacy of impactful research and development.
“We are thrilled to have Johney as the new leader of SRNL,” said Juan Alvarez, Executive Vice President for National Laboratory Management and Operations at Battelle and Chair of the Board of Directors at Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC (BSRA). “His extensive experience in energy and national security, coupled with his leadership track record, makes him the ideal person to guide this world-class institution into its next phase.”
At NREL, Green managed a vast portfolio worth more than $300 million, overseeing research programs across various domains such as sustainable transportation, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing. His role involved leadership over NREL’s research in areas including wind, water, geothermal, and solar power, as well as supporting advanced manufacturing initiatives. With a staff of about 750, Green was responsible for driving innovations in energy efficiency and developing new technologies to address the nation’s energy needs.
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to join the SRNL community and work alongside its talented staff and regional university partners,” Green stated. “Together, we will drive innovation, enhance SRNL’s capabilities, and broaden its contributions to national security, environmental sustainability, and energy resilience for the benefit of the nation.”
One of Green’s key achievements at NREL was his transformation of the laboratory’s wind site into the Flatirons Campus. Under his leadership, the site evolved from a single-program wind research center into a multi-program research hub. This transformation created a foundational experimental platform that now supports the DOE’s Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) initiative. His ability to expand and diversify research capabilities while maintaining a focus on cutting-edge energy systems innovation will be crucial in his new role at SRNL.
Before his time at NREL, Green held several leadership roles at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), where he served as the Director of the Energy and Transportation Science Division. In this capacity, he managed a diverse portfolio of projects focused on sustainable industrial processes, vehicle systems integration, and transportation technologies. During his tenure at ORNL, Green played an instrumental role in the development of the Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) demonstration project, which showcases next-generation manufacturing processes and innovative vehicle-to-grid integration technologies.
Early in his career, Green focused on combustion research aimed at improving gasoline engine efficiency under extreme operating conditions. He worked with Ford Motor Co. on a project that sought to reduce emissions from diesel engines while extending the limits of exhaust gas recirculation. This collaboration continued with Green serving as a visiting scientist at Ford’s Scientific Research Laboratory, where he contributed to experimental and modeling research on advanced diesel engines.
Green’s career also includes significant contributions to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office and technical coordination for the 21st Century Truck Partnership. He was involved in many of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s most notable scientific breakthroughs, contributing to over a dozen of its 150-plus top scientific discoveries.
A distinguished leader in his field, Green is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and SAE International. He has served on various advisory boards, including those at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Memphis, and has been an active member of the Defense Science Board. Green is also the former chairman of the board for the National GEM Consortium and has participated in several National Academy of Engineering programs.
Throughout his career, Green has received numerous accolades, holds two U.S. patents in combustion science, and has an impressive h-index of 34, with over 4,500 citations to his work. He is the lead or co-author of numerous technical publications and has delivered invited, keynote, and plenary presentations at conferences worldwide.
Green earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Memphis and both his master’s and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His background in both academia and industry, combined with his leadership experience, positions him to continue SRNL’s success as a premier laboratory advancing critical solutions in energy, environmental challenges, and national security.
