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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

Genome-Wide Effects of Selenium and Translational Uncoupling on Transcription in the Termite Gut Symbiont Treponema primitia

When prokaryotic cells acquire mutations, encounter translation-inhibiting substances, or experience adverse environmental conditions that limit their ability to synthesize proteins, transcription can become uncoupled from translation. Such uncoupling is known to suppress transcription of protein-encoding genes in bacteria. Here we show that the trace element selenium controls transcription of the gene for the selenocysteine-utilizing enzyme formate dehydrogenase (fdhF Sec ) through a translation-coupled mechanism in the termite gut symbiont Treponema primitia, a member of the bacterial phylum Spirochaetes. We also evaluated changes in genome-wide transcriptional patterns caused by selenium limitation and by generally uncoupling translation from transcription via antibiotic-mediated inhibition of protein synthesis. We observed that inhibiting protein synthesis in T. primitia influences transcriptional patterns in unexpected ways. In addition to suppressing transcription of certain genes, the expected consequence of inhibiting protein synthesis, we found numerous examples in which transcription of genes and operons is truncated far downstream from putative promoters, is unchanged, or is even stimulated overall. These results indicate that gene regulation in bacteria allows for specific post-initiation transcriptional responses during periods of limited protein synthesis, which may depend both on translational coupling and on unclassified intrinsic elements of protein-encoding genes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Recommendations to Improve the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reactor Licensing and Approval Process

Due to the urgency around climate change and associated goals for clean energy transition, and Battelle Energy Alliance's (BEA) and Idaho National Laboratory's (INL) role as the nation's nuclear energy laboratory, numerous stakeholders have asked for BEA’s thoughts and recommendations to reduce the time and costs associated with licensing new reactors at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). As an M&O contractor for an FFRDC, BEA is a long-term partner with the Government in seeking to achieve clean energy goals, yet has a level of independence needed to appropriately evaluate this topic. The views herein are informed by extensive BEA experience supporting nuclear energy endeavors including ongoing discussions with current and former regulators, applicants, and licensees. With this background in mind, the United States benefits from having an agency such as the NRC, which is viewed internationally as the leader in nuclear safety licensing and regulation. Nonetheless, while acknowledging the important nuclear safety role satisfied by the NRC, it is apparent that one of the most significant time and resource intensive activities for new reactor developers is the NRC licensing process. The time and cost to obtain NRC licenses add significant financial stress for new reactor projects and may result in abandonment of projects or failure to even begin new projects. The challenge is particularly acute for advanced reactors which may raise unique or new regulatory questions and may be smaller in size, resulting in a much higher proportional impact from regulatory and cost challenges. This situation presents a particularly troublesome risk for the nation given the urgency in which utilities are working to transition to clean, non-carbon-emitting energy sources like nuclear energy. Reforms to the NRC licensing process have the potential to greatly increase certainty and support the successful progress of new reactors. The NRC can retain its world-class nuclear safety reputation while becoming a world leader for regulatory efficiency and a critical enabler to the clean energy transition. This report describes potential NRC reforms, focusing on those with a statutory connection. Recognizing the potential tradeoffs with any proposed changes, the report attempts to highlight those considerations in the analysis of the reforms. The recommendations are presented as a set of options for consideration. Unless noted, they are independent options, offering stakeholders the option to select a subset for further consideration. Although difficult to calculate precise time improvements for some of the changes, the reforms have the potential for substantial improvements, perhaps even by a factor of two.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Systems and Implementation: Integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems into Physical Protection Systems at Fixed Sites and During Transportation

Physical protection systems, and response forces in particular, are designed to prevent an adversary from successfully completing a malevolent act against a facility or transport operations. Timely detection and assessment of any potential adversary action against a target is an essential element of materials security. The timely detection and assessment must then be followed-up by a capable and timely response that might be enhanced with the additional situational awareness provided by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The United States Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration Office of International Nuclear Security has been exploring capabilities provided by UAS to support response force operations within the physical protection system. UAS have the potential to provide response force commanders and operators with situational awareness in assessing adversary locations and actions as well as the locations of responders. UAS may be utilized for area searches ahead of responder pathways to identify potential threats and to provide situational awareness of areas not normally covered by cameras (such as areas outside the fence line outside at fixed facilities). In addition, UAS can provide real-time information to transportation convoy teams that pass through constantly changing public access environments. This paper will provide operational recommendations to be addressed when integrating UAS into existing physical protection systems at fixed sites and during transport. Recommendations will include aspects of the following: needs analysis; tactics and techniques to support detection and assessment as well as response force deployment; remote pilot selection, qualifications, training, and currency; UAS selection criteria; UAS laws and regulations; possible cost sharing with other facility operations; and on-scene emergency management.

Stockwell, Brandon↗
NASA NTRS2022

Gulf of Mexico Health and Air Quality: Using NASA Earth Observations to Identify Potential Methane Sources for Improved Monitoring of Offshore Oil & Gas Activity in the Gulf of Mexico

The extraction, production, and transportation of oil and gas is a leading contributor to anthropogenic methane emissions via activities such as flaring and venting. The Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) has air quality jurisdiction offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and drafts regulations for criteria pollutants, while the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) enforces these regulations. Additionally, the non-profit organization SkyTruth monitors natural resources, including methane. BOEM, BSEE, and SkyTruth have partnered with NASA DEVELOP to use Earth observations to identify potential offshore methane sources in the Gulf of Mexico and to validate reported flaring activity. This information will allow BOEM and BSEE to make informed regulations regarding air pollution. Here, we cross-referenced BOEM infrastructure data with Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) Visible Infrared Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Nightfire data to validate operator-reported flaring. Sentinel-5p TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) pollutant concentrations were used to validate VIIRS-detected flaring outside of the Gulf of Mexico where operator-reported data is unavailable. Using these methods, we identified the locations of offshore oil and gas infrastructure with known episodic flaring and venting in 2017 in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as offshore of South America and West Africa in 2021. Drawing upon retrieval methods used to detect onshore methane emissions, we proposed an analogous method utilizing sunglint to illuminate methane plumes over the ocean using Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imager (MSI) imagery. We detected two potential methane plumes – one at the Constitution complex in the Gulf of Mexico in July 2017 and one off the Coast of Lagos, West Africa, in July 2021.

Kate Howell↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Cumulative Noise Metric Design Considerations for the Nasa Quesst Community Test Campaign With the X-59 Aircraft

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to collect X-59 aircraft dose-response data to inform international regulators in their efforts to establish acceptable noise standards to replace the current ban on overland supersonic commercial flight. For this upcoming community test campaign, the sound level from a supersonic overflight of the X-59 constitutes a single-event dose, and an end-of-day survey after multiple flight events constitutes a cumulative response. This study considers how X-59 community tests could be designed to explore the relationship between multiple single events and cumulative annoyance response. Presently, a day-night level summation of single-event doses formulates the cumulative dose; however, a generalization method may improve the understanding of the linkage between multiple single events and cumulative response. This work utilizes an analysis method that employs a parameter to vary the cumulative dose metric such that it can represent the loudest single event, remain as the day-night level summation, or be more responsive to the number of events. The analysis is demonstrated on simulated dose-response datasets derived from previous NASA field studies and from expectations of X-59 community tests. Results demonstrate that certain dose designs are more efficient than others in determining the analysis parameter.

dose-response modeling↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Cumulative Noise Metric Design Considerations for the NASA Quesst Community Test Campaign With the X-59 Aircraft

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to collect X-59 aircraft dose-response data to inform international regulators in their efforts to establish acceptable noise standards to replace the current ban on overland supersonic commercial flight. For this upcoming community test campaign, the sound level from a supersonic overflight of the X-59 constitutes a single-event dose, and an end-of-day survey after multiple flight events constitutes a cumulative response. This study considers how X-59 community tests could be designed to explore the relationship between multiple single events and cumulative annoyance response. Presently, a day-night level summation of single-event doses formulates the cumulative dose; however, a generalization method may improve the understanding of the linkage between multiple single events and cumulative response. This work utilizes an analysis method that employs a parameter to vary the cumulative dose metric such that it can represent the loudest single event, remain as the day-night level summation, or be more responsive to the number of events. The analysis is demonstrated on simulated dose-response datasets derived from previous NASA field studies and from expectations of X-59 community tests. Results demonstrate that certain dose designs are more efficient than others in determining the analysis parameter.

dose-response modeling↗
DOE OSTI2025

Enhancing carbon nanotube production from carbon dioxide and ethane using bimetallic catalysts

Converting CO 2 into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offers a promising way for CO 2 utilization and sequestration, potentially mitigating environmental impacts from anthropogenic emissions. This study reports that bimetallic CoFe catalysts can increase CNT production from the reaction of CO 2 and C 2 H 6 by an order of magnitude compared to their monometallic counterparts. The active sites and CNT morphologies are composition-dependent: Co-rich catalysts (Co/Fe ratio ≥ 5) form stable face-centered cubic (fcc) CoFe alloys, producing cylindrical CNTs; Fe-containing catalysts (Co/Fe ≤ 2) favor body-centered cubic (bcc) CoFe alloy upon reduction, which transforms into carbides, resulting in bamboo-like CNTs. Experimental evidence and DFT calculations reveal that adjacent Fe and Co atoms modulate CO and C x H y adsorption, regulating CNT production pathways through the CO Boudouard reaction and C 2 H 6 decomposition. In conclusion, these results highlight the dual benefits of bimetallic catalysts in enhancing CNT yield and controlling CNT morphology through adjustment of catalyst compositions.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

DOE-NE LWRS Integrated Program Plan - Physical Security Pathway

Domestic nuclear power is facing increased financial pressures from a variety of areas and there is pressure on these utilities to reduce their cost of operation. Currently, about 20%-30% of all on-site personnel are related to physical security. The LWRS Program recognized that R&D related to physical security could play a role in providing nuclear utilities technical and staffing efficiency options to meet their physical security commitments, but utilities often lack the technical basis or the ability to create the technical basis to realize or implement these efficiencies; towards this end, the LWRS Program created the Physical Security Pathway in September 2019. The pathway performs R&D to develop methods, tools, and technologies to optimize and modernize a nuclear power facility’s security posture. The pathway will: (1) conduct research on risk-informed techniques for physical security that account for a dynamic adversary; (2) apply advanced modeling and simulation tools to better inform physical-security scenarios and reduce uncertainties in force-on-force modeling; (3) assess benefits from proposed enhancements and novel mitigation strategies and explore changes to best practices, guides, or regulation to enable modernization; and (4) enhance and provide the technical basis for stakeholders to employ new security methods, tools, and technologies.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS2007

Implementation of the NASA AG-Bed Rest Pilot

To examine the efficacy of artificial gravity (AG) as a countermeasure to spaceflight deconditioning, intermittent AG produced by a horizontal short-radius centrifuge (SRC) was utilized on human test subjects deconditioned by bed rest. This poster will present the subject screening, study design, logistics, and implementation of the 41 day pilot study conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX bed rest facility. An extensive screening process was employed to exclude subjects that were dissimilar to the U.S. astronaut population. Candidates underwent a modified U.S. Air Force Class III physical and tests of bone density, cardiovascular fitness, vestibular system function, psychological fitness and centrifuge tolerance. 15 subjects completed the study; 7 control and 8 AG treatment. All provided written consent to volunteer after the nature of the study and its hazards were clearly explained to them. Standard conditions were strictly regulated; Ta = 72 +/- 2 F, humidity = 70 +/- 5%, light/dark cycle 16h:8h. All fluid intake (minimum 28.5 ml/kg body weight/day) and urine output was monitored. Caloric intake was adjusted as necessary to maintain body weight. Carbohydrate, fat and protein were provided in a ratio of 55:30:15. Phosphorus intake was 1400 mg/d, sodium intake was 2 mmol/kg/d, potassium intake was 1.3 mmol/kg/d, and dietary calcium intake was 1000 mg/d. A physician examined each subject daily. During the first 11 days of the study protocol, subjects were ambulatory, but confined to the facility. Subjects participated in multiple baseline tests of bone, muscle, cardiovascular, sensory-motor, immunological, and psychological function. On the 12th day, subjects entered the bed rest phase of the study, during which they were confined to strict 6? head down tilt bed rest for 21 days. Beginning 24 hrs into this period, treatment subjects received 1 hour daily exposures to artificial gravity which was produced by spinning the subjects on a 3.0 m radius SRC. They were oriented radially in the supine position so that the centrifugal force was aligned with their long body axis, and while spinning, they #stood# on a force plate, supporting the centrifugal loading (2.5 g at the feet, 1.0 g at the heart). The subject station allowed free translation over approximately 10 cm to ensure full loading of the lower extremities and to allow for anti-orthostatic muscle contractions. Control subjects were positioned on the centrifuge but did not spin. Following the bed rest phase, subjects were allowed to ambulate again, but remained within the facility for an additional 9 days and participated in multiple follow-up tests of physiological function.

Warren, L. E.↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Circular and Tacticity‐Independent Crystalline Mono‐Substituted Nylon‐6 Platform: Unexpected Large Positional Effects on Crystallizability and Performance

Seeking recyclable, more sustainable alternatives to nylon 6 has drawn much attention, but achieving its variants with both crystallinity and enhanced recyclability still remains a challenge. Here, by utilizing bio-derivable mono-substituted racemic lactam monomers, we reveal surprisingly large effects of methyl substitution positions on the nylon-6 backbone on crystallizability, thermomechanical performance, and recyclability of the resulting atactic nylon-6 variants. While γ-methyl substitution gives an amorphous nylon, all other four methyl-substitution positions (α, β, δ, and ε) afford, unexpectedly, crystalline nylons with melting temperatures ranging from 145°C to 200°C and tunable mechanical performance from being stiff and strong (α, ε) to ductile (β, δ). Investigations reveal that the crystallinity of atactic nylons arises independently of stereoregularity, which is driven by the amide backbone with robust hydrogen-bonding interactions and countered by the chain flexibility regulated by the substitution position. These nylons can be chemically recycled back to their parent monomers with high isolated yields up to 92%, enabling a circular, tacticity-independent crystalline nylon platform.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Emerging Tools to Support DILI Assessment in Clinical Trials with Abnormal Baseline Serum Liver Tests or Pre-existing Liver Diseases

Abstract Based on the late Dr. Hyman Zimmerman’s observation that hepatocellular drug-induced liver injury (DILI) leading to jaundice carries a ≥ 10% fatality risk (coined as Hy’s law by others), evaluation of Drug-Induced Serious Hepatotoxicity (eDISH) continues to play a central role in the assessment of a study drug’s liability for acute hepatocellular DILI. The eDISH identifies drugs in clinical trials with DILI fatality (death or transplant) risk that may be unacceptable in a post-market setting. As a two-dimensional graph that plots peak total bilirubin (TB) versus peak serum aminotransferase levels for each patient during study drug or comparator treatment, eDISH identifies potential cases of acute, modest, and serious hepatocellular DILI for in-depth analysis of liver tests (LT) and clinical course so that the likelihood of causal association with the study drug can be determined. Unfortunately, the generalizable utility of this tool only pertains to trials enrolling patients with normal or near normal (NNN) baseline (BL) serum LTs. The eDISH does not necessarily apply to trials of patients with abnormal baseline (ABN-BL) LTs that often coincide with underlying liver disorders. Because drug development programs being reviewed by the FDA increasingly target liver disorders, we are often challenged to evaluate DILI risk in trials of patients with ABN-BL LTs. Also, the high background prevalence of metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) means patients with LTs above NNN may need to be enrolled in trials treating non-liver disorders to reflect the target population. Such study populations create challenges for industry and regulators because eDISH may not reliably categorize or identify potential cases of DILI for further analysis, as it so efficiently does in NNN-BL trials. We describe the main functionalities of eDISH in NNN-BL trials to understand what should be emulated by new tools or eDISH modifications. We then discuss non-eDISH–based plots that may be useful in ABN-BL trials.

Amirzadegan, Jasmine↗
DOE OSTI2014

Biphasic influence of dexamethasone exposure on embryonic vertebrate skeleton development

Dexamethasone (Dex) has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties against many conditions. There is a potential teratogenic risk, however, for pregnant women receiving Dex treatment. It has been claimed that Dex exposure during pregnancy could affect osteogenesis in the developing embryo, which still remains highly controversial. In this study, we employed chick embryos to investigate the effects of Dex exposure on skeletal development using combined in vivo and in vitro approach. First, we demonstrated that Dex (10{sup −8}–10{sup −6} μmol/egg) exposure resulted in a shortening of the developing long bones of chick embryos, and it accelerated the deposition of calcium salts. Secondly, histological analysis of chick embryo phalanxes exhibited Dex exposure inhibited the proliferation of chondrocytes, increased apoptosis of chondrocytes and osteocytes, and led to atypical arranged hypertrophic chondrocytes. The expression of genes related to skeletogenesis was also analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The expression of ALP, Col1a2 and Col2a1 was decreased in the Dex treated phalanxes. A detectable increase was observed in Runx-2 and Mmp-13 expression. We next examined how Dex affected the different stages of skeletogenesis in vitro. Utilizing limb bud mesenchyme micromass cultures, we determined that Dex exposure exerted no effect on apoptosis but impaired chondrogenic cell proliferation. Interestingly, low dose of Dex moderately prompted nodule formation as revealed by alcian blue staining, but higher doses of Dex significantly inhibited similar chondrogenic differentiation. Dex exposure did not induce apoptosis when the chondrogenic precursors were still at the mesenchymal stage, however, cell viability was suppressed when the mesenchyme differentiated into chondrocytes. Alizarin red staining revealed that the capacity to form mineralized bone nodules was correspondingly enhanced as Dex concentrations increased. The mRNA level of Sox-9 was slightly increased in mesenchymal cell mass treated by low concentration of Dex. Mmp-13 expression was obviously up-regulated by Dex in both mesenchymal cells and primary chondrocyte cultures. And Col10a1 expression was also increased by Dex exposure in chondrocyte. In summary, we have revealed that different concentrations of Dex exposure during early gestation could exert a biphasic effect on vertebrate skeletal development. - Highlights: • Chick embryos occurred shortening of the long bone following Dex exposure. • Dex suppressed chondrocytes proliferation and promoted apoptosis. • Dex exposure decreased ALP production and up-regulated Runx-2 and Mmp-13. • Dex exhibited biphasic effects on chondrogenic proliferation and nodule formation. • The hypertrophy and ossification were accelerated by Dex both in vivo and in vitro.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Toward environmentally-benign utilization of nonmetallic fraction of waste printed circuit boards as modifier and precursor

Highlights: • Environmental impacts of electronic waste and specifically waste printed circuit boards. • Review of the recycling techniques of waste printed circuit boards. • Advantages of physico-mechanical recycling techniques over chemical methods. • Utilization of nonmetallic fraction of waste printed circuit boards as modifier/filler. • Recent advances in the use of nonmetallic fraction of waste printed circuit boards as precursor. - Abstract: Electronic waste, including printed circuit boards, is growing at an alarming rate due to the accelerated technological progress and the shorter lifespan of the electronic equipment. In the past decades, due to the lack of proper economic and environmentally-benign recycling technologies, a major fraction of e-waste generated was either destined to landfills or incinerated with the sole intention of its disposal disregarding the toxic nature of this waste. Recently, with the increasing public awareness over their environment and health issues and with the enaction of more stringent regulations, environmentally-benign recycling has been driven to be an alternative option partially replacing the traditional eco-unfriendly disposal methods. One of the most favorable green technologies has been the mechanical separation of the metallic and nonmetallic fraction of the waste printed circuit boards. Although metallic fraction, as the most profitable component, is used to generate the revenue of the separation process, the nonmetallic fraction (NMF) has been left isolated. Herein, the recent developments in the application of NMF have been comprehensively reviewed and an eco-friendly emerging usage of NMF as a value-added material for sustainable remediation has been introduced.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2013

Multi-omic data integration links Deleted in Breast Cancer 1 (DBC1) Degradation to Chromatin Remodeling in Inflammatory Response

Ubiquitination is a common protein post-translational modification that regulates many key cellular functions. Here we investigated the dynamics of ubiquitinated proteins after an inflammatory stimulation of RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells with bacterial lipopolysaccharide. We demonstrate that levels of global ubiquitination, and K48 and K63 polyubiquitination change after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. A quantitative proteomic analysis identified 1199 ubiquitinated proteins, 78 of which had significantly changed ubiquitination levels after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. We next identified a subset of proteins that were targeted for degradation after lipopolysaccharide stimulation, by integrating the ubiquitinome data with global proteomics and transcriptomics results. Using cellular assays and western blot analyses we biochemically validated DBC1, a histone deacetylase inhibitor not previously linked to inflammation, as a degradation substrate, which is targeted via an orchestrated mechanism utilizing caspases and the proteasome. The degradation of DBC1 releases histone deacetylase activity, linking lipopolysaccharide activation to chromatin remodeling in caspase- and proteasome-mediated signaling.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗
DOE OSTI2015

Interconnection Assessment Methodology and Cost Benefit Analysis for High-Penetration PV Deployment in the Arizona Public Service System

In an effort to better understand the impacts of high penetrations of photovoltaic (PV) generators on distribution systems, Arizona Public Service and its partners completed a multi-year project to develop the tools and knowledge base needed to safely and reliably integrate high penetrations of utility- and residential-scale PV. Building upon the APS Community Power Project-Flagstaff Pilot, this project investigates the impact of PV on a representative feeder in northeast Flagstaff. To quantify and catalog the effects of the estimated 1.3 MW of PV that will be installed on the feeder (both smaller units at homes and large, centrally located systems), high-speed weather and electrical data acquisition systems and digital 'smart' meters were designed and installed to facilitate monitoring and to build and validate comprehensive, high-resolution models of the distribution system. These models are being developed to analyze the impacts of PV on distribution circuit protection systems (including coordination and anti-islanding), predict voltage regulation and phase balance issues, and develop volt/VAr control schemes. This paper continues from a paper presented at the 2014 IEEE PVSC conference that described feeder model evaluation and high penetration advanced scenario analysis, specifically feeder reconfiguration. This paper presents results from Phase 5 of the project. Specifically, the paper discusses tool automation; interconnection assessment methodology and cost benefit analysis.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Supply Chain Sustainability Analysis of Renewable Hydrocarbon Fuels via Indirect Liquefaction, Fast Pyrolysis, and Hydrothermal Liquefaction: Update of the 2016 State-of-Technology Cases and Design Cases

This technical memorandum describes the supply chain sustainability analyses (SCSA) for the production of three renewable hydrocarbon transportation fuels: (1) renewable high octane gasoline (HOG) via indirect liquefaction (IDL) of woody lignocellulosic biomass; (2) renewable gasoline (RG) via fast pyrolysis of woody lignocellulosic biomass; and (3) renewable diesel via hydrothermal liquefaction of algae. This technical memorandum focuses on the 2016 State of Technology (SOT) technical, economic, and environmental performance of these three fuel production pathways, as well as the 2016 SOT woody feedstock blend production and the 2016 SOT for algae feedstock production. The results of these renewable hydrocarbon fuel pathways in these SCSA analyses update those for the respective 2015 SOT cases (Cai et al., 2016; Adom et al., 2016; Frank et al., 2016), and provide an opportunity to examine the impact of technology improvements of both biomass feedstock production and biofuel production that have been achieved since the 2015 SOTs on the sustainability performance of these renewable transportation fuels. Furthermore, they reflect updates to Argonne National Laboratory's Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Transportation (GREET[R]) model, which was released in October 2016 (ANL, 2016). The 2015 SOT case was re-evaluated using this newly-released version, which includes updates to the production of natural gas, electricity, and liquid fuels that can influence biofuels' supply chain greenhouse gas (GHG) (CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O) emissions. These emissions and water consumption are the two sustainability metrics assessed in this analysis. The design cases (future target projections) for these three fuel production pathways were also re-evaluated using GREET 2016. In particular, the 2016 woody blend feedstock SOT was used in lieu of the previous design case woody blend feedstock, which utilized construction and demolition waste (INL, 2014). In the 2016 woody blend feedstock SOT, the construction and demolition waste was eliminated due to a lack of Renewable Identification Number (RINs) generation, and replaced with short rotation hybrid poplar in order to align with the woody feedstock blend that was chosen by the BETO Feedstock-Conversion Interface Consortium (FCIC) for the 2017 fast pyrolysis verification.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Overcoming persistent challenges in putting environmental flow policy into practice: a systematic review and bibliometric analysis

The implementation of environmental flows (e-flows) aims to reduce the negative impacts of hydrological alteration on freshwater ecosystems. Despite the growing attention to the importance of e-flows since the 1970s, actual implementation has lagged. Therefore, we explore the limitations in e-flows implementation, their systemic reasons, and solutions. We conducted a systematic review and a bibliometric analysis to identify peer-reviewed articles published on the topic of e-flows implementation research in the last two decades, resulting in 68 research and review papers. Co-occurrence of terms, and geographic and temporal trends were analyzed to identify the gaps in environmental water management and propose recommendations to address limitations on e-flows implementation. We identify the underlying causes and potential solutions to such challenges in environmental water management. The limitations to e-flow implementation identified were categorized into 21 classes. The most recognized limitation was the competing priorities of human uses of water (n = 29). Many secondary limitations, generally co-occurring in co-causation, were identified as limiting factors, especially for implementing more nuanced and sophisticated e-flows. The lack of adequate hydrological data (n = 24) and ecological data (n = 28) were among the most mentioned, and ultimately lead to difficulties in starting or continuing monitoring/adaptive management (n = 28) efforts. The lack of resource/capacity (n = 21), experimentation (n = 19), regulatory enforcement (n = 17), and differing authorities involved (n = 18) were also recurrent problems, driven by the deficiencies in the relative importance given to e-flows when facing other human priorities. In order to provide a clearer path for successful e-flow implementation, system mapping can be used as a starting point and general-purpose resource for understanding the sociohydrological problems, interactions, and inherited complexity of river systems. Secondly, we recommend a system analysis approach to address competing demands, especially with the use of coupled water-energy modeling tools to support decision-making when hydropower generation is involved. Such approaches can better assess the complex interactions among the hydrologic, ecological, socioeconomic, and engineering dimensions of water resource systems and their effective management. Lastly, given the complexities in environmental water allocation, implementation requires both scientific rigor and proven utility. Consequently, and where possible, we recommend a move from simplistic flow allocations to a more holistic approach informed by hydroecological principles. To ease conflicts between competing water demands, water managers can realize more 'pop per drop' by supporting key components of a flow regime that include functional attributes and processes that enhance biogeochemical cycling, structural habitat formation, and ecosystem maintenance.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

A Conversation on Zero Net Energy Buildings

The submitted Roundtable discussion covers zero net energy (ZNE) buildings and their expansion into the market as a more widely adopted approach for various building types and sizes. However, the market is still small, and this discussion brings together distinguished researchers, designers, policy makers, and program administrations to represent the key factors making ZNE building more widespread and mainstream from a broad perspective, including governments, utilities, energy-efficiency research institutes, and building owners. This roundtable was conducted by the ASHRAE Journal with Bing Liu, P.E., Member ASHRAE, Charles Eley, FAIA, P.E., Member ASHRAE; Smita Gupta, Itron; Cathy Higgins, New Buildings Institute; Jessica Iplikci, Energy Trust of Oregon; Jon McHugh, P.E., Member ASHRAE; Michael Rosenberg, Member ASHRAE; and Paul Torcellini, Ph.D., P.E., NREL.

ASHRAE Journal↗

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