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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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DOE OSTI2023

Investigation and Demonstration of Reliability Target Allocation to Support Reliability and Integrity Management Program

Nuclear energy is the most reliable and environmentally sustainable energy source available today. In the United States (U.S.), nuclear-generated power accounts for approximately 20% of total electricity and over 55% of clean energy. New advanced reactors have enormous potential to help further decarbonize the energy market, enhance grid resiliency, create new jobs, and build a stronger economy. More than 50 new reactors are being developed in the U.S., and the federal government realizes an urgent need to deploy nuclear technologies to meet the country’s energy, environmental, and national security goals. As such, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched multiple programs to support advanced reactor deployment. The research described in this report explores implementation strategies for the Reliability and Integrity Management Program that directly supports the DOE goal to enable the near-term deployment of the advanced reactor technologies. The project is conducted under the Regulatory Development Program for advanced reactors sponsored by the DOE.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Evaluation of Rail Decarbonization Alternatives: Framework and Application

The Northwestern University Freight Rail Infrastructure & Energy Network Decarbonization (NUFRIEND) framework is a comprehensive industry-oriented tool for simulating the deployment of new energy technologies including biofuels, e-fuels, battery-electric, and hydrogen locomotives. By classifying fuel types into two categories based on deployment requirements, the associated optimal charging/fueling facility location and sizing problem are solved with a five-step framework. Life-cycle analysis (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) are used to estimate carbon reduction, capital investments, cost of carbon reduction, and operational impacts, enabling sensitivity analysis with operational and technological parameters. Here, the framework is illustrated on lower-carbon drop-in fuels as well as battery-electric technology deployments for the US Eastern and Western Class I railroad networks. Drop-in fuel deployments are modeled as admixtures with diesel in existing locomotives, while battery-electric deployments are shown for varying technology penetration levels and locomotive ranges. When mixed in a 50% ratio with diesel, results show biodiesel’s capacity to reduce emissions at 36% with a cost of $\$$ 0.13 per kilogram of CO 2 reduced, while e-fuels offer a potential reduction of 50% of emissions at a cost of $\$$ 0.22 per kilogram of CO 2 reduced. Battery-electric results for 50% deployment over all ton-miles highlight the value of future innovations in battery energy densities as scenarios assuming 800-mi range locomotives show an estimated emissions reduction of 46% with a cost of $\$$ 0.06 per kilogram of CO 2 reduced, compared with 16% emissions reduction at a cost of $\$$ 0.11 per kilogram of CO 2 reduced for 400-mi range locomotives. The NUFRIEND framework provides a systematic method for comparing different alternative energy technologies and identifying potential challenges and benefits in their future deployments.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

The National Climate Data Base (NCDB): A Bias-Corrected High-Resolution Climate Dataset

Assessing renewable energy resources under future climate scenarios has been highlighted in recent years to analyze and understand potential impacts of future change in renewable generation on the power sector. Solar energy is well-known as the most plentiful among various renewable resources and usually converted to electricity using photovoltaics (PV) technologies, and the global deployment of PV technology has increased rapidly in recent decades. In this study, we develop a statistical technique to downscale the future projection of solar irradiance for PV energy-related applications. A set of Regional Climate Model (RCM)-based projections obtained from the North American Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (NA-CORDEX) are used as inputs to statistical methods to generate high-resolution global horizontal irradiance (GHI) over the contiguous United States (CONUS). The main steps of the statistical downscaling method include (1) regridding RCM output (0.22 degree and daily resolutions) to handle the modeled-observed data sets on a common grid, (2) correcting bias of RCM GHI using satellite-derived observation, and (3) implementing temporal and spatial downscaling to generate GHI at 8-km and hourly resolution. Basically, complex physical processes and interactions between solar radiation and various atmospheric constituents lead solar irradiance to be highly variable and uncertain. Underrepresentation of clouds from the RCM parameterizations is the main source of error and uncertainty in modeling solar irradiance. Thus, we adapt and use the high-quality satellite-derived data from the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) to analyze the bias and error of RCM GHI as well as estimate the statistical parameters for spatial and temporal downscaling. This presentation will summarize the comprehensive analysis conducted to produce and assess the results under two climate scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). We will also present a detailed validation demonstrating the strengths of the proposed downscaling method and future extension of this research.

climate data↗
DOE OSTI2024

Key Grid-Interactive Efficient Building Technologies for Federal and Commercial Facilities

This report serves as a resource for building owners and managers interested in deploying GEB technologies in federal and commercial facilities. This document also provides an overview of smart buildings and the prioritization and categorization of GEB technologies that have a high potential to provide grid services.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Demonstration System for Geological Thermal Energy Storage of Concentrating Solar Thermal

Energy storage is increasingly necessary as variable energy technologies are deployed. Seasonal energy storage can shift energy generation from the summer to the winter, but these technologies must have extremely large energy capacities and low costs. Geological Thermal Energy Storage (GeoTES) is proposed as a solution for long-term energy storage [1]. Excess thermal energy can be stored in permeable reservoirs such as aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs for several months. The energy capacity cost of GeoTES is very low which makes it suitable for both daily- and seasonal storage of Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) energy, thus enabling CST to provide value to electricity markets and thermal energy off-takers. A CST-GeoTES demonstration system has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Solar Energy Technology Office. In this article, we will describe this demonstration system and progress that has been made in its development. The demonstration system will comprise a 2 MWth parabolic trough with an 8m aperture developed by Gossamer Space Frames, seven wells, and a 100 kWe power cycle. The demonstration system will be deployed in Kern County, California by Premier Resource Management. A techno-economic model for CST-GeoTES systems has also been developed [3] and is applied to the demonstration system and its planned future expansion. The model integrates the output of specialist models of each subsystem, which enables the performance and cost of both the subsurface and surface systems to be captured. Off-design models enable the performance to be evaluated at each hour of the year, before being aggregated to evaluate the economic potential of CST-GeoTES. Initial analysis indicates that CST-GeoTES can provide long duration energy storage capabilities with low marginal costs of energy capacity - leading to a low value of Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) compared to alternative technologies, see Figure 2. In this article, we investigate the cost and performance of the specific demonstration site being developed by PRM and explore a range of operational profiles that can deliver different value streams, such as daily and seasonal storage, capacity, and resiliancy.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

2023 Southeast Decarbonization Workshop

Decarbonization refers to a large-scale shift away from fossil fuel sources for energy production and toward energy sources, energy end-use practices, and land management approaches that do not result in a net increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Decarbonization in the Southeastern United States is distinguished from that of other regions in the country by its potential impact on historically underserved populations and the ways this region’s human–environmental systems are predicted to fare in a climate-altered world. In parallel, ensuring a clean energy transition requires the ability to engage entire communities that are motivated to learn, build, and encourage the spread of so-called clean tech. In contrast to other technology trends from the past century, the foundation of clean tech is a shared sense of purpose—a collective strategy to mitigate the threats of climate change and support a better environment for everyone. As seen in the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP’s) Net-Zero Technology Action Plan (2023), decarbonization is best accelerated by simultaneous investments in Innovation, Demonstration, and Deployment of technology in tandem with intentional policy and community-based solutions. The 2023 Southeast Decarbonization Workshop, hosted by the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), aimed to bring together members of our communities and a group of regional experts to strategize about opportunities in this important area, as well as to incorporate the important pillar of System Interactions to bridge the gap between clean tech’s intent and its impact.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Wind Energy Accomplishments and Year-End Performance Report: Fiscal Year 2023

As the United States' largest source of renewable energy, wind is already playing a vital role in the nation's shift to electricity generated from sustainable resources. Scientists, engineers, and analysts at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are propelling our country closer to this clean energy future with new efficient, reliable, and cost-competitive wind technologies and deployment strategies. In Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 2023), NREL received national acclaim for recent wind technology breakthroughs, applauded sustained decades of progress in wind energy research, and heralded new initiatives to support the next generation of wind development. This report and NREL's achievements of the last year set the stage for innovative research to come. Two NREL software innovations used to assess wind technology options were recognized with R&D 100 Awards. The Renewable Energy Potential (reV) model helps planners, developers, and researchers calculate wind energy capacity, generation, and cost for specific facilities, fleets and scenarios. NREL's Simulation and Emulation for Advanced Systems validates transmission and distribution solutions to minimize implementation risks. Both of these tools can be applied to a range of renewable solutions to cut costs and improve the reliability of systems in even the most remote locations. The laboratory commemorated landmark anniversaries for wind energy research facilities and programs managed by NREL. The National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) celebrated 30 years as a world-class hub for renewable energy research. An important component of the NWTC on NREL's Flatirons Campus, the one-of-a-kind 7-megawatt (MW) Controllable Grid Interface wind energy research apparatus, turned 10 this year. The Collegiate Wind Competition completed its tenth annual competition in May 2023. Six years after the grand challenges in wind energy science were first compiled, NREL brought together more than 100 wind energy experts from 15 countries to revisit the field's most pressing research needs. Other key new research initiatives examined ways to simultaneously address the needs for skilled wind energy workers and equitable job opportunities. NREL released the first national-level report evaluating offshore wind industry workforce gaps and ways to build a large, diverse pool of job candidates. The lab also co-hosted the International Partnering Forum's Offshore Wind Workforce Summit as part of its ongoing efforts to address the special challenges of that industry sector. NREL research and development (R&D) for the DOE Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) continues to build momentum in its efforts to combat climate change, create clean energy jobs, and promote energy justice. This report provides more detail on these top achievements and other accomplishments made by NREL and its partners during FY 2023 (between Oct. 1, 2022, and Sept. 30, 2023).

accomplishments↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems

The Cyber Resilient Energy Delivery Consortium (CREDC) started operations on October 1, 2015. The original period of performance ended September 30, 2020. During this span, CREDC developed projects with significant and measurable sector impact, achieved by involving industry partners (asset owners, equipment vendors, and technology providers) early and often, from helping us to identify critical sector needs, to performing pilot deployment and technology adoption. The central project goal was to create a research and development ecosystem where research results lead directly to development of applications and methodologies which are then validated in realistic contexts.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Geological Thermal Energy Storage Using Solar Thermal and Carnot Batteries: Techno-Economic Analysis: Preprint

Energy storage is increasingly necessary as Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) technologies are deployed. Seasonal energy storage can shift energy generation from the summer to the winter, but these technologies must have extremely large energy capacities and low costs. Geological Thermal energy storage (GeoTES) is proposed as a solution for long-term energy storage. Excess thermal energy can be stored in permeable reservoirs such as aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs for several months. In this article, we describe a techno-economic model that has been developed to evaluate GeoTES systems. The models are developed by combining the output of specialist models which enables the performance and cost of both the subsurface and surface systems to be captured. Off-design models are developed so that the performance can be evaluated at each hour of the year. GeoTES can be charged with two different energy sources: (1) concentrating solar thermal and (2) renewable electricity using heat pumps (henceforth known as a "Carnot Battery"). The stored thermal energy can be used to generate electricity and - uniquely - also directly produce heat that can be used by industrial processes. Furthermore, Carnot-Battery-GeoTES can also be used to form a cold storage reservoir. Preliminary results that quantify the technical and economic performance of these two GeoTES systems are presented.

carnot battery↗
DOE OSTI2023

Geological Thermal Energy Storage Using Solar Thermal and Carnot Batteries: Techno-Economic Analysis

Energy storage is increasingly necessary as variable renewable energy technologies are deployed. Seasonal energy storage can shift energy generation from the summer to the winter, but these technologies must have extremely large energy capacities and low costs. Geological thermal energy storage (GeoTES) is proposed as a solution for long-term energy storage. Excess thermal energy can be stored in permeable reservoirs such as aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs for several months. In this article, we describe a techno-economic model that has been developed to evaluate GeoTES systems. The models are developed by combining the output of specialist models, which enables the performance and cost of both the subsurface and surface systems to be captured. Off-design models are developed so that the performance can be evaluated at each hour of the year. GeoTES can be charged with two different energy sources: (1) concentrating solar thermal and (2) renewable electricity using heat pumps (henceforth known as a "Carnot Battery"). The stored thermal energy can be used to generate electricity and, uniquely, also directly produce heat that can be used by industrial processes. Furthermore, Carnot Battery GeoTES can also be used to form a cold storage reservoir. Preliminary results that quantify the technical and economic performance of these two GeoTES systems are presented.

carnot battery↗
DOE OSTI2023

The electric vehicles-solar photovoltaics Nexus: Driving cross-sectoral adoption of sustainable technologies

Residential and transportation energy consumption account for more than one-half of the overall energy consumption in the United States. Adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) can play a key role in decarbonizing the transportation sector, while the adoption of renewable energy sources (e.g., solar photovoltaics [PVs]) could bring similar benefits to the residential energy sector and in turn support transport electrification. Although the market shares for both EVs and PVs continue to grow, both of these emerging technologies are deployed rather disjointly, without considering the existence of potential similarities among users who own (or aspire to own) these technologies. This might be due to lack of understanding of the behavioral interdependence in consumer preferences toward these technologies. To fill this gap in knowledge, this study utilizes data from the 2018 WholeTraveler Transportation Behavior Study to develop an integrated model system that explores interactive EV and PV adoption behaviors. A structural equation model is employed that incorporates direct effects as well as error correlations among the adoption behaviors for EVs and PVs. Model results indicate that the adoption behavior for both these technologies is indeed interconnected and significantly influenced by attitudes, values, and personality traits. Findings from this research suggest that incentives (e.g., subsidies) that drive bundled adoption of EV-PV systems could accelerate the adoption of both of these sustainable technologies. In conclusion, this study highlights the need to consider transport and building energy-efficient technology adoption behavior in a single integrated structure.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Assessing Cost-Optimal Battery Energy and Solar-Plus-Storage Systems for Federal Customers: A Nationwide Assessment: Preprint

Prior research has identified that the financial viability of behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems is heavily dependent on technology cost, utility rate structure, energy consumption patterns, and co-deployment with synergistic technologies like solar photovoltaics (PV), among other factors. This study builds on existing research by comprehensively evaluating the economics of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and solar-plus-storage systems for a reference office building at 755 reference sites under 834 utility rates, and four storage capital cost scenarios. Results indicate that even with dramatic cost reductions, BESS is likely to be cost-effective only under utility rates that include demand charges, and possibly include time-of-use (TOU) pricing as well. Even under these utility rates, BESS systems provide marginal savings, and office building operators are unlikely to deploy the technology for cost savings alone. Solar-plus-storage systems provide more savings than BESS and allow for larger economic storage capacities. Solar-plus-storage provides compelling savings opportunities at baseline prices, and even at capital costs 25% higher than baseline. Solar-plus-storage is most effective where there are demand charges and energy pricing schemes include TOU pricing, or where electricity is expensive (at least $0.30/kWh). Our case studies illustrate that the presence of demand charges, even at similar energy costs, can be the deciding factor in BESS and solar-plus-storage viability. The findings and maps from this assessment may be of use to planners, building owners, and developers looking for potentially economic storage opportunities.

battery energy storage systems↗
DOE OSTI2024

Data Analytics and Visualization of Energy Systems for Critical Infrastructure Insights

Modernization of energy systems including transportation facilities provides opportunities for increased efficiency, expansion of commerce and meeting industry and federal goals. A significant increase in electrical demand is projected to meet these needs, which concentrates at facilities such as airports. For example, Xcel Energy working with two airports in their service area recently published information projecting an up to fivefold increase in electricity demand in the next 25 years [1]. Concurrently, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently surveyed 30 commercial service airports identifying more than 300 outages of more than 5 minutes between 2015 and 2022 [2]. Power, reliability, and resilience planning becomes more important to safely maintain operations and the flow of commerce with fewer energy carriers providing necessary energy to safely move passengers and goods. NREL proposes to develop methodologies to allow owners, utilities, and federal agencies to dynamically analyze, forecast, and manage energy loads at airports, focused upon maintaining the flow of commerce in an efficient, sustainable, and resilient way. To address these energy challenges, a suite of technologies and methodologies can be leveraged to validate concepts, inform design, de-risk solutions and optimize energy management during deployment. These technologies include digitalization of energy systems, microgrid methodologies, and related energy technologies for building and vehicle loads. [1] Electrifying Airport Ecosystems - https://www.enterprisemobility.com/content/dam/enterpriseholdings/marketing/innovation-in-mobility/vehicle-innovation/airport-electrification-study-full-report-2024.pdf [2] Airport Infrastructure: Selected Airport's Efforts to Enhance Electrical Resilience https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-105203.

critcal infrastructure↗
DOE OSTI2025

Comparative techno-economic analysis of synthetic renewable natural gas production via reactive CO 2 capture and conversion

Reactive CO 2 capture and conversion (RCC) is an emerging carbon management strategy that integrates CO 2 capture and conversion and avoids intermediate CO 2 purification. In this study, we design an RCC process to capture atmospheric CO 2 and react it with renewable hydrogen to produce synthetic renewable natural gas (SRNG), which serves as a carbon-neutral energy source and a chemical form of long-duration renewable energy storage. We assess the technological potential of RCC through process modeling, techno-economic, carbon footprint, and sensitivity analyses. Our findings demonstrate that RCC offers energy savings and comparable cost to separated capture and conversion processes. The cost is dominated by renewable hydrogen and material replacement cost. SRNG produced via RCC is competitive with existing low-carbon natural gas technologies and presents a promising low-cost option for long-duration energy storage. This work highlights the potential for deploying RCC technologies within a circular carbon economy and the scientific and technical challenges that must be overcome for material and technology developers.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Economic evaluation of infrastructures for thermochemical upcycling of post-consumer plastic waste

Thermochemical technologies, such as pyrolysis, offer a potentially scalable pathway for upcycling diverse types of plastic waste (PW) into value-added chemicals. However, deploying these technologies in waste management infrastructures is not straightforward because such systems involve a wide range of interdependent stakeholders, processing facilities, and products. In this work, we present a holistic optimization framework that integrates value-chain analysis, techno-economic analysis, and life-cycle analysis for investigating the economic viability and environmental benefits of upcycling infrastructures that collect, sort, clean, and process post-consumer PW for producing virgin polymer resins. The framework is applied to a case study in the upper Midwest region of the US. Our analysis reveals that the infrastructures are economically viable and could activate a regional circular economy that generates over 1 billion USD in annual profit. Moreover, our analysis reveals that this economy can reduce the carbon footprint of PW incineration by half. Our framework also determines the inherent values of post-consumer PW and of derived products such as plastic bales and pyrolysis oil; we find that, in these infrastructures, PW becomes a highly valuable feedstock with a market value of 500 USD per tonne. Here, we discuss how this market value can generate incentives that foster more effective waste pre-sorting practices by consumers that can help bypass material recycling facilities and increase total system profit.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Human Subjects in Energy Technology and Policy Research Symposium Report

The inaugural Human Subjects in Energy Technology & Policy Symposium was held virtually on October 17 and 19, 2023. The symposium gathered professionals supporting and conducting research to develop and deploy energy technologies and policies, with the goals of increasing awareness of what constitutes human subjects research in this field of research, promoting best practices from the proposal stage through study completion, and fostering a culture of collaboration. This report is a summary of this Symposium.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Knowledge acquisition and innovation quality: The moderating role of geographical characteristics of technology

Acquiring and absorbing knowledge at different geographic levels is an important step in the technological learning and innovation processes for firms. Geographically bounded knowledge searching and spillover have been shown in various network formats, industries, geographic scopes, and country contexts. This study finds evidence of localized learning in citation networks in the solar photovoltaic balance-of-systems (PV BOS) innovations, and that the levels of localized learning vary based on the degree to which technologies are relevant to local contexts. Thus, this study proposes that the value of local and non-local knowledge on patent quality is contingent on technological characteristics. Further, leveraging the different degrees of local dependence on four types of technologies in the PV BOS industry, we find that the impact of local knowledge on innovation quality is higher for technologies that are more rooted in local contexts and that the impact of non-local knowledge is higher for technologies that are less relevant to local contexts.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗