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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Transforming Energy Through Computational Excellence: High-Performance Computing for Energy Innovation

The challenges associated with energy efficiency of manufacturing and advanced materials often cannot be addressed through experimentation alone, whether because of scale, complexity, or practicality. High-performance computing (HPC) enables fast tackling of these challenges in the manufacturing sector - vital to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and industry partners leverage HPC to apply advanced modeling, simulation, and data analysis to improve manufacturing efficiency, explore new materials for energy applications, and develop technologies to manage carbon across the life cycle. From improving additive manufacturing processes to increasing the energy efficiency of jet-engine components, advanced computing can help manage emissions produced by manufacturing in a wide variety of ways.

advanced materials↗
DOE OSTI2024

FECM/NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model CO2_S_COM 2024 (v4)

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), in collaboration with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), has developed the FECM/NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model (CO2_S_COM). This Excel-based tool provides a comprehensive framework for estimating the costs and breakeven prices associated with storing carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep saline formations. Designed from the perspective of a CO2 storage site owner, the CO2_S_COM incorporates four integrated modules—project management, financial analysis, activity cost estimation, and geological evaluation—to deliver fast, robust and actionable insights for screening project finances.

CO2 storage↗
DOE OSTI2024

Direct Air Capture Recovery of Energy for CCUS Partnership (DAC RECO 2 UP) Final Technical Report

The “Direct Air Capture Recovery of Energy for CCUS Partnership (DAC RECO 2 UP)” project employs a team approach and supports the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management’s (DOE-FECM) goal to decrease the cost of capture through the testing of existing direct air capture (DAC) materials in integrated field units that produce a concentrated carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) stream of at least 95% purity. Solid-amine CO 2 adsorption-desorption contactor technology, proven in the laboratory, is undergoing high-fidelity design/validation. Recoverable energy is readily available from a large number of commercial locations where DAC can be deployed; therefore, advancing the fidelity of energy recovery to directly reduce the cost of DAC is a key project objective. In addition, many commercial facilities have low-concentration CO 2 vents that are uneconomical to treat alone but could provide more efficient mass and thermal transport to DAC systems with integrated energy recovery and flexible CO 2 treatment capabilities. Technology scale-up leverages past research and occurs in a commercially relevant environment at the National Carbon Capture Center. Prescreening techno-economic analysis, risk assessments, and life cycle analysis are being performed by experienced team members. Results of the project will address critical technical barriers that, when solved, will improve the capital and operating costs of DAC while validating commercial relevance of cost and product quality/need.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

FECM/NETL CO 2 Saline Storage Cost Model (2024): User’s Manual

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), in collaboration with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), has developed the FECM/NETL CO 2 Saline Storage Cost Model (CO2_S_COM). This Excel-based tool provides a comprehensive framework for estimating the costs and breakeven prices associated with storing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in deep saline formations. Designed from the perspective of a CO 2 storage site owner, the CO2_S_COM incorporates four integrated modules—project management, financial analysis, activity cost estimation, and geological evaluation—to deliver fast, robust, and actionable insights for evaluating project finances. This is the user's manual for CO2_S_COM. The model may be accessed at this link: FECM/NETL CO2 Saline Storage Cost Model CO2_S_COM 2024 (v4) - Submissions - EDX

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Techno-economic Analysis and Optimization of Point Source Solvent-Based Carbon Capture Systems at High CO2 Capture Levels for NGCC Power Plants

This poster was presented at the 2024 FECM / NETL Carbon Management Research Project Review Meeting held during Aug 5-9, 2024. It summarizes the research done as a part of CCSI2 for determining the optimal design and operating conditions of an MEA solvent-based carbon capture system connected to a commercial scale NGCC plant, operating at CO2 capture levels beyond 90%. The techno-economic optimization approach is outlined, along with the trends of key cost and performance indicators across high capture levels.

Deshpande, Anuja↗
DOE OSTI2024

Impact of carbon dioxide removal technologies on deep decarbonization: EMF37 MARKAL–NETL modeling results

Here this paper examines the MARKAL-NETL modeling results for the Energy Modeling Forum Study on Deep Decarbonization & High Electrification Scenarios for North America (EMF 37) with specific focus on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and opportunities under different scenarios guidelines, policies, and technological advancements. The results demonstrate that CDR, such as, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), direct air capture (DAC) and afforestation are key negative emission technologies in deep decarbonization scenarios in the U.S. are accounted for about 70% of annually avoided carbon dioxide emissions (CO 2 ) by 2050, or more than 2 billion tons of CO 2 (GtCO 2 ). The potential scale of CDR and its impact on the energy system depends on energy supply and demand technologies advancement and their costs, the level of end-use sectors electrification, availability and costs of CDR. Results show that the carbon prices are substantially lower if the advanced technologies available, particularly, in carbon management scenarios.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Retrofitting NGCC and PC Power Plants with Carbon Capture Technology

This is a poster that was presented at the 2023 Carbon Management Research Project Review Meeting. The poster highlights primary takeaways from two reports that were recently released by NETL on retrofitting natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) and pulverized coal (PC) power plants with solvent-based carbon capture technology. The poster highlights the performance and cost of retrofitting these plants at 90 and 95% carbon capture, including consideration of cases that attempt to makeup for steam turbine derates caused by extracting steam for use in the capture process. Additionally, the poster highlights NETL's recently released carbon capture retrofit databases (CCRD) for both NGCC and PC plants. The CCRDs are public-facing tools that allow the end-user to approximate the incremental cost of CO2 capture for a user defined plant with retrofitted capture technology.

Hackett, Gregory↗
DOE OSTI2026

Adsorption-based direct air capture using hierarchical porous composites prepared via confined-space crystallization

Capturing CO₂ at trace concentration remains a critical challenge in sustainable carbon management via adsorption, as conventional adsorbents suffer from low CO₂ selectivity, poor moisture tolerance, and energy-intensive regeneration requirements. Here, we report a hierarchical Ba²⁺-exchanged silicoaluminophosphate (Ba²⁺-CSAPO-34) composite synthesized via confined-space crystallization within an activated carbon matrix. Comprehensive characterization revealed a confined nucleation mechanism and the successful incorporation of Ba²⁺ active sites within the SAPO-34 framework, achieved via a two-step liquid ion-exchange protocol. The core-shell architecture combines the selective CO₂ binding of Ba²⁺-functionalized SAPO-34 with the hydrophobic protection of the carbon shell. Fixed-bed adsorption tests demonstrated strong CO₂ binding (at 500-2500 ppm), no roll-up, and effective suppression of water affinity, while maintaining high selectivity even at 90% relative humidity. A phenomenological adsorption model, validated against dynamic breakthrough data, accurately predicted dynamic adsorption behavior under real-world operating conditions, enabling rational process design for direct air capture (DAC) and closed-loop life support systems. Furthermore, these results establish Ba²⁺-CSAPO-34 as a scalable, moisture-resistant adsorbent that addresses key limitations in trace CO₂ capture, advancing practical implementation of carbon removal technologies.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS2007

Advanced NASA Earth Science Mission Concept for Vegetation 3D Structure, Biomass and Disturbance

Carbon in forest canopies represents about 85% of the total carbon in the Earth's aboveground biomass (Olson et al., 1983). A major source of uncertainty in global carbon budgets derives from large errors in the current estimates of these carbon stocks (IPCC, 2001). The magnitudes and distributions of terrestrial carbon storage along with changes in sources and sinks for atmospheric C02 due to land use change remain the most significant uncertainties in Earth's carbon budget. These uncertainties severely limit accurate terrestrial carbon accounting; our ability to evaluate terrestrial carbon management schemes; and the veracity of atmospheric C02 projections in response to further fossil fuel combustion and other human activities. Measurements of vegetation three-dimensional (3D) structural characteristics over the Earth's land surface are needed to estimate biomass and carbon stocks and to quantify biomass recovery following disturbance. These measurements include vegetation height, the vertical profile of canopy elements (i.e., leaves, stems, branches), andlor the volume scattering of canopy elements. They are critical for reducing uncertainties in the global carbon budget. Disturbance by natural phenomena, such as fire or wind, as well as by human activities, such as forest harvest, and subsequent recovery, complicate the quantification of carbon storage and release. The resulting spatial and temporal heterogeneity of terrestrial biomass and carbon in vegetation make it very difficult to estimate terrestrial carbon stocks and quantify their dynamics. Vegetation height profiles and disturbance recovery patterns are also required to assess ecosystem health and characterize habitat. The three-dimensional structure of vegetation provides habitats for many species and is a control on biodiversity. Canopy height and structure influence habitat use and specialization, two fundamental processes that modify species richness and abundance across ecosystems. Accurate and consistent 3D measurements of forest structure at the landscape scale are needed for assessing impacts to animal habitats and biodiversity following disturbance.

Ranson, K. Jon↗
DOE OSTI2024

Recovery of value-added compounds through fast pyrolysis of apple pomace hydrochar

The environmental challenges associated with food production can be addressed via the thermochemical upcycling of agro-industrial biomass. Two such methods, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and pyrolysis, can be coupled to first reduce the water content of wet biomass wastes by producing a hydrochar (HC) via HTC and then a bio-oil via pyrolysis of the HC. However, HTC of biomass results in the formation of secondary char (SC), an amorphous tar-like mixture resulting from organic compounds released into the aqueous phase that adsorb, recondense and polymerize on the parent biomass. This study investigated how HTC temperature impacts the formation of SC from apple pomace and the SC’s subsequent impact on fast pyrolysis products. HCs were produced at temperatures of 175°C, 200°C, and 250°C. Lower HTC temperatures favor the formation of biorefinery platform chemicals such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and levulinic acid, while higher temperatures result in increased lignin degradation products (i.e., phenolics). HCs were subjected to fast pyrolysis before and after SC extraction in two analytical pyrolysis instruments. Fast pyrolysis of HC produced compounds similar to those found in SC, but with variations in CO and CO 2 emissions. In conclusion, the combination of SC extraction and fast pyrolysis demonstrates promise for recovering value-added compounds from agro-industrial waste biomass while retaining a solid char for fuel and carbon management.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Assessing reservoir performance for geologic carbon sequestration in offshore saline reservoirs

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technological strategy to reduce CO 2 emissions from hydrocarbon-based energy production and non-energy industrial emitters, like fertilizer and cement production. To expand the geographic opportunities for CCS, offshore geologic settings are increasingly considered for saline CO 2 storage, particularly where legacy oil and gas infrastructure may be repurposed for CO 2 transport and injection. In this context, the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), United States (U.S.), may offer tremendous opportunity for CCS because the surrounding states are among the largest CO 2 producers in the U.S. and there has been extensive oil and gas development over the last half century. Nevertheless, there remains significant uncertainty in how GoM reservoir/seal systems will respond to industrial-scale CO 2 injections, particularly in the context of meso-scale (1–10s of meters) permeability variations that are difficult to identify prior to injection. Such permeability variations can have significant impacts on CO 2 migration and fluid pressure propagation, both of which govern the overall effectiveness of the CCS project. This research uses ensemble simulation methods to quantify the influence of spatially variable and a priori unknown permeability fields on CO 2 plume development and fluid pressure propagation when CO 2 is injected at 1 MMt per year for ten years. Results show a number of characteristic patterns that reveal the substantial influence of both near- and far-field permeability on reservoir performance. By focusing on basin characteristics that are common among offshore basins worldwide, results from this study suggest that offshore CCS may be a feasible carbon management strategy in regions where offshore basins are proximal to industrial CO 2 sources.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Geospatial and Information Substitution and Anonymization Tool (GISA)

The Geospatial and Information Substitution and Anonymization Tool (GISA) incorporates techniques for obfuscating identifiable information from point data or documents, while simultaneously maintaining chosen variables to enable future use and meaningful analysis. This approach promotes collaboration and data sharing while also reducing the risk of exposure to sensitive information. GISA can be used in a number of different ways, including the anonymization of point spatial data, batch replacement/removal of user-specified terms from file names and from within file content, and aid with the selection and redaction of images and terms based on recommendations using natural language processing. Version 1 of the tool, published here, has updated functionality and enhanced capabilities to the beta version published in 2023. Please see User Documentation for further information on capabilities, as well as a guide for how to download and use the tool. If there are any feedback you would like to provide for the tool, please reach out with your feedback to edxsupport@netl.doe.gov. Disclaimer: This project was funded by the United States Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, in part, through a site support contract. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, nor the support contractor, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. The Geospatial and Information Substitution and Anonymization Tool (GISA) was developed jointly through the U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management’s EDX4CCS Project, in part, from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Play-Based Exploration of CO 2 Storage in the Illinois Basin (Final Technical Report)

This report documents the results of "A Play-Based Exploration of CO₂ Storage in the Illinois Basin" (DE-FE0032366), a project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management and conducted by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in partnership with Visage Energy. The project adapted play-based exploration (PBE), a systematic basin-scale evaluation methodology from the petroleum industry, to screen areas of Illinois for commercial geologic carbon storage (GCS) in Cambro-Ordovician strata. The traditional play concept was expanded to encompass three play element groups, subsurface geologic factors, surface features, and societal factors, yielding 24 play elements with defensible suitability criteria applied through a five-tier classification scheme. An integrated geospatial database was assembled from ISGS, MGSC, MRCI, NATCARB, and public data sources, supported by significant data-improvement work including correction of legacy well locations, digitization of more than 1,300 well construction records using the DOE CATALOG team's OGRRE tool, compilation of a statewide 2D seismic database, and production of a refined fault and fold geodatabase.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Influence of soil depth, irrigation, and plant genotype on the soil microbiome, metaphenome, and carbon chemistry

ABSTRACT Climate change is causing an increase in drought in many soil ecosystems and a loss of soil organic carbon. Calcareous soils may partially mitigate these losses via carbon capture and storage. Here, we aimed to determine how irrigation-supplied soil moisture and perennial plants impact biotic and abiotic soil properties that underpin deep soil carbon chemistry in an unfertilized calcareous soil. Soil was sampled up to 1 m in depth from irrigated and planted field treatments and was analyzed using a suite of omics and chemical analyses. The soil microbial community composition was impacted more by irrigation and plant cover treatments than by soil depth. By contrast, metabolomes, lipidomes, and proteomes differed more with soil depth than treatments. Deep soil (>50 cm) had higher soil pH and calcium concentrations and higher levels of organic acids, bicarbonate, and triacylglycerides. By contrast, surface soil (0–5 cm) had higher concentrations of soil organic matter, organic carbon, oxidizable carbon, and total nitrogen. Surface soils also had higher amounts of sugars, sugar alcohols, phosphocholines, and proteins that reflect osmotic and oxidative stress responses. The lipidome was more responsive to perennial tall wheatgrass treatments compared to the metabolome or proteome, with a striking change in diacylglyceride composition. Permanganate oxidizable carbon was more consistently correlated to metabolites and proteins than soil organic and inorganic carbon and soil organic matter. This study reveals specific compounds that reflect differences in organic, inorganic, and oxidizable soil carbon fractions that are impacted by interactions between irrigation-supplied moisture and plant cover in calcareous soil profiles. IMPORTANCE Carbon is cycled through the air, plants, and belowground environment. Understanding soil carbon cycling in deep soil profiles will be important to mitigate climate change. Soil carbon cycling is impacted by water, plants, and soil microorganisms, in addition to soil mineralogy. Measuring biotic and abiotic soil properties provides a perspective of how soil microorganisms interact with the surrounding chemical environment. This study emphasizes the importance of considering biotic interactions with inorganic and oxidizable soil carbon in addition to total organic carbon in carbonate-containing soils for better informing soil carbon management decisions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Subsurface mafic and ultramafic rock mapping and analysis for carbon mineralization in the United States (SubMAP-CO 2 )

Achieving durable, gigaton-scale carbon dioxide (CO₂) removal will require the development of storage strategies that are both permanent and scalable. Among the available options, carbon mineralization in mafic and ultramafic rocks offers a uniquely robust pathway for long-term CO₂ sequestration, converting CO₂ into thermodynamically stable carbonate minerals. While surface exposures of these lithologies have been extensively studied, particularly in ophiolitic and volcanic settings, the potential for carbon mineralization in the subsurface remains comparatively underexplored at national scale. This gap limits the ability to assess storage capacity, accessibility, and deployment pathways for mineralization-based carbon management in the United States.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary Screening Techno-Economic Analysis of Industrial SOFC/SOEC and Reversible SOC Integration

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) provides system-level process, cost, and market analyses on solid oxide cell (SOC) based technologies. Specifically, techno-economic analyses (TEA), market assessments, and other technology evaluations serve to guide the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (R-SOFC) Program technology goals and objectives. These studies are key to describing how the technologies contribute to improving domestic energy infrastructure in a clean, efficient manner. This effort seeks to elucidate the potential integration opportunities between reversible SOCs and industrial systems which would aid in SOC commercialization and deployment. These preliminary screening-level results show what opportunities exist for power generating SOFCs, hydrogen producing SOECs, and point-source carbon capture. Improvements can be seen through changes in cost of electricity, cost of hydrogen, and cost of carbon capture.

reversible SOC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Carbon Utilization and Storage Partnership of the Western United States

This technical report documents research conducted under DOE Award No. DE-FE0031837 focused on evaluating the feasibility of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) systems in the central and western United States. The project integrated geologic characterization, reservoir simulation, infrastructure modeling, and economic analysis to assess CO₂ storage potential near industrial sources and develop strategies for transport and sequestration. The work included subsurface modeling, risk assessment, monitoring and verification (MRV) planning, and evaluation of regulatory pathways such as EPA Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI permitting and IRS 45Q tax credit eligibility. Results demonstrate the viability of multiple storage approaches, including saline formations, enhanced coalbed methane recovery, and basalt mineralization, supported by data-driven workflows and regional analyses. The project also produced permitting templates, technology transfer activities, and stakeholder engagement efforts to support deployment readiness. These findings contribute to the development of scalable, economically viable CCUS systems and provide a repeatable framework for future carbon management projects.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Pathways to CO2 Utilization and Storage for the Intermountain West Region

The presentation, delivered at the 2022 Carbon Management Project Review Meeting held in Pittsburgh, PA (August 15 – 19, 2022), provides a detailed perspective on CO2 utilization and storage as a deep decarbonization pathway as it relates to states that make up the Intermountain West (I-WEST) region of the U.S. Content within shows findings from evaluation of the opportunity and potential value delivery that exists for CCUS to deploy at significant scale in the I-WEST region considering the region’s prominent enabling factors. This work is part of a larger initiative involving the development of a regional, stakeholder-informed technology “roadmap” for a sustainable and equitable transition to carbon neutral in the I-WEST.

Vikara, Derek↗