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DOE OSTI2023

Informing climate adaptation strategies using ecological simulation models and spatial decision support tools

Introduction: Forest landscapes offer resources and ecosystem services that are vital to the social, economic, and cultural well-being of human communities, but managing for these provisions can require socially and ecologically relevant trade-offs. We designed a spatial decision support model to reveal trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services in a large eastern Cascade Mountain landscape in Washington State, USA. Methods: We used process-based forest landscape (LANDIS-II) and hydrology (DHSVM) models to compare outcomes associated with 100 years of simulated forest and wildfire dynamics for two management scenarios, Wildfire only and Wildfire + Treatments. We then examined the strength and spatial distribution of potential treatment effects and trends in a set of resources and ecosystem services over the simulation period. Results: We found that wildfire area burned increased over time, but some impacts could be mitigated by adaptation treatments. Treatment benefits were not limited to treated areas. Interestingly, we observed neighborhood benefits where fire spread and severity were reduced not only in treated patches but in adjacent patches and landscapes as well, creating potential synergies among some resource benefits and services. Ordinations provided further evidence for two main kinds of outcomes. Positive ecological effects of treatments were greatest in upper elevation moist and cold forests, while positive benefits to human communities were aligned with drier, low- and mid-elevation forests closer to the wildland urban interface. Discussion: Our results contribute to improved understanding of synergies and tradeoffs linked to adaptation and restoration efforts in fire-prone forests and can be used to inform management aimed at rebuilding resilient, climate-adapted landscapes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

How open data and interdisciplinary collaboration improve our understanding of space weather: A risk and resiliency perspective

Space weather refers to conditions around a star, like our Sun, and its interplanetary space that may affect space- and ground-based assets as well as human life. Space weather can manifest as many different phenomena, often simultaneously, and can create complex and sometimes dangerous conditions. The study of space weather is inherently trans-disciplinary, including subfields of solar, magnetospheric, ionospheric, and atmospheric research communities, but benefiting from collaborations with policymakers, industry, astrophysics, software engineering, and many more. Effective communication is required between scientists, the end-user community, and government organizations to ensure that we are prepared for any adverse space weather effects. With the rapid growth of the field in recent years, the upcoming Solar Cycle 25 maximum, and the evolution of research-ready technologies, we believe that space weather deserves a reexamination in terms of a “risk and resiliency” framework. By utilizing open data science, cross-disciplinary collaborations, information systems, and citizen science, we can forge stronger partnerships between science and industry and improve our readiness as a society to mitigate space weather impacts. The objective of this manuscript is to raise awareness of these concepts as we approach a solar maximum that coincides with an increasingly technology-dependent society, and introduce a unique way of approaching space weather through the lens of a risk and resiliency framework that can be used to further assess areas of improvement in the field.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Comparative Performance of Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) Refrigerants as Replacement for R-410A in a Regular 2-Speed Heat Pump for Sustainable Cooling

Heat pumps are currently being developed to reduce the energy footprint for residential and commercial building space conditioning and water heating loads in cold climates. To mitigate the nocuous impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment, and to create a carbon-neutral building stock, alternate lower-GWP refrigerants must also replace the predominant use of R-410A, without re-engineering the mechanical hardware. In this paper, we analyze the performance of lower-GWP alternative refrigerants (R-32, R-452B, R-454B, and R-466A) relative to the conventional R-410A and draw conclusions on the relative performances to meet cooling loads. The simulations are accomplished using the heat pump design model, a well-known, public-domain design tool with a free web interface and downloadable desktop version to support public use and the HVAC R&D community. The contributions contain detailed, hardware-based heat exchanger and system analyses to provide a comprehensive assessment. The results of the simulation are scrutinized from the first (capacity and energy efficiency) and second laws (exergy analysis) to identify sources of systemic inefficiency, the root cause of lost work. This rigorous approach provides an exhaustive analysis of alternate lower-GWP refrigerants to replace R-410A using the same hardware. The results have practical value in engineering heat pumps in an economy that is compelled to alter by the consequences and uncertainties of climate change, to reduce its anthropogenic carbon footprint.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2024

A Perspective on Solar-Driven Electrochemical Routes for Sustainable Methanol Production

The transition towards sustainable and renewable energy sources is imperative in mitigating the environmental impacts of escalating global energy consumption. Methanol, with its versatile applications and potential as a clean energy carrier, a precursor chemical, and a valuable commodity, emerges as a promising solution within the realm of renewable energy technologies. This work explores the integration of electrochemistry with solar power to drive efficient methanol production processes, focusing on electrochemical reduction (ECR) of CO 2 and methane oxidation reaction (MOR) as pathways for methanol synthesis. Through detailed analysis and calculations, we evaluate the thermodynamic limits and realistic solar-to-fuel (STF) efficiencies of ECR and MOR. Our investigation encompasses the characterization of multijunction light absorbers, determination of thermoneutral potentials, and assessment of STF efficiencies under varying conditions. We identify the challenges and opportunities inherent in both ECR and MOR pathways, shedding light on catalyst stability, reaction kinetics, and system optimization, thereby providing insights into the prospects and challenges of solar-driven methanol synthesis, offering a pathway towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

DOE OSTI2026

Scaled Implementation of Smart Charge Management for Electric Vehicles

Smart charge management (SCM) has become a critical strategy for mitigating potential grid impacts and reducing electricity costs for all customers. This study will evaluate the economics of implementing light-duty EV SCM at scale across the United States. This work will enhance distribution system analysis by estimating SCM implementation costs, exploring viable business cases, and developing a framework for national-level applications. The primary methodology involves leveraging detailed grid modeling from a specific service territory and using spatial extrapolation techniques to generalize findings to other regions. The analysis will develop key metrics to quantify the costs and benefits of SCM, including implementation costs relative to strategy and scale, the cost of distribution system upgrades with and without SCM, and the percentage of peak-load reduction. The objective is to produce a comprehensive report and a parameterized framework that enables utilities to self-assess the value of SCM in their own service territories. This will support the development of cost-effective charging strategies, accelerate the energization of new EV chargers, and facilitate the seamless integration of EVs into the nation's power grid.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2022

Designing for Zero Energy and Zero Carbon on a Multi-Building Scale Using URBANopt: Preprint

Groundbreaking efforts are necessary to mitigate contributors increasing impacts of climate change. In parallel to inventing pioneering clean energy technologies it is even more fundamental to rethink designing energy systems within a singular facility and collectively to function as a district. Facilities should not be continuously passive by just consuming; there is a need to shift to perform more dynamically. Designing for zero energy and zero carbon on a multi-building scale can uncover opportunities for building energy efficiency, decarbonization, demand flexibility, and resiliency that are not accessible at an individual building scale. This approach can be challenging without innovative tools to evaluate the multitude of possibilities. As an investigated result, we highlight the use of a campus-scale energy modeling platform - URBANopt™ - for the expansion of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL's) South Table Mountain campus in Golden, Colorado. Programmatic growth included the design of three new all-electric, zero-energy, and zero-carbon, mixed used buildings (a combination of research laboratories and office space). This investigation is critical to NREL reaching net-zero emissions for its operational footprint, which will occur in phases over the next decade. Leveraging URBANopt's capabilities, we evaluate 1) high-performance building energy efficiency and decarbonization measures, 2) 4th generation district heating and cooling (4th GDHC) systems, 3) optimized onsite generation and energy storage assets that meet zero-energy and zero-carbon targets at minimum life-cycle costs, and 4) cost-optimal distributed energy technology mixes, dispatch strategies, and associated capacities that increase resiliency to grid outages. This work demonstrates the use and capabilities of URBANopt through a real-world case study on a multi-building scale.

community energy model↗

DOE OSTI2022

Geothermal Reserve Pits: Considerations for Installation on BLM-Administered Lands

Reserve pits, also known as sumps, are a common aspect of geothermal drilling operations. This paper describes the Bureau of Land Management's regulatory authorities and key environmental considerations associated with geothermal reserve pits. Reserve pit design, the need for environmental compliance measures, and reclamation approaches will vary depending on site-specific conditions. Groundwater and wildlife impacts are the most common environmental considerations related to reserve pits. In some cases, regulations or groundwater or soil conditions necessitate the use of a synthetic liner. However, the chemical composition of most geothermal drilling fluids and muds, completion fluids, and produced fluids that are discharged to reserve pits does not warrant pit liners. The potential for hazardous fluids, high water temperatures, and entrapment are concerns for wildlife. Common wildlife impact avoidance and mitigation measures include fencing, netting, and escape ramps. The need for these measures depends on localized site and environmental conditions. There are requirements to reclaim reserve pits following geothermal drilling operations. Reserve pits often remain in place to accommodate multiple phases of drilling and well testing. They are eventually backfilled and decommissioned.

BLM↗

DOE OSTI2025

Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) Guide for States

The Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) Guide for States provides state energy offices, public utility commissions, and partner organizations with a structured framework for integrating cyber-resilient engineering practices into energy planning, grantmaking, interconnection processes, and workforce development. As grid digitalization and the adoption of distributed energy resources accelerate, states face expanding cyber-physical risks that traditional cybersecurity measures alone cannot fully address. CIE offers a proactive, consequence-focused engineering methodology that emphasizes eliminating or mitigating high-impact failure modes through design, physical controls, and operational safeguards. The guide outlines the 12 core CIE principles, demonstrates their application through state-focused use cases—including grant evaluation rubrics, interconnection reviews, allow-list development, and training programs—and provides practical tools such as scoring frameworks, impact assessment methods, and implementation checklists. It also highlights pathways for state–utility collaboration and opportunities for technical assistance from national laboratories. By adopting CIE, states can enhance grid reliability, reduce lifecycle costs, strengthen supply-chain assurance, and foster a security-aware engineering culture that aligns with broader resilience and modernization goals. November 2025

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) Guide for States

29 - ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Solvated Electrons Have Multiple Personalities in Molten Salts

P-Crosscut: Solvated Electrons Have Multiple Personalities in Molten Salts [EFRC – MSEE] Alejandro Ramos-Ballesteros;1 Hung H. Nguyen;2 Kazuhiro Iwamatsu;3 Santanu Roy;4 Vyacheslav Bryantsev;4 Michael E. Woods;1 Ruchi Gakhar;1 Phillip Halstenberg;4 Bobby Layne;5 Jay A. LaVerne;6 Claudio J. Margulis:2* and James F. Wishart5* 1Idaho National Laboratory; 2The University of Iowa; 3Hunter College; 4Oak Ridge National Laboratory; 5Brookhaven National Laboratory; 6University of Notre Dame Abstract: The solvated (eS–) is a powerful reducing agent and one of the primary products of molten salt radiolysis. In these extreme high-temperature environments, the eS– can initiate cascades of redox processes that significantly alter the physical and chemical properties of a molten salt, posing challenges for molten salt reactor (MSR) performance and longevity. Consequently, mastering the fundamental behavior of the eS– could enable the design of specific molten salt mixtures with tailored Lewis acidities for controlling the speciation and chemical reactivity of the eS–, thereby mitigating its overall impact on MSR technologies. Here, we use time-resolved electron pulse radiolysis techniques for determining chemical kinetics and transient absorption spectra, combined with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to explore the influence of multivalent metal cations on the fundamental speciation and distribution of eS– coordination environments.

38 - RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCL↗

DOE OSTI2023

Impact of Wildfires on Solar Generation, Reserves and Energy Prices

Wildfire seasons in the Western U.S. become more prolonged and intense in recent years bringing significant variability and uncertainty of solar generation. It greatly challenges the bulk power system and electricity market operation managed by California Independent System Operator (CAISO) as California leads both the wildfire records and the solar power integration. This study presents a screening-level analysis of the impact of wildfires on solar generation, operating reserve and energy prices applying historical real-world wildfire and market operation data. To the best of the authors knowledge, it is a first-of-its-kind study and will lay the foundation for market impact quantification and wildfire mitigation strategies design based on projected wildfire activities in future years.

electricity price↗

DOE OSTI2025

Environmental DNA as a tool for hydropower impact assessments: current status, special considerations, and future integration

Globally there is an urgent need to find sustainable solutions to balance energy production with the protection of vulnerable species and conservation of biodiversity. This is particularly critical for freshwater ecosystems, habitats, and species that may be impacted by hydropower development and operations needed to meet energy grid demands. Reliable and accurate environmental impact assessments (EIAs) that identify the biological, physical, or social impacts of hydropower are key to ensure biodiversity, ecosystem, and societal sustainability. The analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) has the potential to transform hydropower EIAs, management and mitigation planning, and decision-making procedures. Further, the incorporation of eDNA surveys into EIAs during both hydropower planning and continued operations may streamline regulatory processes by improving our understanding of potentially impacted biota and habitats and evaluating environmental impacts mitigation. Here, we: (i) highlight current understanding and use of eDNA in freshwater environments; (ii) examine critical considerations for eDNA integration into hydropower EIAs and biological monitoring; (iii) identify knowledge gaps in eDNA analysis and applications unique to hydropower-regulated systems; and (iv) discuss future opportunities to bolster the incorporation of eDNA into hydropower research including regulatory acceptance and public engagement. While we acknowledge that there are several factors that may complicate the broad adoption of eDNA as a tool for assessing the impacts of hydropower, we anticipate that growing confidence in eDNA through hydropower-specific protocols, calibrations, and validations will overcome these inherent uncertainties.

aquatic biodiversity↗

DOE OSTI2022

Coastal Acoustic Buoy for Offshore Wind: Project Synthesis

The population of North Atlantic right whales is critically endangered and their habitat overlaps with offshore windfarm leases. It is therefore imperative that effective mitigation strategies be used to avoid impacts on right whales during the construction of offshore windfarms. The Department of Energy issued FOA Number DE-FOA-0001924 to encourage the development of technology that could monitor large exclusion zones for right whales in order to mitigate potential impact of construction noise on right whales. This report summarizes the past two years of the development and evaluation of the Coastal Acoustic Buoy for Offshore Wind (CABOW) project which aimed to develop technology to monitor large exclusion zones for North Atlantic right whales. Over the course of the project SMRU Consulting have implemented a rigorous design process including comparison of different approaches (e.g., single sensor vs multiple sensors), as well as consideration of placement and timing of acoustic monitoring. We have evaluated critical components of the CABOW system including, reliability, detection range, and bearing accuracy in areas adjacent to offshore windfarm leases in Maryland by conducting 3,536 playbacks of simulated right whale upcalls. The maximum call detection range was 7.5 km when noise was 99 dB re 1µPa rms (50-225 Hz), but this reduced to < 1 km when ambient noise levels were high. Our detection probability in the field was measured as a function of range as well as the source-to-noise level ratio allowing us to build a model to predict the probability of detection under various scenarios (sample size: 3,536 calls x 5 buoys = 17,680). The median bearing error was -0.25° but this is likely an underestimate of error due to experimental design. Using the published recall and precision of the two detectors we implemented in the CABOW system, we estimate that at a recall of 80%, our precision was > 80%, within the range of what we were aiming for in this project. To estimate our exclusion zone false negative and false positive rates, we built a simulation model using the empirical data from our field trial. We modelled three to nine CABOW units placed on the 10 km exclusion zone and estimated our false negative rate to be 1% or less (which was our project goal) and our false positive rate to be between seven and nine percent, slightly above our goal of 5%. However, we also modelled an equivalent PAM system that does not have bearing capabilities and found the false positive rates for that system to be six to eight times higher than the CABOW rate. This higher false positive rate of PAM systems with low spatial information could have significant cost repercussions for offshore wind developers by adding work shutdowns or delays without providing additional protection for right whales. The model we built allows us to explore the placement of PAM systems under various scenarios and will thus help facilitate planning of PAM mitigation systems to meet NOAA Incidental Harassment Authorizations for specific windfarms. We achieved an average system uptime of 98.3%, just below our goal of 99%. The issues that caused these short losses of data have been identified and fixed. Right whale detections and audio clips were typically transferred via radio from the buoys to the base station in two to four seconds. We therefore believe we have developed a highly robust real-time PAM system. Based on the above, we feel we have achieved the stated funding goal of developing a cost-effective and robust real-time PAM system that enables the monitoring of large exclusion zones for right whales during the constructions of offshore windfarms. This should lead to decreased costs and risks for the offshore wind sector while providing robust mitigation for right whales. It is important to state that PAM mitigation will need to be implemented with other mitigation strategies (e.g., visual observers) to provide a complete mitigation strategy to ensure that any effects on right whales from offshore windfarm construction is minimized.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Impact of fused silica debris shields and enhanced mitigation techniques on large-aperture beam-sampling optics for the National Ignition Facility

Here, we show that the large-scale routine use of the fused silica debris shield (FSDS) maintains the ∼100× reduction in damage initiation rate and 70% increase in the install lifetime of a new grating debris shield (GDS) observed during pilot operations. Furthermore, we show that the install lifetimes of recycled GDS optics are nearly tripled using additional mitigation strategies such as expanding mitigation processing to include all damage sites larger than 10 μm (LT10) rather than just larger than 50 μm (LT50) and FSDS. We note that there is still a 50% difference between new and recycled optic installation lifetimes. We show that recycled optics have a 3.5× higher apparent initiation rate than new optics when exposed to nominally identical laser conditions.

FSDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Addressing Experimental Challenges in Probing Dark Energy with Accuracy and Precision with the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space & Time (LSST)

With support from this award, the Stanford group under the leadership of PI Patricia Burchat focused on pixel-level algorithms that are key to the investigation of dark energy with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The work was carried out through strong engagement in the DOE-supported LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration (DESC), for which the PI served as Deputy Spokesperson (07/2019 - 07/2021) and Technical Coordinator (07/2021 - 07/2023). Members of the Burchat group are Full DESC members and are among scientists who have been accepted to join the Rubin Observatory System Integration, Test, and Commissioning (SIT-Com) effort. The specific intellectual focus of the group was the optimization of gravitational lensing as a probe of the evolution of the distribution of dark matter in space and time to learn about the nature of dark energy. The Stanford group pursued an integrated research program to understand in detail, and then remediate or calibrate, systematic effects that could limit the sensitivity of the LSST to cosmic shear as a dark energy probe -- particularly those related to our understanding of the atmospheric point spread function (PSF), challenges associated with blended galaxy images, and impacts of residual camera artifacts. Key to this work was developing, enhancing, and validating the fidelity of simulations that play a key role in the development of our understanding of subtle systematic biases and then using these simulations to develop techniques to characterize and mitigate biases, and associated algorithms for implementation in the LSST or DESC science pipelines. The group’s work included contributions to the open-source GalSim simulation package, which is widely used in the community; simulations and studies of spatial correlations of atmospheric PSFs; studies of temporal correlations of the atmospheric PSF; impacts of chromatic PSFs on cosmic shear calibration; continued studies of anisotropic Gaussian process interpolation of PSF models across the focal plane; and measuring and mitigating impacts of residual camera artifacts on cosmic shear. A primary impact of this work is that it increases the scientific discovery potential of the DOE and NSF investments in the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space \& Time, by addressing challenges in interpreting astronomical images through more accurate descriptions of the blurring of images due to the atmosphere. Specifically, this work impacts our ability to understand the fundamental nature of dark energy.

Burchat, Patricia Rose↗

DOE OSTI2024

Scenarios in IPCC assessments: lessons from AR6 and opportunities for AR7

Scenarios have been an important integrating element in the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the understanding of possible climate outcomes, impacts and risks, and mitigation futures. Integration supports a consistent, coherent assessment, new insights and the opportunity to address policy-relevant questions that would not be possible otherwise, for example, which impacts are unavoidable, which are reversible, what is a consistent remaining carbon budget to keep temperatures below a level and what would be a consistent route of action to achieve that goal. The AR6 builds on community frameworks that are developed to support a coherent use of scenarios across the assessment, yet their use in the assessment and the related timelines presented coordination challenges. From lessons within each Working Group (WG) assessment and the cross-WG experience, we present insights into the role of scenarios in future assessments, including the enhanced integration of impacts into scenarios, near-term information and community coordination efforts. Recommendations and opportunities are discussed for how scenarios can support strengthened consistency and policy relevance in the next IPCC assessment cycle.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Testing of Fusion Machine Components Against Cryogenic Pellet Impacts

Shattered pellet injection (SPI), currently the most effective method of disruption mitigation, is currently implemented on tokamaks worldwide for experimental purposes. Cryogenic pellets are formed and fired into an angled surface before entering the plasma. The impact with the angled surface causes the pellets to fragment into a cloud of particles with the purpose of increasing the surface area for ablation. As pellets traverse guide tubes, depending on design, there is a chance of an off-normal pellet impact. Pellet impacts are also, depending on design, possible in the plasma chamber if not fully ablated and assimilated, or if the fragment plume is not directed in the proper direction. This paper outlines a series of pellet impact tests on various tiles and components relevant to the ITER, JET, and ASDEX Upgrade SPI systems. In conclusion, testing was done to assess the potential damage from pellet and fragment plume impacts through high-speed imaging and the visual inspection of components.

Cryogenic pellets↗

DOE OSTI2022

Enhanced Inertial Support: Modeling Fast Frequency Response Controls for Energy Storage System Inverters

Reduction of power system inertia is a growing concern for grid operators given the transition under way from conventional fossil generators to inverter-based resources. One key concern is the rapid and severe dip in power system frequency following a large disturbance which could trigger remedial actions including operation of under frequency load shedding (UFLS) relays. A potential solution is to utilize battery energy storage systems (BESS) to provide fast frequency response(FFR) to mitigate the system frequency impact of low system inertia. In this work, we investigate different control parameters to achieve modeled FFR response from BESS in the simulated US Western Interconnection. First, a very low inertia model is developed from an existing positive sequence model of the Western Interconnection. Afterwards, we tune the BESS dynamic response parameters to eliminate any risks of reaching UFLS relay thresholds following the loss of large generators. Finally, we investigate the relative impact of having large BESS units in comparison of multiple smaller units in the same area. The results of the analyses indicate that 1 GW of transmission-connected BESS can help mitigate the frequency drop caused by large generators outages in the Western Interconnection, and significantly reduce the risk of under frequency load shedding.

power system dynamic performance, Low Inertia, Fas↗