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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Impact of Lost Generation at the Glen Canyon Powerplant due to the Environmental Requirements for the Years 2024 to 2027

This report was prepared by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in support of an economic and financial analysis conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) of the loss in Glen Canyon power generation due to the environmental requirements for the years 2024 to 2027. WAPA markets electricity produced at hydroelectric facilities operated by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). The facilities known collectively as the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects (SLCA/IP) include dams equipped for power generation on the Colorado, Green, Gunnison, and Rio Grande rivers and on Plateau Creek in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Monitoring and modeling hydrologic conditions in Ukraine for hydropower generation

Study region: The Dnieper and Dniester Rivers of Ukraine. Study focus: The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has caused disruptions to electricity generation, of which hydroelectric sources contribute approximately 9 % to the country’s needs. With the takeover of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by enemy forces, the loss of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam, and the future impacts of the conflict on electricity generation unclear, it may be valuable for the Ukrainian government to better understand how it could leverage hydroelectric power sources in the near future. Unfortunately, measurements of river discharge throughout Ukraine ceased data collection in the late 1980’s to early 1990’s. To address this data gap, we developed a protocol that combined satellite-based time-series measurements of river width at seven locations throughout Ukraine from 2013 to 2023 with reanalysis data, climate-model predictions, and hydrologic models to both provide a means of monitoring a proxy for near-real-time discharge and also predict near-term (i.e., 2023–2030) hydrologic patterns for the region. New hydrological insights for the region: We ran new algorithms on 144 WorldView-2 and WorldView-3 satellite images to map rivers and extract width, one of which was validated against river gauge data located along the same river but in a neighboring country. Hydrologic models using two climate scenarios found minimal change in annual discharge at all sites, but magnitude and timing of peak discharge showed a moderate trend. The results suggest that hydropower is underutilized in Ukraine.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hydroelectric Power and Hydrogen Production Integration

Hydropower-based hydrogen production could introduce opportunities for new revenue streams for hydropower plants, including from energy storage and regeneration as well as from sale of the hydrogen product to external markets. Hydrogen-based energy storage and regeneration could also help support Idaho Power’s decarbonization goals by decreasing dependence on fossil-based peaking power plants. Additionally, integration of hydrogen production with hydropower generation could help address the issue of low dissolved oxygen river water conditions that commonly accompany hydropower plant operations by utilizing the oxygen byproduct from an electrolytic hydrogen production process as a resource for mitigation of low dissolved oxygen water conditions. Comprehensive techno-economic analysis of the hybrid hydroelectric and hydrogen energy storage system has revealed critical insights into the pathways and considerations for optimizing the economic value and environmental benefits of such systems. Among the three identified pathways of natural gas blending, regeneration, and direct sale of hydrogen, the direct sale of hydrogen emerges as the most profitable, particularly given the current pricing dynamics of hydrogen and electricity. However, as we anticipate a future grid characterized by higher renewable energy penetration, the landscape may evolve, featuring lower average electricity prices, heightened fluctuations, and more significant seasonal variations. Consequently, the attractiveness of electricity regeneration through hydrogen and the benefits of long-duration hydrogen storage are expected to increase substantially in such a dynamic energy scenario. The careful selection of component sizes within the hybrid system proves to be paramount for ensuring cost-effectiveness. Notably, the size of the hydrogen market has emerged as a critical determinant for the optimal size of the electrolyzer. Hydrogen storage should be sized to meet energy shifting requirements. The appropriate size of the fuel cell/microturbine generator hinges on the shape of electricity prices and the available revenue streams derived from participating in grid services. Striking the right balance among these components is essential for maximizing the overall efficiency and profitability of the hydrogen facility. Furthermore, the by-product of electrolysis, namely oxygen, introduces an additional dimension to the system's functionality. The oxygen generated can be effectively utilized for dissolved oxygen (DO) mitigation, particularly with larger electrolyzer sizes capable of satisfying the complete oxygen demand for this purpose. While the economic benefits derived from saved oxygen purchase costs may be relatively modest compared to other revenue streams, the environmental advantages of repurposing oxygen for DO mitigation could help Idaho Power meet their environmental obligations. In addition to the identified factors shaping the viability of hybrid hydrogen production and hydroelectric generation, it is noteworthy that the integration of hydrogen energy storage offers a unique advantage during unusually wet years. In such periods of increased water inflow, the hydrogen storage capacity serves as a valuable supplement to the reservoir. By utilizing hydrogen energy storage as a complementary reservoir, the system gains flexibility in reservoir management when dealing with fluctuations in water availability.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Field Verification of Grid-Forming Inverter-Based Power Plant Performance for Transmission System Reliability

This report describes some examples of the operation of two grid-forming (GFM) inverter-based photovoltaic-battery hybrid power plants connected to the electric system of the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Both plants are photovoltaic power plants with battery energy storage and are connected to the networked transmission system operated by Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC), along with several other power plants including an oil-fired plant, diesel generators, small hydroelectric plants, a biofuel plant, and several other photovoltaic plants.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2012

The GreenLab Research Facility: A Micro-Grid Integrating Production, Consumption and Storage of Clean Energy

There is a large gap between the production and demand for energy from alternative fuel and alternative renewable energy sources. The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has initiated a laboratory-pilot study that concentrates on using biofuels as viable alternative fuel resources for the field of aviation, as well as, utilizing wind and solar technologies as alternative renewable energy resources, and in addition, the use of pumped water for storage of energy that can be retrieved through hydroelectric generation. This paper describes the GreenLab Research Facility and its power and energy sources with .recommendations for worldwide expansion and adoption of the concept of such a facility

McDowell Bomani, Bilal Mark↗
DOE OSTI2022

It's Not Just About the Megawatts - ARC Industry Forum, The Future of Power Generation

As the world transitions to less carbon intensive energy portfolios, much of the attention understandably centers on generating capacity – replacing megawatts of fossil fuel with megawatts of solar, wind, nuclear, hydroelectric, hydrogen, and more. The actual operation of a reliable grid needs more than just megawatts though: adequate quantities of a portfolio of essential reliability services; flexible and capable power delivery systems; governance to operate in 5-10 minute intervals, forecast hourly, and plan and build on a generational time horizon; and dependable and secure communications. We can choose our fuel mix for climate reasons, but the grid itself and the society that relies upon it impose constraints on those choices that we ignore at our peril.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Seasonality and trade in hydro-heavy electricity markets: A case study with the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP)

Hydroelectric power plants account for 25% of West Africa's total installed capacity. In general, electricity generated by these plants is seasonal and intra-annual fluctuation has a considerable impact on electricity supply and cross-border electricity trade. We soft-linked a global hydrologic model to a multi-region capacity expansion and planning model for the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) to examine the effects of seasonality in hydropower electricity generation on electricity trade, as well as the economic benefits of unconstrained cross-border electricity trade. We found that transitioning from rainy to dry season decreases hydroelectricity generation by an average of 40% in a normal year across the region. Between 2018 and 2050, satisfying the region's electricity demand will require significant capital investment; nevertheless, extending from current bilateral electricity trade agreements to a fully competitive cross-border electricity trade will result in net annual savings of $3 billion in 2015 USD. To achieve year-round energy security, countries should plan ahead and diversify their energy sources to ensure that supply reliability can be maintained in the case of lower supply during the dry season.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Understanding Power Systems Protection in the Clean Energy Future

Wind and solar power and battery energy storage are often referred to as inverter-based resources (IBRs), which means they rely on power electronics (inverters) to generate grid-compatible electricity. This is unlike the fossil, nuclear, and hydroelectric plants that use spinning synchronous generators that have provided nearly all U.S. electricity until recently. Synchronous generators can inherently provide several services used to maintain a safe and stable grid and as they are replaced with IBRs it becomes important to understand how these services can be provided. One of these services is fault current, or the ability to inject large amounts of current during a short circuit. This current can easily be detected with low-cost equipment such as circuit breakers. IBRs do not inherently produce large amounts of fault current, and this may eventually require finding alternative sources of fault current or new system protection schemes. This document describes several alternative approaches to maintaining fault current protection and provide a safe, reliable power grid.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Financial Analysis of Experimental Releases Conducted at Glen Canyon Dam during Water Year 2019

This report was prepared by Argonne National Laboratory in support of a financial analysis of the Glen Canyon Dam high-flow experimental release that is intended to mobilize the sand in the Colorado River with high-volume water releases from the dam and redeposit it downstream as sandbars along the river. These sandbars serve, among other things, as habitat for wildlife. This experimental release was conducted during the period from November 5 to November 8, 2018. This analysis was funded by the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Office of the U.S. Department of Energy Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). CRSP markets electricity produced by hydroelectric facilities collectively known as the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects including dams equipped for power generation on the Colorado, Green, Gunnison, and Rio Grande Rivers and on Plateau Creek in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Staff members in Argonne’s Energy Systems Division prepared this technical report with assistance from the WAPA CRSP and Energy Marketing and Management Offices.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Financial Analysis of the 2019 Glen Canyon Dam Bug Flow Experiment

This report was prepared by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) in support of a financial analysis of the Glen Canyon Dam (GCD) flow experiment that was intended to support downstream macroinvertebrate production that are a primary food supply for fishes in the Colorado River. Also known as “bug flow” experiments, these experimental water releases were conducted on the weekends and holidays from the beginnings of May 2019 through the end of August 2019. This analysis was funded by the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Office of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). CRSP markets electricity produced by hydroelectric facilities collectively known as the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects including dams equipped for power generation on the Colorado, Green, Gunnison, and Rio Grande Rivers and on Plateau Creek in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Staff members in Argonne’s Energy Systems Division prepared this technical memorandum with assistance from WAPA’s CRSP and Energy Marketing and Management Offices (EMMO).

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Financial Analysis of the 2020 Macroinvertebrate Production Flow Experiment at Glen Canyon Dam

This report was prepared by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) in support of a financial analysis of the Glen Canyon Dam (GCD) flow experiment that was intended to support downstream macroinvertebrate production that are a primary food supply for fishes in the Colorado River. Also known as “bug flow” experiments, these experimental water releases were conducted on the weekends and holidays from the beginnings of May 2020 through the end of August 2020. This analysis was funded by the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Office of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). CRSP markets electricity produced by hydroelectric facilities collectively known as the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects including dams equipped for power generation on the Colorado, Green, Gunnison, and Rio Grande Rivers and on Plateau Creek in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Staff members in Argonne’s Energy Systems Division prepared this technical memorandum with assistance from WAPA’s CRSP and Energy Marketing and Management Offices (EMMO).

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Financial Analysis of Experimental Releases Conducted at Glen Canyon Dam during Water Year 2021

This report was prepared by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) in support of a financial analysis of two Glen Canyon Dam (GCD) flow experiments that were conducted in Water Year 2021. The first experiment, called “spring disturbance flow”, was conducted from March 15 to 26, 2021. This disturbance flow experiment is designed to simulate a spring-timed runoff event so scientists can study its effects on the Colorado River ecosystem. The second experiment was a reduced and steady discharge from May 29 to June 4, 2021. This reduced steady flow experiment was conducted for the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to collect high-resolution aerial imagery over Grand Canyon National Park. This analysis was funded by the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Office of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). CRSP markets electricity produced by hydroelectric facilities collectively known as the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects including dams equipped for power generation on the Colorado, Green, Gunnison, and Rio Grande Rivers and on Plateau Creek in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Staff members in Argonne’s Energy Systems Division prepared this technical memorandum with assistance from WAPA’s CRSP and Energy Marketing and Management Offices (EMMO).

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Third Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change on Federal Hydropower

Understanding the future changes in projected water supplies is a vital objective for federal hydropower facilities tasked with providing low-cost, reliable electricity across a large regional footprint that encompasses a growing customer base, alternative market structures for marketing the electricity, and a more diverse generation asset mix than was historically present when a majority of federal hydropower facilities were built. This study, The Third Assessment of the Effects of Climate Change on Federal Hydropower, directed by Section 9505 of the SECURE Water Act of 2009 (SWA), is the third quinquennial report on evaluating the effects of climate change on hydroelectric energy generated from 132 US federal hydropower plants marketed by four US Department of Energy (DOE) Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs). The technical assessment is conducted by DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Texas A&M University under the guidance of DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office. This study is the result of extensive consultation with the four federal PMAs (Bonneville Power Administration [BPA], Western Area Power Administration [WAPA], Southwestern Power Administration [SWPA], and Southeastern Power Administration [SEPA]), as well as other agencies, including federal hydropower owners/operators (the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Bureau of Reclamation [Reclamation]), US Geological Survey, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). The main findings of this assessment, along with the PMA administrators’ recommendations, will be included in a subsequent DOE report to Congress. The assessment method and the technical findings are described in this report.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Financial Analysis of the 2022 Macroinvertebrate Production Flow Experiment at Glen Canyon Dam

This report was prepared by Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) in support of a financial analysis of the Glen Canyon Dam (GCD) flow experiment that was intended to support downstream macroinvertebrate production that are a primary food supply for fishes in the Colorado River. Also known as “bug flow” experiments, these experimental water releases were conducted on the weekends and holidays from the beginnings of May 2022 through the end of August 2022. This analysis was funded by and prepared for the Colorado River Storage Project (CRSP) Office of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). CRSP markets electricity produced by hydroelectric facilities collectively known as the Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects including dams equipped for power generation on the Colorado, Green, Gunnison, and Rio Grande Rivers and on Plateau Creek in the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Staff members in Argonne’s Energy Systems and Infrastructure Analysis Division prepared this technical memorandum with assistance from WAPA’s CRSP and Energy Marketing and Management Offices (EMMO).

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Front End Engineering Design Report

Energy storage is becoming an increasingly important component on modern power grids to ensure sufficient balancing capability for intermittent renewable power generations is available to maintain system reliability. Although energy storage has traditionally been provided by pumped storage hydroelectric systems, it is not possible to install these at every location and they can be expensive to construct. Lithium Ion batteries are increasingly being used to carry out energy storage grid services, however these can be expensive when specified over a few hours of capacity. An alternative way to store substantial energy is to use thermal energy storage (TES). This has been deployed on concentrated solar units using molten nitrate salts as a storage media. Again, the cost of the material can be prohibitive, thus lower cost alternative materials are being actively sought, such as sand, rocks and concrete. This project investigates the potential for Concrete Thermal Energy Storage (CTES) when used to directly store thermal energy from a thermal plant source. This report represents the initial Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) deliverables that are submitted for the Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) safety review for process validation.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2020

CTES Pilot Plant Detailed Design Report

Energy storage is becoming an increasingly important component on modern power grids to ensure sufficient balancing capability for intermittent renewable power generations is available to maintain system reliability. Although energy storage has traditionally been provided by pumped storage hydroelectric systems, it is not possible to install these at every location and they can be expensive to construct. Lithium Ion batteries are increasingly being used to carry out energy storage grid services, however these can be expensive when specified over a few hours of capacity. An alternative way to store substantial energy is to use thermal energy storage (TES). This has been deployed on concentrated solar units using molten nitrate salts as a storage media. Again, the cost of the material can be prohibitive, thus lower cost alternative materials are being actively sought, such as sand, rocks and concrete. This project investigates the potential for Concrete Thermal Energy Storage (CTES) when used to directly store thermal energy from a thermal plant source. This report represents the Detailed Design phase deliverables comprising of the process, mechanical, electrical, piping along with control and instrumentation documents. Civil and structural deliverables are included on a preliminary basis due to outstanding site investigation activities. CTES block transportation testing results and the pilot plant testing plan is also included in this report.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Simulation of hydropower at subcontinental to global scales: a state-of-the-art review

Abstract Hydroelectric power is playing a new and often expanded role in the world’s major power grids, offering low carbon generating capacity in industrializing, dam-building economies while providing reserve and flexibility to co-manage fledgling wind and solar resources in high income countries. Driven by river flows, conventional hydropower is exposed to the vagaries of weather and climate, motivating drought and climate change hydropower impact studies at large spatial scales. Here we review methods of climate-driven hydropower simulation at large spatial scales, specifically multi-basin regions to global. We identify four types of approach based on complexity of tools and richness of data applied to the problem. Since the earliest attempts to model climate-driven hydropower at continental scale almost two decades ago, the field has transitioned from one of scientific curiosity to practical application, with studies increasingly motivated by the need to inform power grid expansion planning and operation. As the hydrological and water management models used in large-scale hydropower studies become more sophisticated, new opportunities will emerge to study the impacts of changing hydropower on power system reliability and performance at large power grid scale. To grasp these opportunities, the water resources community must continue to enhance data and models for representing river flows and anthropogenic water use and management at subcontinental to global scales.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

GODEEEP-hydro: Historical and projected power system ready hydropower data for the United States

Hydropower is a critical electricity resource in the United States which, in addition to low-cost electricity generation, provides valuable ancillary grid services, and supports the integration of nondispatchable weather-dependent resources (e.g., wind and solar). Despite its value to the grid, there are very few comprehensive datasets available from which to study both historical and future impacts of climate, weather driven energy droughts, and integration of other weather driven generation. In this paper, we present a hydropower generation dataset covering 1,452 hydroelectric plants in the contiguous U.S. The dataset contains monthly and weekly hydropower generation estimates for both historical (1982–2019) and future (2020–2099) periods which includes 4 future climate scenarios. In addition, this dataset provides weekly and monthly constraints such as minimum and maximum power which are particularly useful in power system models which are used to study grid reliability, transmission planning and capacity expansion.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗