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At least 127 records · Page 7

Operational experience and R&D results using the Google Cloud for High-Energy Physics in the ATLAS experiment

The ATLAS experiment at CERN relies on a Worldwide Distributed Computing Grid infrastructure to support its physics program at the Large Hadron Collider. ATLAS has integrated cloud computing resources to complement its Grid infrastructure and conducted an R&D program on Google Cloud Platform. These initiatives leverage key features of commercial cloud providers: lightweight configuration and operation, elasticity and availability of diverse infrastructures. Here this paper examines the seamless integration of cloud computing services as a conventional Grid site within the ATLAS workflow management and data management systems, while also offering new setups for interactive, parallel analysis. It underscores pivotal results that enhance the on-site computing model and outlines several R&D projects that have benefited from large-scale, elastic resource provisioning models. Furthermore, this study discusses the impact of cloud-enabled R&D projects in three domains: accelerators and AI/ML, ARM CPUs and columnar data analysis techniques.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

The Future of Vehicle Grid Integration: Harnessing the Flexibility of EV Charging

This document lays out a shared vision for a beneficial, EV-integrated future where EVs are safely and securely connected, reliably served, and harmonized with the electric grid. It was developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) EVGrid Assist initiative. Stakeholder input was gathered through individual and collective conversations, including eight listening sessions with more than 100 participants representing utilities of different sizes and operating structures, manufacturers of vehicles and chargers, national associations, standards organizations, Tribes, fleet managers, consumer advocates, charging network operators, community-based organizations, utility regulators, consultants, vendors, labor, and environmental justice organizations. This document focuses on the future of electric on-road U.S. transportation, specifically the integration of light-duty vehicles (LDV) and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDV) and their charging infrastructure with the electric grid. However, many of the insights here may apply to electrifying other transportation modes, as well as other distributed energy resources (DER).

EVGrid Assist initiative, EV-integrated future, el↗

The Future of Vehicle Grid Integration: Harnessing the Flexibility of EV Charging

This document lays out a shared vision for a beneficial, EV-integrated future where EVs are safely and securely connected, reliably served, and harmonized with the electric grid. It was developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) EVGrid Assist initiative. Stakeholder input was gathered through individual and collective conversations, including eight listening sessions with more than 100 participants representing utilities of different sizes and operating structures, manufacturers of vehicles and chargers, national associations, standards organizations, Tribes, fleet managers, consumer advocates, charging network operators, community-based organizations, utility regulators, consultants, vendors, labor, and environmental justice organizations. This document focuses on the future of electric on-road U.S. transportation, specifically the integration of light-duty vehicles (LDV) and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDV) and their charging infrastructure with the electric grid. However, many of the insights here may apply to electrifying other transportation modes, as well as other distributed energy resources (DER).

EVGrid Assist initiative, EV-integrated future, el↗

CESER I-Corps (Final Report)

Energy I-Corps is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored entrepreneurial training program for laboratory researchers aimed at accelerating the commercialization of lab-developed technologies. The program, developed and managed by DOE's Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), uses a customized curriculum built on the Lean Launch Methodology and delivers a rigorous 10- to 12-week training program to selected laboratory-based teams. The Energy I-Corps team at NLR worked with the DOE's OTC and Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) to develop and implement commercialization programming for awardees of the CESER Cybersecurity for Distributed Energy Resources Research, Development, and Demonstration Research Call, funded under Provision 40125(b) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). 40125(b) Projects were overseen by a technical monitor at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The CESER Energy I-Corps Program is considered an Energy I-Corps "lite" or "mini" program, with a lighter lift to accommodate scheduling and funding per participant. This final report describes the CESER I-Corps program and provides recommendations on behalf of OTC to CESER to consider if CESER were to run an I-Corps program in future.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Power Management Solution for Growing Loads at Airport Rental Facilities

Growing electrical loads across airport facilities could expand beyond local grid capacities. Coordinating flexible loads with generation and storage assets can reduce coincident peaks, mitigate costly upgrades, and reduce electricity costs. This report outlines how The Athena Team has developed a suite of tools, resources, and solutions to leverage load flexibility with energy assets to harness this value potential.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Congestion Management Solutions for Enhanced Distribution System Operations with Aggregated Distribution Grid Resources Providing Grid Services and Market Participation

Microgrids and other aggregations of distribution grid resources (DGRs) are poised to actively participate in electricity markets and provide essential grid services in the coming years. In fact, DGRs already play such a role through behind-the-meter (BTM) demand response programs and small-scale BTM dispatchable generation initiatives. At the same time, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency datacenters imposes significant, often unpredictable, demands on the power distribution system. Aggregated DGRs can serve as flexible resources that help mitigate these pressures by using available transmission and distribution capacity more efficiently, supporting resource adequacy and other reliability services, and providing bridge strategies while long-term transmission infrastructure is being developed. The impacts this activity will have on distribution networks are not fully understood and could present significant challenges for distribution utilities due to capacity constraints and the need for congestion management. Technical issues include reverse power flow, variability and possible degradation of equipment integrity, voltage violations, and customer power quality concerns. These issues will likely intensify as electricity market operators across the United States implement Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order 2222 over the next few years.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Grid Architecture Mapping to Understand Transformation (GAMUT): Concept Definition

The electric power system is undergoing significant transformation driven by changes in the generation mix, increasing reliance on information and communication technologies, evolving customer expectations, and a dynamic cyber-physical environment. To address these challenges, substantial investments will be made over the next decade to create a flexible, affordable, secure, reliable, and resilient electric system. In response, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity is developing knowledge management tools aimed at systematically documenting technology pilots and demonstration projects. This initiative seeks to improve understanding of operating contexts, planning steps, and integration requirements for innovative grid technologies. The Department of Energy project leverages Grid Architecture principles to collect and organize insights into the interdependencies, requirements, and capabilities of various grid solutions. By employing a systematic approach, the project aims to perform a feasibility study for the development of a software tool that will support stakeholders, including regulators, transmission and distribution system operators, distributed energy resources aggregators, and technology providers. By offering a systematic, software-based framework to document technologies, understand their benefits and impacts, and inform deployment strategies, the proposed Grid Architecture Mapping to Understand Transformation (GAMUT) Tool is intended to reduce costs, enhance decision-making, and facilitate scaling and effective deployment of new technologies. The feasibility study will evaluate the technical and financial viability of the GAMUT Tool, identifying stakeholder needs and assessing risks and mitigation strategies. Ultimately, the GAMUT team aims to develop an initial minimal viable product, followed by staged improvements, to aid in the modernization of the electric grid, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Hanford Site Rare Plant Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2025

This report summarizes rare plant monitoring data collected in calendar year (CY) 2025 and provides management recommendations accordingly. DOE/RL-2021-35, Central Hanford Rare Plant Management Plan, guides the approach to rare plant monitoring and management at the Hanford Site. In CY 2025, rare plant monitoring efforts occurred on the portion of the Hanford Site managed by the U.S. Department of Energy, Hanford Field Office (HFO; Figure 1-1), referred to herein as Central Hanford. The goal of monitoring is to collect data to evaluate the conservation status of rare plant species. Surveys conducted in CY 2025 built on previous monitoring efforts, tracking the abundance and distribution of rare plants at Central Hanford. Results from previous monitoring efforts are included for reference. Monitoring data are submitted to the Washington Natural Heritage Program (WNHP), part of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WA DNR), to evaluate statewide conservation statuses.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

FERC order 2222 & DER policy and implementation report - January 2026

The January 2026 FERC 2222 Tracker Report provides an overview of the progress and challenges in the implementation of FERC Order 2222, emphasizing the critical need for state-level action to address gaps in DERA/EDC communication protocols. The report highlights the importance of reliable communication between electric distribution companies (EDCs) and DER aggregators (DERAs) for seamless market operations, noting the absence of specific directives from FERC and RTO/ISO compliance filings. Key discussions include the operational coordination required to manage DER operations within aggregated markets, the potential use of tools like DER Registries for efficient data exchange, and the implications of non-performance due to communication issues. While steps are being taken at the state level, such as ongoing policy development and bi-monthly webinars for stakeholder education, no states have fully developed coordination frameworks as of early 2026. The report underscores the growing role of states and local regulators in defining these protocols and ensuring effective coordination amidst the complex dynamics of distributed energy resources (DERs) integration into wholesale markets.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Deep Reinforcement Learning for Microgrid Cost Optimization Considering Load Flexibility

This paper proposes a novel Soft-Actor-Critic (SAC) based Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) method for optimizing the cost of microgrid operation by leveraging load flexibility. The proposed SAC-DRL method is designed to coordinate the control of distributed energy resources (DERs) and flexible load, addressing practical energy billing formation by power distribution utilities. Key contributions include an innovative reward function to mitigate sparse reward challenges and a mixed control strategy for discrete and continuous variables, ensuring radial network topology and minimizing power loss. We evaluate the proposed method on the model of a real microgrid located in Southern California, U.S.. The SAC-DRL model is tested to demonstrate its efficacy in reducing grid dependence, optimizing resource use, and minimizing costs. The results highlight the potential of DRL in modern energy systems, offering a sustainable and economically efficient solution for energy management in microgrids.

deep reinforcement learning↗

Distributed Control and Optimization of Virtual Inertia in Power Systems

The integration of renewable energy sources into power grids through inverter-based resources (IBRs) reduces system inertia, leading to faster frequency dynamics and potential grid instability. This paper proposes a distributed, consensus-based approach for the real-time control and optimization of inertia sources during system disturbances, enhancing both system stability and economic performance. Furthermore, we integrate this approach with the traditional inertia placement problem, demonstrating its suitability for existing frameworks. We validate its effectiveness in a 4-bus test system and a two-area 8-bus test system, showcasing its potential for scalable, dynamic inertia management in low-inertia grids.

Yadav, Ajay [ORNL] (ORCID:000000016111881X)↗

Network-Aware and Welfare-Maximizing Dynamic Pricing for Energy Sharing

The proliferation of behind-the-meter (BTM) distributed energy resources (DER) within the electrical distribution network presents significant supply and demand flexibilities, but also introduces operational challenges such as voltage spikes and reverse power flows. In response, this paper proposes a network-aware dynamic pricing framework tailored for energy-sharing coalitions that aggregate small, but ubiquitous, BTM DER downstream of a distribution system operator's (DSO) revenue meter that adopts a generic net energy metering (NEM) tariff. By formulating a Stackelberg game between the energy-sharing market leader and its prosumers, we show that the dynamic pricing policy induces the prosumers toward a network-safe operation and decentrally maximizes the energysharing social welfare. The dynamic pricing mechanism involves a combination of a locational ex-ante dynamic price and an ex-post allocation, both of which are functions of the energy sharing's BTM DER. The ex-post allocation is proportionate to the price differential between the DSO NEM price and the energy-sharing locational price. Simulation results using real DER data and the IEEE 13-bus test systems illustrate the dynamic nature of network-aware pricing at each bus, and its impact on voltage.

aggregates↗

Scaling Demand Flexibility: Building on 30 Years of Energy Efficiency Success

With electricity consumption across the United States (US) and Canada anticipated to grow, energy efficiency program administrators have a key role to play in helping to ensure energy affordability and reliability in support of the broader economic systems utilities and grid support. Connected, demand side load balancing solutions, such as load shifting heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and managed charging for electric vehicles (EVs), can dynamically manage energy, allowing for more volumetric electricity consumption without incurring the expense of upgraded transmission and distribution capabilities. When combined, or aggregated, many small loads can be managed to have meaningful impact on energy demand on the grid. Utilities and their partners have an opportunity to leverage decades of experience and the infrastructure needed to assess, design, implement, and measure programs to scale up the adoption of equipment with built-in load flexibility capabilities. Current efforts among a wide variety of electricity system service providers, utilities, standards agencies, regulators, national labs and private industry stakeholders aim to identify common standards, metrics, and methodologies for valuing grid services offered by demand side equipment. By combining those efforts with decades of proven energy efficiency resources, utilities are poised to effectuate a scaling up of equipment with energy management capabilities installed in homes and businesses across the US and Canada. This paper will provide an overview of how utilities are approaching this era of load growth and new peak demands across the United States and Canada. It will highlight the specific strategies that program administrators are employing to advance market transformation for grid-enabled products and devices that have the greatest potential to reduce energy use and increase load flexibility.

Grant, Peter↗

A Vehicle-to-Grid planning framework incorporating electric vehicle user equilibrium and distribution network flexibility enhancement

The rapid surge in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, coupled with advancements in charging technologies, emphasizes the critical necessity for expanding EV recharging infrastructure. Simultaneously, the Distribution Network (DN) encounters escalating challenges in meeting charging demand during peak traffic periods. Consequently, there is a mounting demand for the deployment of innovative Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technologies to augment the DN’s flexibility in power dispatch and alleviate travel costs for EV users. Hence, this paper proposes an EV-user-equilibrium-(UE)-constrained V2G planning framework that enhances flexibility in the DN. The framework aims to ascertain the optimal placement and capacity of EV charging stations (EVCSs) and V2G charging piles within the Transportation Network (TN). It takes into account the equilibrium condition stemming from competitive EV charging and routing behaviors alongside the optimal expansion of DN energy resources to accommodate the electricity supplied by the V2G piles. This study commences by analyzing EV drivers’ travel decisions, considering the influence of charging and V2G pile locations and sizes. Subsequently, we tackle the Traffic Assignment Problem with User Equilibrium (TAP-UE) model to characterize the steady-state traffic flow distribution of EVs. Following this, we formulate the optimization model for the Coordinated Power and Transportation Network (CPTN), which encompasses the optimal expansion of DN facilities and traffic flow regulation under UE conditions. To mitigate the computational complexity associated with the V2G planning model, we introduce a series of linearization methods to obtain a manageable Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) solution. Finally, to validate the efficacy of our proposed planning framework, we apply it to two test systems, including a real-world case study. Through these case studies, we explore the necessity and potential benefits of V2G technologies.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

2023 Annual Site Environmental Report for Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The National Nuclear Security Administration’s Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico. Activities at the site support research and development programs with a wide variety of national security missions, resulting in technologies for nonproliferation, homeland security, energy and infrastructure, and defense systems and assessments. The U.S. Department of Energy and its management and operating contractor are committed to safeguarding the environment, assessing sustainability practices, and ensuring the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data presented in this annual site environmental report. This report summarizes the environmental protection and monitoring programs in place at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, during calendar year 2023. Environmental topics include cultural resource management, chemical management, air quality, ecology, environmental restoration, oil storage, site sustainability, terrestrial surveillance, waste management, water quality, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This report is prepared in accordance with and as required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting, and has been approved for public distribution.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

American-Made Solar Prize: Edgeli Enables DER Integration (CRADA 615) (Final Report)

The purpose of this project was to demonstrate how granular time series data and automated data transformation, and impact assessment tools could speed interconnection approvals for distributed energy resource projects of various types and sizes. Types included community solar, rooftop solar, and EV charging projects. Using software routines to automate the transformation of data (e.g. GIS) to a network database and power flow model then applying scenarios to create hourly (8760) hosting capacity values and voltage and thermal impacts for specific projects, we were able to demonstrate the feasibility of quickly assembling and analyzing key utility data sets for interconnection purposes. The outcomes of this effort will become the foundation for future work that will enhance and encapsulate the software components developed as part of this project, into web services (e.g. APIs) that can be integrated into queue management systems and automate interconnection screening processes.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

EVI-EnSitePy (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure – Energy Estimation and Site Optimization Tool in Python) [EVI-X Modeling Suite] [SWR-25-07]

EVI-EnSitePy is a comprehensive agent-based tool designed for the analysis and design of high-power charging sites, encompassing a wide array of site agents including Electric Vehicles (EVs), chargers, energy storage units (ESS), renewable energy resources (DER), and loads. This versatile tool offers diverse functionalities and a modular modeling approach, allowing detailed configuration of agents based on power ratings, port numbers, energy capacities, demand requirements, charger interfaces, and flexibility to customize the tool for project specific goals. By simulating agent interactions and employing various metrics, EVI-EnSitePy enables the assessment of site performance, exploration of energy management systems (EMS), and implementation of innovative EV charging policies. Utilizing EV charge schedules and arrival states, the tool performs thorough charging site simulations, with outputs consisting of agent and site-level power profiles and statistical metrics. Employing a tree graph structure, EVI-EnSitePy supports nested site structures and power distribution modeling. The tool's ability to generate charging schedules deterministically or via stochastic analysis further enhances its versatility. Through its features and capabilities, EVI-EnSitePy offers a powerful platform for informed decision-making in the realm of high-power charging site design and operation.

Jackson, Derek [National Renewable Energy Laborato↗