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Distributed Generation to Support Development-Focused Climate Action

This paper explores the role of distributed generation, with a high renewable energy contribution, in supporting low emission climate-resilient development. The paper presents potential impacts on development (via energy access), greenhouse gas emission mitigation, and climate resilience directly associated with distributed generation, as well as specific actions that may enhance or increase the likelihood of climate and development benefits. This paper also seeks to provide practical and timely insights to support distributed generation policymaking and planning within the context of common climate and development goals as the distributed generation landscape rapidly evolves globally. Country-specific distributed generation policy and program examples, as well as analytical tools that can inform efforts internationally, are also highlighted throughout the paper.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Material Recover and Waste Form Development--2016 Accomplishments

The Material Recovery and Waste Form Development (MRWFD) Campaign under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) Program is responsible for developing advanced separation and waste form technologies to support the various fuel cycle options defined in the DOE Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap, Report to Congress (April 2010). This MRWFD accomplishments report summarizes the results of the research and development (R&D) efforts performed within MRWFD in Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. Each section of the report contains an overview of the activities, results, technical point of contact, applicable references, and documents produced during the FY. This report briefly outlines campaign management and integration activities but primarily focuses on the many technical accomplishments of FY 2016. The campaign continued to use an engineering-driven, science-based approach to maintain relevance and focus.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Nevada National Security Site Site-Directed Research and Development Report (FY 2018 Annual Report)

This report compiles multiple articles describing activities developed and performed under the Site-Directed Research and Development Program for the benefit the Nation during Fiscal Year 2018. Sustained investment and ongoing core innovation are the keys to successful research and development programs. These elements drive the Site-Directed Research and Development (SDRD) Program and provide solutions to some of the most challenging problems our nation and our allies face. Our Nevada enterprise, consisting of both our management and operating entity and our NNSA field office, is aggressively investing in SDRD and injecting innovation through strategic partnerships. Our partnerships with universities, industry, and our sister institutions within the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) build upon our core capabilities and allow us to create innovative solutions to support our mission requirements. In 2018, we raised the investment level of SDRD for only the second time in the history of the program. Nearly at our congressionally authorized limit, SDRD has substantial resources to successfully address numerous issues. Investment is only one part of the equation; innovation is generated through collaborations that bring discovery and provide the “technical differentiation” and the return on investment we seek. This report demonstrates an enduring theme of how partnerships help us drive the best outcomes and provide the maximum impact possible, while using our resources efficiently.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Advanced Energy Approaches for Mixed-Use Developments in the Front Range Urban Corridor

The primary objective of the document is to present example technical approaches and strategies that planners and developers can reference for all-electric mixed-use developments in the Rocky Mountain Front Range urban corridor that are considering advanced energy performance goals such as high levels of energy efficiency and renewable integration. The strategies are tailored toward the vision for a zero energy, all-electric, district thermal system-connected starter district. In this example, on-site solar generation is emphasized as a strategy that can be combined with electrical and thermal energy storage for enhanced community resilience and demand flexibility. Opportunities for utilizing or adapting these strategies include: sharing with vertical developers for potential integration of strategies into vertical design guidelines; incorporation into Owner Project Requirements (OPRs); providing example strategies to design teams as a starting point for design; informing structure of agenda for a building design charrette; comparing building designs to example strategies at various points in the design process to evaluate design progression. While the technical strategies outlined in this document can help inform the development of guidelines for projects in the Front Range urban corridor, this document does not set requirements for any rating, certification, program, or policy.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Strategies and Approaches for Developing Hands-On Training for Cold Climate Heat Pumps

The International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (ICAST) is in the process of implementing a program funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in which they are providing cold climate heat pump (CCHP) curriculum and training to HVAC workers, ranging from entry to experienced levels. They have coordinated with Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) to develop online curricula, and through their involvement with the DOE Better Buildings Workforce Accelerator, they requested technical assistance from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to help them develop programs that incorporate hands-on and on-the-job skills training and job placement services in coordination with local employers. This report offers a step-by step-overview of the process for developing a new workforce development and hands-on training program in a new region, outlining practices to help understand the market, and to effectively recruit, train, and connect people to HVAC jobs installing cold climate heat pumps.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

LDRD 2022 Annual Report: Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Activities

Each year, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is required to provide a report of its completed Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (LDRD) projects to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Scientific and Technical Information in accordance with DOE Order 413.2C Chg1 (MinChg) dated August 2, 2018. This report provides a detailed look at the scientific and technical activities for each of the LDRD projects funded by BNL in FY 2022, in fulfillment of that requirement. In FY 2022, the BNL LDRD Program funded 70 projects, 30 of which were new starts, at a total cost of $17.2M. The investments that BNL makes in its LDRD program support the Laboratory’s strategic goals. BNL has identified seven scientific initiatives that define the Laboratory’s scientific future and that will enable it to realize its overall vision. This requires simultaneous excellence in all aspects of BNL’s work – from science and operations, to external partnerships with the local, state, and national communities, and beyond. This is enabled by safe, efficient, and secure operations; by an unwavering commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, including workforce development, both with staff and reaching out to the community; and by a strong focus on renewed infrastructure. The seven scientific initiatives are: 1) Nuclear Physics: uncover the structure of visible matter by constructing and operating the Electron-Ion Collider at BNL to maintain international leadership in nuclear physics for decades; 2) Clean Energy and Climate: support a net-zero U.S. economy through fundamental research in basic energy and climate sciences to revolutionize grid-scale storage, renewable integration, and the study of atmospheric processes with a new facility to improve climate predictability; 3) Quantum Information Science and Technology: discover new quantum materials to enhance quantum computers and develop an entanglement sharing quantum network as a prototype for the first quantum internet; 4) Discovery Science Driven by the Human-AI Facility Integration: revolutionize the operation of experiments across the sciences at user facilities and in core programs; 5) High Energy Physics: understand the origin of space and time with the ATLAS high luminosity upgrade at CERN and the future Long Baseline Neutrino Facility/Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment; 6) Isotope Production: accelerate and expand isotope production to ensure the security of the Nation’s supply; 7) Accelerator Science and Technology: harness the cross-cutting accelerator science expertise at BNL to develop new facilities, improve and expand its user facilities, and promote the use of accelerators in industry. The funded projects support BNL’s seven scientific initiatives and priority programs as well as new areas of research and competencies at the Laboratory that are consistent with the Laboratory’s vision and mission. In total, these LDRD investments supported 43 postdoctoral researchers in whole or in part and resulted in 138 publications and 7 awards. This Program Activities Report represents the future of BNL science; it is an impressive body of exploratory work that investigates many scientific and technical directions in support of the DOE and BNL missions.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Research and Development on Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices Enabling a Spectrum of Electrified Vehicles

The USABC Advanced Battery development plan had the following three focus areas: 1. Existing technology validation, implementation, and cost reduction 2. Identification of the next viable technology with emphasis on the potential to meet USABC cost and energy density goals. 3. Support high-risk, high-reward battery technology R&D The primary aim of this project was focused on the barriers that most impede wider public adoption of electrification in vehicles-cost, energy density, low-temp performance, calendar life, and improvements in abuse tolerance. The specific objectives are as follows: Cost Reduction: drive to significantly reduce battery cost to be in-line with the $\$$100/kWh or less (by the end of calendar year 2020) DOE cost goals. Additionally, goals of $\$$75/KWh were set for 2023 aligned with fast charge and some offset of energy density. Energy Density Increase: focus on improving the cell-level specific energy and energy densities to >350 watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and >750Wh/L. Low Temperature Performance Increase: strive toward developments that improve the discharge power and eliminate or dramatically reduce the life limiting lithium plating associated with regenerative braking at low temperatures, during the program. Calendar Life Increase: drive to achieve a 15-year calendar life. Abuse Tolerance Improvement: strive to develop improvements in Li-ion abuse tolerance and/or development of electrochemical energy storage technologies with inherently better response to abuse circumstances. Emerging Areas: initiate new programs that address emerging technologies that arise during the contract period.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Bench-Scale Development of Promoted High-Capacity Structured Sorbents (Final Technical Report)

The project objective was to develop high-capacity structured sorbent capable of achieving low CO 2 removal from air. The sorbent framework consists of an amine-functionalized onto hydrophobic polymer backbone with an added promoter. The functionalized amine provides high CO 2 capacity and adsorption rates and the polymer backbone to reduce water uptake. For the sorbent development, multiple functionalized amines and promoters were assessed to select a candidate that achieved high CO 2 capacity, high adsorption rate, and high stability. A sorbent-coated filter design was selected as the structured sorbent, which provides high sorbent loading capacity and contains an electrically conductive nonwoven filter substrate that can be Joule-heated to provide efficient utilization of available electricity for sorbent regeneration. A commercial partner operated a pilot filter manufacturing line to produce the filter panels coated with the developed sorbent. A 1 kg CO 2 /day bench unit was designed and fabricated to test the structured filter sorbent. The key achievements from the structured sorbent development activity were demonstrating that existing filter industrial-scale processes can be used for manufacturing Susteon’s structured sorbent and completing a proof-of-concept demonstration of the commercially manufactured structured sorbent filters for CO 2 capture from air with direct, Joule-heated regeneration. A techno-economic assessment with sensitivity analysis was conducted on a 100,000 TPY facility with 85% operating capacity. Through sorbent optimization and process design improvements, it is estimated that the cost of capture was reduced from $\$$349/tCO 2 to $\$$241/tCO 2 . The TEA projects further reductions to $165/tCO 2 through enhancements in CO 2 adsorption rate and sorbent capacity and reducing manufacturing and scale up risks. A life cycle analysis was conducted on the same 100,000 TPY facility and confirmed that the facility’s electricity demand drives its greenhouse gas impact. It was determined that electricity supplied through the current grid mix would result in net-positive CO 2 emissions and that achieving net-negative emissions is only possible by powering the system with renewable electricity or fossil fuel sources equipped with carbon capture and sequestration.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A Dynamic Co-expression Map of Early Inflorescence Development in Setaria viridis Provides a Resource for Gene Discovery and Comparative Genomics

The morphological and functional diversity of plant form is governed by dynamic gene regulatory networks. In cereal crops, grain and/or pollen-bearing inflorescences exhibit vast architectural diversity and developmental complexity, yet the underlying genetic framework is only partly known. Setaria viridis is a small, rapidly growing grass species in the subfamily Panicoideae, a group that includes economically important cereal crops such as maize and sorghum. The S. viridis inflorescence displays complex branching patterns, but its early development is similar to that of other panicoid grasses, and thus is an ideal model for studying inflorescence architecture. Here we report a detailed transcriptional resource that captures dynamic transitions across six sequential stages of S. viridis inflorescence development, from reproductive onset to floral organ differentiation. Co-expression analyses identified stage-specific signatures of development, which include homologs of previously known developmental genes from maize and rice, suites of transcription factors and gene family members, and genes of unknown function. This spatiotemporal co-expression map and associated analyses provide a foundation for gene discovery in S. viridis inflorescence development, and a comparative model for exploring related architectural features in agronomically important cereals.

Plant Sciences↗

Status Report on Photothermal Radiometry Development

Thermal transport properties such as thermal conductivity and diffusivity, are critical parameters in the development of improved nuclear fuels and components. It is well known that thermal transport properties change temporally and spatially due to dynamic microstructural evolution as a result of neutron irradiation. Laser based photothermal techniques are an ideal candidate for thermal properties measurement of irradiated materials because they are non contact, non destructive and can be performed remotely. In this report, we present the progress in the development of a photothermal radiometry (PTR) system to measure the thermal diffusivity of solid samples. The PTR technique measures the local temperature response from a modulated heat source by detecting the sample radiation heat flux. Initially, a well developed thermal wave analytical model was fit to the data to obtain the thermal diffusivity. However, systematic errors from the diffraction effect and non linearity issues resulted in thermal diffusivity measurements higher than literature values. These effects have been studied, an improved analytical model has been developed, and the physics behind the phenomena are still under investigation. A procedure for optimizing measurements from the benchtop system has been provided.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Development of an Electrochemical Impedance Instrument for Monitoring Corrosion Formation (Oxide and Hydride) on Cladding Materials

The objective of this work package is to develop electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) techniques for the in pile measurement of changes in cladding materials in coupling with model simulation and material characterization. This work package will involve the initial development of electrochemical sensing technologies for measuring spatial and time resolved changes in cladding chemistry. Specific attention will be paid to monitoring changes in monitor cladding corrosion including oxide and hydride formation and deformation. The planned work during this period was focused on cladding material zirconium alloy corrosion, oxide and hydride development, and to characterize samples using EIS under controlled gas atmosphere, atom probe tomography (APT), Raman Spectroscopy, and Synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion, including oxide and hydride of zirconium alloy samples, was tested in this study. The samples were treated at a gas environment containing 3% H2 (vol%) balanced with N2 gas at various temperatures (100 – 500°C) and different times (up to 60 hours) and were characterized by in situ EIS. After treatment, various characterization techniques were applied to measure the samples, including TGA, Ramen, XRD, and APT. This study found that impedance spectra can be affected significantly with (furnace/environment) temperature. Higher temperature resulted in higher overall impedance, and longer exposure time exerted similar effects. Proof of concept characterization of oxidized samples, including TGA, Raman, XRD, and APT, were accomplished on samples exposed to 700 oC gas environment containing 20% O2 and 80% N2. TGA provides observable breakaway and bulk oxide growth measurements. High-temperature, in-situ Raman provides observation of oxidation stress at the surface of the oxide. Additionally, a transition from tetragonal to monoclinic zirconia can be seen early in the oxidation experiment. Specifically, tetragonal-rich zirconia is seen at the metal/oxide interface, where a transition to monoclinic-rich zirconia is seen in the bulk of the oxide. It has also been confirmed that highly compressive residual stresses are seen near the metal/oxide interface. It is concluded that the transition from tetragonal to monoclinic zirconia is induced by massive shifts in stress as the oxide grows. APT has supplied evident differences in the distribution of zirconium and oxygen at the metal/oxide interface. On the pre-breakaway sample, the metastable Zr(O) region at the boundary is relatively thin, interfaced by Zr-rich (i.e., metal) and O-rich (i.e., ZrO2) on either side. In contrast, it has been seen on a post-breakaway sample that the Zr(O) metastable region is much greater in thickness, with evidence of four “zones” showing slightly contrasting composition between 49-54% Zr. In addition, it can be seen from the Zr-2.65Nb post-breakaway sample that secondary element concentrations are considerably different than bulk composition measurements show. Specifically, Nb concentration is much lower than expected, whereas Fe concentration is much higher than expected. These differences could play a role in each element’s contribution to oxide growth mechanisms, as well as causation for breakaway. Future work is focused on analyzing EIS spectra of hydride and its correlation with characterization features, finite element (FE) modeling of cladding materials, electrochemical sensor development, targeting cladding oxides/hydrides under thermodynamic equilibria, during transients and under irradiation.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

BETO 2021 Peer Review - Analytical Development & Support WBS 2.5.1.101

The objective of the Analytical Development and Support (ADS) Project is to produce and maintain the critical analytical methods and tools that enable evaluation of emerging biofuels R&D at NREL and in the broader biofuels research community. Our project is divided into two tasks: one task to develop novel analytical techniques and improve existing methods and one task to maintain existing analytical capabilities at NREL and provide outreach to the wider community. The ADS Project is world-recognized for our Laboratory Analytical Procedures (LAPS) which provide detailed procedures for compositional analysis of biomass and have been adopted as the de facto standards within the biofuels community largely due to the transparency of the methods and the high reputation of NREL's research. Our dialog with stakeholders allows us to provide robust, precise, accurate, and publicly available analytical procedures for better valuation of scientific tools such as our recent accomplishment in developing a cellulose assay to support the EPA and industry in calculation of converted cellulose during starch ethanol production. We continue to develop analytical capabilities to support BETO's directives to research cost advantaged fuels such as animal wastes and novel bioproducts like 2,3-Butane-diol.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

SMR Accelerated Development Needs with Adequate Safety

The development of advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) is ongoing. A customer-focused development approach requires accelerated design and analysis of the reactor system while minimizing engineering, regulatory, and economic challenges. SMRs, although not a new concept, are being considered for rapid deployment with optimized economic scalability, and several designs are currently seeking approval. Understanding the research and development needs, with adequate safety support, accelerates reactor development.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗

Recent Drug Development and Medicinal Chemistry Approaches for the Treatment of SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection and COVID‐19

Abstract COVID‐19, caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, continues to be a major public health crisis around the globe. Development of vaccines and the first cluster of antiviral drugs has brought promise and hope for prevention and treatment of severe coronavirus disease. However, continued development of newer, safer, and more effective antiviral drugs are critically important to combat COVID‐19 and counter the looming pathogenic variants. Studies of the coronavirus life cycle revealed several important biochemical targets for drug development. In the present review, we focus on recent drug design and medicinal chemistry efforts in small molecule drug discovery, including the development of nirmatrelvir that targets viral protein synthesis and remdesivir and molnupiravir that target viral RdRp. These are recent FDA approved drugs for the treatment of COVID‐19.

Pharmacology & Pharmacy↗

Combining Chemistry, Material Science, Inspiration from nature, and Serendipity to Develop Stimuli-responsive Polymeric Materials

Neither of us can remember people talking about stimuli-responsive polymers when we were students. Even though this was still in the last century, it was almost 70 years after Staudinger's seminal paper "uber Polymerisation"![1] By the time we entered graduate school in the early 1990 s, the first papers on polymer light emitting diodes appeared, while research on electrically conducting, nonlinear optical, and other "functional" polymers was already in full swing. Looking back, there were some stimuli-responsive materials that were around at the time, but it took the better part of the last 30 years until the field had developed into what we think is one of the most vibrant areas of polymer science. Before the potential usefulness of this class of materials was recognized, researchers were focused on developing polymeric materials that would not respond to external influences, and in fact maintain (in particular) their mechanical properties in a wide range of environments. This has led to the development of many environmentally robust polymers, which have come to impact basically every aspect of our daily life. Ironically, this long-sought stability now comes back to haunt us in the form of plastic pollution, but this is another story. The concept of materials that adapt their properties in response to changing environmental conditions might appear like a complete reversal with respect to the original goals of creating stable materials. However, eventually a) it was recognized that materials that respond to a specific stimulus in a predictable and useful manner would significantly broaden the potential usefulness of polymers, and b) the field of polymer science had developed to the point where the rational design, preparation, and characterization of such materials became possible. The expression 'stimuli-responsive polymer' had been first used in the 1980's, however its use really only gained popularity a few decades later. In the early days, terms such as environmentally-sensitive or environmentally-responsive polymers, stimuli-reversible or stimuli-sensitive polymers, or polymers with phase transitions have also been used.

Rowan, Stuart J.↗

Perceived Conflicts of Systems Engineering in Early-Stage Research and Development 1

Early Systems Research and Development (ESR&D) is one of the most crucial phases in the product development process. It both blends and blurs the lines between science and engineering, and requires a risk-based, disciplined, and graded approach to effectively manage scope, cost, and complexity of the final product. Many leaders, program managers, and scientists are unwilling to involve systems engineering because of the perception that systems engineering is heavily process oriented, adds unnecessary costs, and should be applied only to mature technologies. The value of systems engineering as applied to ESR&D is unclear to these key individuals. The unfortunate result is that system engineering is not applied to ESR&D. This results in R&D efforts that may have solved the wrong problem, selected the wrong architecture, require technical rework, have difficulty transitioning later maturity levels, and result in higher R&D costs and extended development timelines. This work discusses the difficulty of introducing systems engineering to the research and early development process and their inclination perspectives of researchers, engineers, and managers. The article shall offer potential means to manage the cultural transformation of early adoption of right-sized systems engineering in ESR&D and reverse the attitudinal positions.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Preexisting Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Blunts the Development of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) affects 9.5% of the population. T1DM is characterized by severe insulin deficiency that causes hyperglycemia and leads to several systemic effects. T1DM has been suggested as a risk factor for articular cartilage damage and loss, which could expedite the development of osteoarthritis (OA). OA represents a major public health challenge by affecting 300 million people globally, yet very little is known about the correlation between T1DM and OA. In addition, current studies that have looked at the interaction between diabetes mellitus and OA have reported conflicting results with some suggesting a positive correlation whereas others did not. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether T1DM exacerbates the development of spontaneous OA or accelerates the progression of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) after joint injury. Histological evaluation of T1DM and control joints determined that T1DM mice displayed cartilage degeneration measurements consistent with mild OA phenotypes. RNA sequencing analyses identified significantly upregulated genes in T1DM corresponding to matrix-degrading enzymes known to promote cartilage matrix degradation, suggesting a role of these enzymes in OA development. Next, we assessed whether preexisting T1DM influences PTOA development subsequent to trauma. At 6 weeks post-injury, T1DM injured joints displayed significantly less cartilage damage and joint degeneration than injured non-diabetic joints, suggesting a significant delay in PTOA disease progression. At the single-cell resolution, we identified increased number of cells expressing the chondrocyte markers Col2a1, Acan, and Cytl1 in the T1DM injured group. Our findings demonstrate that T1DM can be a risk factor for OA but not for PTOA. This study provides the first account of single-cell resolution related to T1DM and the risk for OA and PTOA.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗