Search NASA⌕ Search
Home/Archive/DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI · 3015030

Optimizing Repowering and Lifecycle Decisions with PV ICE and SAM

Mirletz, Heather [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000250584804)·Ovaitt, Silvana [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:000000030180728X)·Prilliman, Matt [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000188521318)·Mirletz, Brian [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000309456007)
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Should you repower or extend the life of your PV system? Are high-efficiency modules, durable modules, or recyclable modules the best option for your site and goals? Evaluating the trade-offs in design and lifecycle strategies can be complex. The PV in Circular Economy (PV ICE) tool is an open-source model designed to help developers, modelers, and decision-makers assess material flows, energy return on investment (EROI), and financial viability of PV systems. Now integrated with the System Advisor Model (SAM), PV ICE enables site-specific comparisons of lifecycle strategies - such as repowering benefits, module selection for reliability and recyclability, among others. This interactive tutorial will provide hands-on experience with PV ICE using Google Collab, exploring scenario-based analyses on these topics.

Explore related subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTINGgoogle collabmodelingperformancePVPV ICErepoweringSAMtutorial

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Mirletz, Heather [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000250584804), Ovaitt, Silvana [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:000000030180728X), Prilliman, Matt [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000188521318), Mirletz, Brian [National Laboratory of the Rockies, Golden, CO (United States)] (ORCID:0000000309456007). 2026-01-13. Optimizing Repowering and Lifecycle Decisions with PV ICE and SAM. https://doi.org/10.2172/3015030

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related reports

DOE OSTI2026

Cyclic moisture reactivation of calcium sorbents for long duration thermochemical energy storage

The transition to a flexible and reliable energy infrastructure, using electro-thermal energy generation technologies such as geothermal, concentrated solar power, and nuclear, usually demands simultaneous advancement of thermal energy storage (TES) to support on-demand electricity generation and industrial applications while mitigating the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources and power outages from direct energy generation. Among TES technologies, thermochemical energy storage (TCES) based on calcium looping emerges as a compelling high-power energy storage candidate due to its high reaction enthalpy, compatibility with elevated operating temperatures, and abundance of low-cost materials. However, the long-term durability of calcium-based sorbents for TCES is hindered by surface sintering and particle aggregation, leading to performance degradation over repeated thermal cycles. This study explores a moisture hydration-based strategy to regenerate a degraded calcium sorbent and mitigate performance degradation for long duration TCES. The addition of moisture transforms calcium oxide into calcium hydroxide and produces intercalation water layers, associated with a regenerated surface area and reduced calcium oxide crystallite size. Both these effects are beneficial in restoring the sorbents' reactivity for carbonization. Additionally, an optimized hydration-assisted reactivation protocol balances the recovered energy storage capacity with heating penalty required for moisture removal from hydrated samples, resulting in an enhanced energy storage capacity up to 176% compared to benchmark sorbents that undergo cycling without reactivation after 60 cycles. In conclusion, these results highlight the potential of hydration-assisted reactivation to enhance the long-term performance of TCES, providing an effective pathway to advancing electro-thermal storage technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗