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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 361 records · Page 20
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2018

The Role of Concentrating Solar Power Toward High Renewable Energy Penetrated Power Systems

Achieving high renewable energy penetrated power systems requires considerable operational flexibility to hedge the variability and uncertainty of variable renewable energy (VRE) generation. Compared with VRE sources, concentrating solar power (CSP) is an emerging controllable renewable generation technique that utilizes solar thermal power to generate electricity. The operational dispatchability of CSP would contribute to the power system transition toward high renewable penetration. In this paper, we explore how the generation portfolio will change toward high renewable energy penetrations, how much cost is involved, and what role CSP will play in realizing a high renewable energy penetrated power system. This study relies on a stochastic two-stage generation and transmission expansion planning model with CSP plants. The model captures the uncertainty and variability of renewable generation and the flexibility limits of thermal plants. With the target of achieving a renewable-dominated minimum-cost system with an expected renewable energy penetration level, the investments of both generation and transmission facilities are optimized. A case study on IEEE test systems with renewable technology cost data in 2050 is performed to analyze the value of CSP toward high renewable energy penetrated power systems.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Operation of a High Renewable Penetrated Power System With CSP Plants: A Look-Ahead Stochastic Unit Commitment Model

The integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) generation, i.e., wind power and solar photovoltaic, brings significant uncertainty for the power system operation. Different with VRE techniques, concentrating solar power (CSP) is an appealing renewable generation technology due to its dispatch ability through the use of thermal energy storage and is thus expected to play a significant role in high renewable energy penetrated power systems. In this paper, we propose a look-ahead stochastic unit commitment model to operate power systems with CSP under high renewable energy penetration. It has a three-stage structure. The first stage optimizes the operational decisions in a day-ahead framework based on forecasts; the second stage minimizes the expected generation cost for possible realizations in the real time; and the third stage accounts for look-ahead operation in future operating days. This paper has a dual purpose: first, exploring how CSP plants operate in high renewable penetrated power systems; and second, analyzing the benefits of CSP in accommodating VRE generation. A case study on a modified IEEE RTS-79 system with actual solar and wind power data is provided to validate the proposed method.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Executive Summary: Concentrating Solar Power Impact on Grid Reliability

This study examines the impact of concentrating solar power (CSP) on grid reliability by investigating the dynamic behavior of the Western Interconnection under conditions of high solar and wind generation. Reliability in this case refers to the somewhat narrow context of stability: transient stability and frequency response; and control stability, especially that associated with weak grids. The objectives of this study were to identify renewable energy penetration levels and mixes, severe disturbances, and load conditions where grid performance and reliability could be enhanced with CSP plants. Instantaneous penetrations of wind and solar - both photovoltaics (PV) and CSP - up to approximately 60% were considered. The focus is on situations in the Western Interconnection bulk power system during which variable renewable generation has displaced other (non-CSP) synchronous thermal generation under highly stressed, weak system conditions. Particular attention was given to impacts of frequency-responsive controls and synchronous generation characteristics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Concentrating Solar Power Impact on Grid Reliability

This study examines the impact of concentrating solar power (CSP) on grid reliability by investigating the dynamic behavior of the Western Interconnection under conditions of high solar and wind generation. Reliability in this case refers to the somewhat narrow context of stability: transient stability and frequency response; and control stability, especially that associated with weak grids. The objectives of this study were to identify renewable energy penetration levels and mixes, severe disturbances, and load conditions where grid performance and reliability could be enhanced with CSP plants. Instantaneous penetrations of wind and solar - both photovoltaics (PV) and CSP - up to approximately 60% were considered. The focus is on situations in the Western Interconnection bulk power system during which variable renewable generation has displaced other (non-CSP) synchronous thermal generation under highly stressed, weak system conditions. Particular attention was given to impacts of frequency-responsive controls and synchronous generation characteristics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Deer Isle and Stonington Energy Reliability Opportunities

The towns of Deer Isle and Stonington, located on the island of Deer Isle in Maine, partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) to examine options to enhance energy resilience, reduce dependence on imported fuels, and mitigate high energy costs. With technical support from the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and regional partner the Island Institute, the project focused on evaluation of the local electricity distribution infrastructure, examination of ongoing activities to reduce the frequency of outages, review of the applicable policy and regulatory environment, and identification of potential on-site energy solutions. Key findings revealed the island's reliance on a single distribution line, and limited hosting capacity for additional distributed energy resources. Solar photovoltaics (PV) technology, with and without battery storage, was found to be the most viable technology given economic, technical, and social considerations. While also technically feasible, wind energy faces more difficult siting and less public acceptance compared to PV. Marine energy technologies were determined to be infeasible due to technology immaturity and lengthy permitting timelines. Modeling of potential building-scale PV plus storage systems resulted in successful grant applications for installations at two local facilities. Analysis of community scale energy generation and storage options resulted the local utility, Versant, submitting a grant application for a proposed community-scale battery storage system to increase grid resilience and hosting capacity. This initiative has strengthened the communities' energy planning capabilities and laid the groundwork for future clean energy development.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

McGrath Community Energy Planning

The City of McGrath, a remote Alaskan community reliant on diesel fuel, developed a Community Energy Plan through the Energy Technologies Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) to address high energy costs, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and long-term sustainability. Guided by community-led priorities and technical assistance from partners including NREL, REAP, and ANTHC, the plan identifies eight focus areas: distribution system upgrades, solar and battery integration, river energy potential, emergency backup power, housing efficiency, water system losses, independent power producer models, and targeted funding strategies. The plan combines local knowledge with technical analysis to chart a path toward a more resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy future for McGrath.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2018

Response of Surface Ultraviolet and Visible Radiation to Stratospheric SO 2 Injections

Climate modification by stratospheric SO 2 injections, to form sulfate aerosols, may alter the spectral and angular distributions of the solar ultraviolet and visible radiation that reach the Earth’s surface, with potential consequences to environmental photobiology and photochemistry. We used modeling results from the CESM1(WACCM) stratospheric aerosol geoengineering large ensemble (GLENS) project, following the RCP8.5 emission scenario, and one geoengineering experiment with SO 2 injections in the stratosphere, designed to keep surface temperatures at 2020 levels. Zonally and monthly averaged vertical profiles of O 3 , SO 2 , and sulfate aerosols, at 30 N and 70 N, served as input into a radiative transfer model, to compute biologically active irradiances for DNA damage ( i DNA ), UV index (UVI), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and two key tropospheric photodissociation coefficients ( j O1D for O 3 + hν (λ < 330 nm) → O( 1 D) + O 2 ; and j NO2 for NO 2 + hν (λ < 420 nm) → O( 3 P) + NO). We show that the geoengineering scenario is accompanied by substantial reductions in UV radiation. For example, comparing March 2080 to March 2020, i DNA decreased by 25% to 29% in the subtropics (30 N) and by 26% to 33% in the polar regions (70 N); UVI decreased by 19% to 20% at 30 N and 23% to 26% at 70 N; and j O1D decreased by 22% to 24% at 30 N and 35% to 40% at 70 N, with comparable contributions from sulfate scattering and stratospheric O 3 recovery. Different responses were found for processes that depend on longer UV and visible wavelengths, as these are minimally affected by ozone; PAR and j NO2 were only slightly lower (9–12%) at 30 N, but much lower at 70 N (35–40%). Similar reductions were estimated for other months (June, September, and December). Large increases in the PAR diffuse-direct ratio occurred in agreement with previous studies. Absorption by SO 2 gas had a small (~1%) effect on j O1D , i DNA , and UVI, and no effect on j NO2 and PAR.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Resilience in an Evolving Electrical Grid

Fundamental shifts in the structure and generation profile of electrical grids are occurring amidst increased demand for resilience. These two simultaneous trends create the need for new planning and operational practices for modern grids that account for the compounding uncertainties inherent in both resilience assessment and increasing contribution of variable inverter-based renewable energy sources. This work reviews the research work addressing the changing generation profile, state-of-the-art practices to address resilience, and research works at the intersection of these two topics in regards to electrical grids. The contribution of this work is to highlight the ongoing research in power system resilience and integration of variable inverter-based renewable energy sources in electrical grids, and to identify areas of current and further study at this intersection. Areas of research identified at this intersection include cyber-physical analysis of solar, wind, and distributed energy resources, microgrids, network evolution and observability, substation automation and self-healing, and probabilistic planning and operation methods.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

The Binary Fraction of Stars in the Dwarf Galaxy Ursa Minor via Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument

We utilize multi-epoch line-of-sight velocity measurements from the Milky Way Survey of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to estimate the binary fraction for member stars in the dwarf spheroidal galaxy Ursa Minor. Our dataset comprises 670 distinct member stars, with a total of more than 2,000 observations collected over approximately one year. We constrain the binary fraction for UMi to be $0.61^{+0.16}_{-0.20}$ and $0.69^{+0.19}_{-0.17}$, with the binary orbital parameter distributions based on solar neighborhood observation from Duquennoy & Mayor (1991) and Moe & Di Stefano (2017), respectively. Furthermore, by dividing our data into two subsamples at the median metallicity, we identify that the binary fraction for the metal-rich ([Fe/H]>-2.14) population is slightly higher than that of the metal-poor ([Fe/H]<-2.14) population. Based on the Moe & Di Stefano model, the best-constrained binary fractions for metal-rich and metal-poor populations in UMi are $0.86^{+0.14}_{-0.24}$ and $0.48^{+0.26}_{-0.19}$, respectively. After a thorough examination, we find that this offset cannot be attributed to sample selection effects. We also divide our data into two subsamples according to their projected radius to the center of UMi, and find that the more centrally concentrated population in a denser environment has a lower binary fraction of $0.33^{+0.30}_{-0.20}$, compared with $1.00^{+0.00}_{-0.32}$ for the subsample in more outskirts.

Qiu, Tian [Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ. (China); DESI ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparison of aircraft measurements during GoAmazon2014/5 and ACRIDICON-CHUVA

The indirect effect of atmospheric aerosol particles on the Earth's radiation balance remains one of the most uncertain components affecting climate change throughout the industrial period. The large uncertainty is partly due to the incomplete understanding of aerosol–cloud interactions. One objective of the GoAmazon2014/5 and the ACRIDICON (Aerosol, Cloud, Precipitation, and Radiation Interactions and Dynamics of Convective Cloud Systems)-CHUVA (Cloud Processes of the Main Precipitation Systems in Brazil) projects was to understand the influence of emissions from the tropical megacity of Manaus (Brazil) on the surrounding atmospheric environment of the rainforest and to investigate its role in the life cycle of convective clouds. During one of the intensive observation periods (IOPs) in the dry season from 1 September to 10 October 2014, comprehensive measurements of trace gases and aerosol properties were carried out at several ground sites. In a coordinated way, the advanced suites of sophisticated in situ instruments were deployed aboard both the US Department of Energy Gulfstream-1 (G1) aircraft and the German High Altitude and Long-Range Research Aircraft (HALO) during three coordinated flights on 9 and 21 September and 1 October. Here, we report on the comparison of measurements collected by the two aircraft during these three flights. Such comparisons are challenging but essential for assessing the data quality from the individual platforms and quantifying their uncertainty sources. Similar instruments mounted on the G1 and HALO collected vertical profile measurements of aerosol particle number concentrations and size distribution, cloud condensation nuclei concentrations, ozone and carbon monoxide mixing ratios, cloud droplet size distributions, and downward solar irradiance. We find that the above measurements from the two aircraft agreed within the measurement uncertainties. The relative fraction of the aerosol chemical composition measured by instruments on HALO agreed with the corresponding G1 data, although the total mass loadings only have a good agreement at high altitudes. Furthermore, possible causes of the discrepancies between measurements on the G1 and HALO are examined in this paper. Based on these results, criteria for meaningful aircraft measurement comparisons are discussed.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

The Case for Custom TMYs: Examples Using the NSRDB: Preprint

A typical meteorological year (TMY) essentially represents an hourly compilation of median months constructed using multiyear data sets. Although TMYs are generated from global horizontal irradiance, they are used in photovoltaic (PV) modeling for various plane-of-array (POA) representations. This paper demonstrates that a POA TMY generated with corresponding POA irradiance time-series information produces significantly different results than a POA TMY generated by transposing a TMY data set. In some months, the differences can be more than 3%. These results point to the need for generating TMYs using POA irradiance time series representing the orientation at which PV panels will be deployed.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Case Study: Link Logistics Industrial Solar PV

This case study describes how Link Logistics uses community solar programs and other internal procedures to increase NOI at a warehouse property through leasing roof space for solar installation.

solar, solar PV, photovoltaic, onsite solar, indus↗
DOE OSTI2021

Background Information on the Power Quality Requirements in IEEE Std 1547-2018

The revised Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1547-2018, Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power Systems Interfaces, was published in April 2018. This standard is one of the foundational documents in the United States needed for integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), including solar energy systems, and energy storage systems with the electric distribution grid. The revised standard contains 11 chapters (clauses) and 8 annexes that comprise 136 pages. The revision is significantly different from the 2003 version, and it contains new concepts and new technical requirements. Each clause specifies information or requirements that apply to certain aspects that are important to the interconnection of DERs to the electric power system. Implementing the requirements necessitates a careful study of the underlying technical concepts and requires appropriate information to calculate relevant settings and configurations. This document provides informative material on the requirements related to electrical power quality in IEEE Std 1547-2018, with the intent to equip the reader with basic knowledge and background information to improve understanding and use of the requirements specified.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multi-scale Dynamics of Kinetic Turbulence in Weakly Collisional, High-Beta Plasmas (Final Report for DOE Grant DE-SC0019046)

This grant was a collaborative grant between Prof Matt Kunz (Princeton) and Prof. Eliot Quataert. Quataert was initially a faculty member at UC Berkeley when the grant was funded but moved to Princeton during the timeframe of this grant. Over the course of this grant we made major progress on understanding turbulence and multi-scale dynamics in weakly collisional high-beta plasmas. The most important contributions included: We developed one of the most compelling theoretical explanations for a decades-old puzzle at the heart of our understanding of the origin of the solar wind. The puzzle is that many of the observations of ion temperatures and distribution functions in the solar wind are consistent with cyclotron resonant heating. However, theoretical models of MHD turbulence in the solar wind show that most of the turbulent energy remains at low frequencies below the cyclotron frequency. In Squire et al. (2022), we showed, however, that in imbalanced turbulence (in which there is an asymmetry in the Alfven-wave flux in opposite directions along the magnetic field), which is the norm in the fast solar wind, the turbulent energy reaches a ‘bottleneck’ near the ion Larmor radius, and the amplitude and characteristic frequency of the fluctuations grow until the cyclotron frequency is reached.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Seminar 13 - Advanced Methods for Grid Integration of High-Performance Residential Communities

High-performance residential communities such as net-zero energy (NZE) and NZE-ready communities are emerging across the United States as many cities and states have committed to achieve ambitious energy efficiency and renewable energy goals between now and 2050. The achievement of these goals will transform the nation's communities into the holistic paradigms consisting of pervasive solar photovoltaics (PVs) and other renewable distributed energy resources, energy storage and flexible loads. However, integrating residential communities with high PV penetration may bring many challenges to the grid. For example, during many hours of the year, electric power is flowing out of PV-enabled homes and back into the grid. When this happens simultaneously in many nearby homes, distribution feeder voltage can be raised significantly. Intermittent solar power can also cause voltage flickers, leading to potential damages on both distribution feeder and home appliances. Existing solutions, such as PV curtailment, battery storage, and direct load control, are not able to address all the challenges in a cost-effective way. Better understanding is needed on how to deploy rooftop PV, how to predict building loads, and how to coordinate the homes in a community to enhance grid reliability. This seminar consists of four integral presentations that cover different aspects of a solution to these challenges. First, we will present an automated method to identify the best surfaces to deploy PV and size PV according to the PV penetration goals in a community. Second, we will present a streamlined way to create gray-box building models that are suitable for large-scale building-grid co-simulation. Next, we will present a data-driven method to estimate the end-use energy consumption to better coordinate the behind-the-meter resources to reduce utility cost, provide grid services, and improve renewable energy integration. Lastly, we will present a hierarchical control system that integrates the building models and the estimated non-dispatchable loads into the decision-making process to enhance the reliability and resilience of the residential community. Simulation results from an NZE-ready community in Fort Collins, Colorado will be presented in all four presentations and the guidelines on better grid integration of residential communities will be provided.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Stellar migration and chemical enrichment in the milky way disc: a hybrid model

ABSTRACT We develop a hybrid model of galactic chemical evolution that combines a multiring computation of chemical enrichment with a prescription for stellar migration and the vertical distribution of stellar populations informed by a cosmological hydrodynamic disc galaxy simulation. Our fiducial model adopts empirically motivated forms of the star formation law and star formation history, with a gradient in outflow mass loading tuned to reproduce the observed metallicity gradient. With this approach, the model reproduces many of the striking qualitative features of the Milky Way disc’s abundance structure: (i) the dependence of the [O/Fe]–[Fe/H] distribution on radius Rgal and mid-plane distance |z|; (ii) the changing shapes of the [O/H] and [Fe/H] distributions with Rgal and |z|; (iii) a broad distribution of [O/Fe] at sub-solar metallicity and changes in the [O/Fe] distribution with Rgal, |z|, and [Fe/H]; (iv) a tight correlation between [O/Fe] and stellar age for [O/Fe] > 0.1; (v) a population of young and intermediate-age α-enhanced stars caused by migration-induced variability in the Type Ia supernova rate; (vi) non-monotonic age–[O/H] and age–[Fe/H] relations, with large scatter and a median age of ∼4 Gyr near solar metallicity. Observationally motivated models with an enhanced star formation rate ∼2 Gyr ago improve agreement with the observed age–[Fe/H] and age–[O/H] relations, but worsen agreement with the observed age–[O/Fe] relation. None of our models predict an [O/Fe] distribution with the distinct bimodality seen in the observations, suggesting that more dramatic evolutionary pathways are required. All code and tables used for our models are publicly available through the Versatile Integrator for Chemical Evolution (VICE; https://pypi.org/project/vice).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

SunSpec Cyberguardians Fall Recruitment Webinar 20200901

The webinar was used to promote the Cyberguardians program and to ensure ample news coverage to reach veterans, employers, and others that would benefit from this program. It covers the landscape for Distributed Energy employment, why we need the Cyberguardians program, opportunities for veteran students and job seekers, and employer benefits.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗