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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Savings in Action: Lessons from Observed and Modeled Residential Solar Plus Storage Systems

The electric grid is rapidly evolving as small-scale, demand-side resources play increasingly important roles in grid operations and decarbonization. Maximizing the potential of demand-side resources involves incentivizing electricity customers to use those resources in ways that benefit the broader electrical grid. These incentives depend largely on the electricity cost savings that customers can realize from demand-side resource adoption. Determining these potential cost savings is a complex task. Cost savings depend on numerous factors, including the characteristics of different technologies, the algorithms that control these devices, system performance, customer behavior, electricity rate structures, and climatic factors. Another challenge is that estimated cost savings are frequently based on modeled rather than observed system performance, particularly in the academic literature. In this study, we begin to fill the gap in empirical research of demand-side resources using data from a new construction residential community equipped with rooftop solar and storage (S+S) in Arizona. We use these data to analyze the factors that determine customer electricity cost savings and emissions impacts of S+S in the real world. We then compare these data to modeled system performance to understand how models deviate from real-world outcomes. Based on these findings, we explore ways to improve such models and, conversely, use modeled results to suggest improvements to actual S+S deployment. The results of these analyses can be summarized in four key findings: 1) rate structures play a central role in the grid and customer value of demand-side resources; 2) certain customers can benefit more from demand-side resource adoption than others; 3) modeled battery dispatch and sizing reveals opportunities for additional cost savings; and 4) optimal dispatches can reduce grid emissions while maximizing bill savings.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Mechanochemistry-Induced Strong Metal–Support Interactions Construction toward Enhanced Hydrogenation

The construction of strong metal–support interactions (SMSIs) represented an attractive approach to producing supported noble metal nanocatalysts possessing enhanced stability by overlayer encapsulation. The development of facile approaches capable of achieving efficient, controllable, and extensive SMSI overlayer formation, particularly under neat and ambient conditions, is a long-standing challenge. In this work, a mechanochemistry-driven pathway was deployed for efficient and controllable SMSI construction under neat and ambient conditions to customize the capsulation degree and overlayer structures toward enhanced catalysis. The reducibility of the additives and the high interaction efficiency provided by the mechanochemical treatment could afford abundant active intermediates (e.g., Ti 3+ species and oxygen defects) within a short time to induce and tune the overlayer encapsulation. This facile approach could be extensively deployed to TiO2-derived nanocatalysts with diverse phases, diverse reducible metal oxides-involved systems, and different supported noble metal nanoparticles. Enhanced hydrogenation activity was achieved by the as-afforded nanocatalysts upon SMSI construction and further tuned by the encapsulation degree.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Impact of Seasonal Snow-Cover Change on the Observed and Simulated State of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer in a High-Altitude Mountain Valley

The structure and evolution of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) under clear-sky fair weather conditions over mountainous terrain is dominated by the diurnal cycle of the surface energy balance and thus strongly depends on surface snow cover. We use data from three passive ground-based infrared spectrometers deployed in the East River Valley in Colorado's Rocky Mountains to investigate the response of the thermal ABL structure to changes in surface energy balance during the seasonal transition from low to high snow cover. Temperature profiles were retrieved from the infrared radiances using the optimal estimation physical retrieval Tropospheric Remotely Observed Profiling via Optimal Estimation. A nocturnal surface inversion formed in the valley during clear-sky days, which was subsequently mixed out during daytime with the development of a convective boundary layer when snow cover was low. Over high snow cover, a very shallow convective boundary layer formed, above which the inversion persisted through the daytime hours. We compare these observations to NOAA's operational High-Resolution-Rapid-Refresh model and find large warm biases on clear-sky days resulting from the model's inability to form strong nocturnal inversions and to maintain the stable stratification in the valley during daytime when there was snow on the ground. We suggest several factors contributing to the large model errors. These are (a) the inability of the model to represent well-developed thermally driven flows likely due to the too coarse horizontal grid spacing (3 km), (b) too much convective mixing during daytime, and (c) too strong vertical coupling between the valley atmosphere and the free troposphere.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Stabilizer Framework for the Contextual Subspace Variational Quantum Eigensolver and the Noncontextual Projection Ansatz

Quantum chemistry is a promising application for noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices. However, quantum computers have thus far not succeeded in providing solutions to problems of real scientific significance, with algorithmic advances being necessary to fully utilize even the modest NISQ machines available today. We discuss a method of ground state energy estimation predicated on a partitioning of the molecular Hamiltonian into two parts: one that is noncontextual and can be solved classically, supplemented by a contextual component that yields quantum corrections obtained via a Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) routine. This approach has been termed Contextual Subspace VQE (CS-VQE); however, there are obstacles to overcome before it can be deployed on NISQ devices. The problem we address here is that of the ansatz, a parametrized quantum state over which we optimize during VQE; it is not initially clear how a splitting of the Hamiltonian should be reflected in the CS-VQE ansätze. We propose a “noncontextual projection” approach that is illuminated by a reformulation of CS-VQE in the stabilizer formalism. This defines an ansatz restriction from the full electronic structure problem to the contextual subspace and facilitates an implementation of CS-VQE that may be deployed on NISQ devices. We validate the noncontextual projection ansatz using a quantum simulator and demonstrate chemically precise ground state energy calculations for a suite of small molecules at a significant reduction in the required qubit count and circuit depth.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

Advancing the HERO WEC Through Integrated Modeling, Testing, and Field Deployments

The Hydraulic and Electric Reverse Osmosis Wave Energy Converter (HERO WEC) was developed by the National Laboratory of the Rockies as a modular platform for advancing wave-powered desalination technologies. Designed to operate in either a hydraulic or electric configuration, the system enables direct comparison of mechanical-to-water and electrical-to-water conversion pathways using a single hardware architecture. Deployments in 2022 and 2024 at the Jennette's Pier test site in North Carolina demonstrated freshwater production between 60 and 300 gallons per day, including successful operation in wave heights as low as 0.25 m. A structured evaluation approach combining numerical modeling of hydrodynamic and power take-off response, controlled laboratory testing, and in-ocean field deployments has been used to characterize and refine system performance. Specifically, insights from these efforts are now informing the second-generation HERO WEC (V2) to increase robustness and overall survivability. Changes from the original prototype include improved drivetrain components, refined geometry, enhanced control systems, and design. The HERO WEC platform continues to serve as an open-access research asset supporting broader marine energy and desalination development.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2025

STILGAR: Subsurface Models for Graymont Pleasant Gap Mine

The detection, location, and monitoring of underground structures are of great importance to national and global security. Tunnels and voids generate seismic signatures detectable at the surface, but using non-invasive seismic data to image near-surface presents several challenges in real-world applications. In this report, we describe the use of a dense surface seismic deployment to generate subsurface models of the Graymont Pleasant Gap mine - a single-layer mine with a complex structure embedded in a high-velocity P-wave limestone bedrock. Our approach consists of three key methods. We use P-wave arrival times from local blast events to perform a tomography inversion with the tomoTD method, constructing a P-wave velocity model of the subsurface. We model the layer above the mine using Rayleigh wave ellipticity and inversion techniques. We leverage ongoing anthropogenic activities to identify and locate noise sources both on the surface and within the subsurface. With this integrated approach we aim to overcome the challenges and enhance our ability to non-invasively characterize underground structures, contributing to improved seismic monitoring techniques.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Synthesis and Processing by Design of High-Nickel Cathode Materials

The high demand of lightweight, high energy density batteries for energy storage promotes new materials discovery and development. Despite the large number of battery materials being discovered, very few of them have been commercially deployed, mostly bottlenecked by synthesis and processing – namely, making certain phases with the desired structure and properties to meet the multifaceted performance requirements. Alternative to the traditional trial and error, we present here an in situ study aided synthesis- and processing-by-design approach. With specific examples, we illustrate how to use the approach to identify reaction pathways in synthesis and processing of high-Nickel (Ni) cathode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, thereby ensuring precise control of their structure, morphology, and surface properties. Furthermore, perspectives are provided on the wide applicability of the approach to solving critical issues inherent to high-Ni cathodes and the new directions and opportunities in the area.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Comprehensive characterization of the irradiation effects of glassy carbon

Carbon materials have become increasingly diverse, finding applications in high-temperature and high-radiation environments. Glassy carbon, an allotrope known for its exceptional chemical inertness and desirable mechanical properties. However, understanding neutron irradiation effects in glassy carbon has proven challenging, primarily because of its unique nanopore structure. Here, this study presents a highly detailed microstructural characterization investigation of neutron-induced changes in glassy carbon, revealing how changes in nanopore structure and crystallinity impact the irradiation-induced shrinkage. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveals pore closure that leads to material densification in the irradiated samples. Dimensional analysis combined with comparison to historical data suggest significant length shrinkage to occur. Neutron and in situ electron irradiation experiments suggest that glassy carbon transforms into so-called carbon onions, supporting the concept of shrinkage saturation. Investigating irradiation temperature effects using STEM, electron energy loss spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy revealed partial amorphization at 210 °C–230 °C and preserved order in glassy carbon at 860 °C, coinciding with pore closure. Thermal property measurements were also conducted to assess the effects of densification and other changes in the atomic structure of glassy carbon. The results of this study have broad implications in the deployment of glassy carbon to nuclear environments, based around the observed changes in the thermal properties, and demonstrates the operational window for the onset of densification.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Novel thermal energy storage component: Development, performance, and phase transition diagnosis

Thermal energy storage (TES) using phase change materials (PCMs) is a promising technology for capturing and storing excess thermal energy for later use. However, challenges such as poor heat transfer efficiency and a lack of modular, scalable designs have limited widespread adoption of TES in real-world applications. This study developed and evaluated modular brick-type and blade-type TES prototypes featuring an aluminum housing, an embedded serpentine coil for active or passive thermal exchange, and a cost-effective metal mesh to enhance PCM thermal conductivity. The blade-type TES achieved notable geometric efficiency, with a thickness-to-length ratio of 0.03 and a thickness-to-width ratio of 0.08, enabling highly compact and modular thermal storage suitable for space-constrained applications. The paper presents a detailed evaluation of the TES prototypes’ performance. The comparative analysis indicated that the TES prototypes provide a highly cost-effective, thermally optimized alternative for compact energy storage and load shifting. A novel diagnostic technique was also introduced: using a portable endoscope to capture real-time visualizations of PCM phase transitions inside the TES. This method provides critical insights into internal heat transfer mechanisms, identifies potential issues, and offers valuable support for optimizing the TES design and developing the control algorithm. Overall, the modular brick-type and blade-type TES designs demonstrated in this work provide a scalable, efficient, and economically viable solution for advancing TES across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The designs’ compact structure, enhanced thermal performance, and integrated diagnostic capabilities make them strong candidates for future deployment in energy-efficient systems.

Gao, Zhiming [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000271397995)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Rapid Analyses of Sparse Seismoacoustic Data Reveals the Timing and Size of the Accurate Energetic Systems Explosion

On 10 October 2025 an explosion occurred at a facility operated by Accurate Energetic Systems in Humphreys County, Tennessee. The incident resulted in 16 fatalities and created a debris field over several square kilometers. To address remaining questions about explosion timing and size, we collected about 20 seismic and 19 acoustic records of the blast from sensors up to hundreds of kilometers away. We then deployed 10 distinct physics-based, reduced order models (ROMs) that used validated geological structure and atmospheric conditions from the time of the event, along with observations of body- and surface-wave energy, as well as acoustic overpressure and phase duration. Each ROM predicted either timing, yield estimates, or both. We binned these estimates and their uncertainties according to each ROMs’ assumptions about confinement (aboveground, buried fully coupled, and buried partially coupled) and combined these estimates with other forensic data to conclude that the event occurred as a single, aboveground explosion on 10 December 2025 12:47:50.8 ±0.1 s with a yield equivalent to 11.8 [2.3,16.5] tons of Trinitrotoluene. Our estimates align with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives inventory reports of 11–13 tons. This multimethod approach demonstrates the use of remotely observed geophysical data to rapidly aid conventional forensic investigations of accidental explosions.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2025

Bridging the Gap Between Astronomical Datasets: From Proof-of-Concept to AI Model Deployment with Domain Adaptation

Artificial Intelligence is transforming astrophysics, from studying stars and galaxies to analyzing cosmic large-scale structures. However, a critical challenge arises when AI models trained on simulations or past observational data are applied to new observation— leading to domain shifts, reduced robustness, and increased uncertainty of model predictions. This talk will explore these issues, highlighting examples such as galaxy morphology classification and cosmological parameter inference, where AI struggles to adapt across different datasets. We will discuss domain adaptation as a strategy to improve model generalization and mitigate biases—essential for making AI-driven discoveries reliable. Notably, these challenges extend beyond astrophysics, affecting AI applications across physics and other scientific domains. Addressing them is essential for maximizing AI’s impact in advancing scientific research.

Ćiprijanović, Aleksandra [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2026

ARM FY2026 Radar Plan

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility maintains a suite of advanced atmospheric radar systems that serve as critical tools in ARM’s mission to provide continuous, high-quality observations for advancing the understanding and modeling of atmospheric processes. These radar systems enable detailed characterization of clouds, precipitation, and dynamic structures in the atmosphere, supporting a broad range of scientific applications. The number of deployed systems exceeds what current staffing levels can fully support for continuous 24/7/365 operation. As such, it is essential to have a clearly defined and community-informed plan that prioritizes radar operations and communicates ARM’s strategy for sustaining and evolving these observational assets. This FY2026 Radar Plan outlines ARM’s approach to managing its radar portfolio—balancing scientific impact, operational feasibility, and long-term sustainability. It reflects ARM’s continued commitment to delivering calibrated, well-documented radar data products that enable process-level studies and support the development and evaluation of weather and climate models. Through this plan, ARM aims to ensure transparency in decision-making, alignment with user needs, and support for innovative science across the facility’s fixed and mobile observatories. Given uncertainties around the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget, this plan was developed to assume business as usual and will be updated as budgets and plans may change. It should be noted that, given the limited timeframe involved, this plan will be more succinct than previous plans.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Robotics for Energy Infrastructure Construction on Earth and Beyond: Pilot Study Exploring Level 3-4 Semi-Autonomous Installation of a Reduced-Scale Photovoltaic Power Plant Prototype: Preprint

There is a growing need to build energy infrastructure at massive scale on both Earth and in space. On Earth, increasing electricity demand from applications such as AI data centers is driving rapid expansion of power systems, while in space, long-duration missions such as lunar operations require reliable and resilient energy infrastructure that can be deployed quickly. These needs outpace the capabilities of conventional construction methods. Robotic construction offers a path to faster, lower-cost, and more consistent deployment, yet most existing approaches focus on automating individual tasks rather than end-to-end assembly. The Industrialized Construction Innovation (ICI) team at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), in collaboration with the Colorado School of Mines, has been investigating robotics and automation strategies for rapid end-to-end energy infrastructure construction. This paper presents a pilot study demonstrating level 3-4 semi-autonomous, end-to-end robotic assembly of a reduced-scale photovoltaic power plant prototype under terrestrial conditions. The approach combines hardware redesign of photovoltaic components for robotic compatibility, discrete-event and physics-based robotic simulations in synthetic environments, and sim-to-real deployment to execute end-to-end robotic assembly of[NM1.1][NM1.2] tracking components, structural members, photovoltaic modules, and embedded electrical connections. The pilot identifies key limitations like tolerance management, perception and localization, end effector capability, fastening methods, and multi-physics simulation fidelity, that must be addressed to enable end-to-end robotic assembly of full-scale energy infrastructure. The study highlights how these insights inform scaling strategies for terrestrial energy infrastructure and adaptation to unstructured and extreme environments, including off-world scenarios such as robotic assembly of vertical tall lunar towers.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Review of Potential–Induced Degradation in Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules

Bifacial modules are increasingly deployed in the field and are expected to represent half of the market share within 10 years. Their rear structure differs from monofacial modules to allow additional light absorption. However, it brings new reliability challenges to address. In particular, the risk of potential-induced degradation (PID) is increased as both module sides are impacted. Different PID processes have been identified in the literature: shunting type (PID-s), polarization type (PID-p), Na penetration type, and corrosion type (PID-c). Their occurrence depends on the photovoltaic system configuration as well as the module's materials. Apart from PID-s, PID processes are not well understood and extensive research is needed to elucidate the PID scenario and underlying mechanisms. Herein, current knowledge about PID processes and their impact on the main bifacial modules in the market are gathered with the aim to guide future research. Bifacial module technologies and leakage current paths leading to PID are described. Indoor and outdoor PID testing methods are detailed. For each bifacial module technology, the PID processes are investigated with their indicators, mechanism and recovery process. Furthermore, PID-impacting factors and limitation solutions are finally reported and a state of the art on PID modeling is presented.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Structure and sequence evolution in the pennycress ( Thlaspi arvense ) pangenome

Eukaryotic genomes harbor many forms of variation, including nucleotide diversity and structural polymorphisms, which experience natural selection and contribute to genome evolution and biodiversity. Harnessing this variation for agriculture hinges on our ability to detect, quantify, catalog, and deploy genetic diversity. Here, we explore seven complete genomes of the emerging biofuel crop pennycress ( Thlaspi arvense ) drawn from across the species' current genetic diversity to catalog variation in genome structure and content. Across this new pangenome resource, we find contrasting evolutionary modes in different genomic zones. Gene-poor, repeat-rich pericentromeric regions experience frequent rearrangements, including repeated centromere repositioning. By contrast, conserved gene-dense chromosome arms maintain large-scale synteny across accessions even in fast-evolving NOD-like receptor immune genes, where microsynteny breaks down across species, but gene cluster positioning macrosynteny is maintained. Our findings highlight that multiple elements of the genome experience dynamic evolution that conserves functional content on the chromosome scale but allows repositioning and presence–absence variation on a local scale. This diversity is invisible to classical reference-based strategies and highlights the strength and utility of pangenomic resources. These results provide a valuable case study of rapid genomic structural evolution within a species and powerful resources for crop development in an emerging biofuel crop.

Thlaspi arvense↗
DOE OSTI2021

The leucine-rich repeats in allelic barley MLA immune receptors define specificity towards sequence-unrelated powdery mildew avirulence effectors with a predicted common RNase-like fold

Nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat-containing receptors (NLRs) in plants can detect avirulence (AVR) effectors of pathogenic microbes. The Mildew locus a (Mla) NLR gene has been shown to confer resistance against diverse fungal pathogens in cereal crops. In barley, Mla has undergone allelic diversification in the host population and confers isolate-specific immunity against the powdery mildew-causing fungal pathogen Blumeria graminis forma specialis hordei (Bgh). We previously isolated the Bgh effectors AVR A1 , AVR A7 , AVR A9 , AVR A13 , and allelic AVR A10 /AVR A22 , which are recognized by matching MLA1, MLA7, MLA9, MLA13, MLA10 and MLA22, respectively. Here, we extend our knowledge of the Bgh effector repertoire by isolating the AVR A6 effector, which belongs to the family of catalytically inactive RNase-Like Proteins expressed in Haustoria (RALPHs). Using structural prediction, we also identified RNase-like folds in AVR A1 , AVR A7 , AVR A10 /AVR A22 , and AVR A13 , suggesting that allelic MLA recognition specificities could detect structurally related avirulence effectors. To better understand the mechanism underlying the recognition of effectors by MLAs, we deployed chimeric MLA1 and MLA6, as well as chimeric MLA10 and MLA22 receptors in plant co-expression assays, which showed that the recognition specificity for AVR A1 and AVR A6 as well as allelic AVR A10 and AVR A22 is largely determined by the receptors’ C-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRRs). The design of avirulence effector hybrids allowed us to identify four specific AVR A10 and five specific AVR A22 aa residues that are necessary to confer MLA10- and MLA22-specific recognition, respectively. This suggests that the MLA LRR mediates isolate-specific recognition of structurally related AVR A effectors. Thus, functional diversification of multi-allelic MLA receptors may be driven by a common structural effector scaffold, which could be facilitated by proliferation of the RALPH effector family in the pathogen genome.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Innovative rail transport of a supersized land-based wind turbine blade

Wind turbine blade logistic providers are being challenged with escalating costs and routing complexities as one-piece blade approach lengths of 75 m in various regions of the U.S. land-based market. New lower cost solutions are needed to enable further reductions in the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and continued market expansion. In this paper, a novel method of using existing U.S. rail infrastructure to deploy 100-m, one-piece blades to U.S. land-based wind sites is numerically investigated. The study removes the constraint that blades must be kept rigid during transport, and it allows bending to keep blades within a clearance profile while navigating horizontal and vertical curvatures. Novel system optimization and blade design processes consider blade structural constraints and rail logistic constraints in parallel to develop a highly flexible, rail-transportable blade. Results indicate maximum deployment potential in the Interior region of the United States and limited deployment potential in other regions. The study concludes that innovative rail transportation solutions combined with advanced rotor technologies can provide a feasible alternative to segmentation and support continued LCOE reductions in the U.S. land-based wind energy market.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

How Distinct Structural Flexibility within SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets

The emergence and rapid worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has prompted concerted efforts to find successful treatments. The causative virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), uses its spike (S) protein to gain entry into host cells. Therefore, the S protein presents a viable target to develop a directed therapy. Here, we deployed an integrated artificial intelligence with all-atom molecular dynamics simulation approach to provide new details of the S protein structure. Based on a comprehensive structural analysis of S proteins from SARS-CoV-2 and previous human coronaviruses, we found that the protomer state of S proteins is structurally flexible. Without the presence of a stabilizing beta sheet from another protomer chain, two regions in the S2 domain and the hinge connecting the S1 and S2 subunits lose their secondary structures. Interestingly, the region in the S2 domain was previously identified as an immunodominant site in the SARS-CoV-1 S protein. We anticipate that the molecular details elucidated here will assist in effective therapeutic development for COVID-19.

Chen, Serena↗