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Results for “Deployable Power Systems”

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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Multifunctional Inflatable Structure Being Developed for the PowerSphere Concept

The continuing development of microsatellites and nanosatellites for low Earth orbits requires the collection of sufficient power for instruments onboard a low-weight, low-volume spacecraft. Because the overall surface area of a microsatellite or nanosatellite is small, body-mounted solar cells cannot provide enough power. The deployment of traditional, rigid, solar arrays necessitates larger satellite volumes and weights, and also requires extra apparatus for pointing. One solution to this power choke problem is the deployment of a spherical, inflatable power system. This power system, termed the "PowerSphere," has several advantages, including a high collection area, low weight and stowage volume, and the elimination of solar array pointing mechanisms.

Peterson, Todd T.↗
DOE OSTI2023

2022 Product Commercialization and Market Development Awardee: Bergey Windpower

In 2023, consumers will finance more than 80% of the residential solar energy systems they purchase, which they use as collateral (called "non-recourse loans"). Similar loans are not yet offered to fund distributed wind energy systems. To accelerate deployment of small wind systems, which power individual rural homes and farms, the United States will need to make consumer loans available at reasonable rates with modest downpayments and collateral requirements. A team led by Bergey Windpower Co. is creating new consumer financing options to reduce or eliminate the upfront cash needed to buy distributed wind energy systems. This new financing structure would decrease purchase costs for small wind turbines produced by Bergey Windpower and possibly other manufacturers. Product financing is instrumental in growing wind power market share, clean energy manufacturing, and installation jobs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Bergey Windpower's previous Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) awards have led to the development of affordable, high-performance wind turbines, microgrids, and components.

CIP↗
DOE OSTI2025

CalTestBed - Delphire - Testing and Evaluation of Delphire Sentinel System (CRADA Final Report)

The Delphire Sentinel is a modular fire detection and communications system operating as a mobile field unit, with low voltage DC power supplied by onboard photovoltaics (PV) and batteries. The Sentinel addresses several aspects of fire detection, communications and data analysis. The Sentinel's mobility enables it to be rapidly deployed and operate independently of existing power and communications networks. The duration of independent operation depends critically on the energy consumption of the systems and performance of the onboard PV and battery. The purpose of this testing is to ascertain the power draw and energy consumption of the Delphire Sentinel prototype system under several operational states, including various data transfer packet sizes, transmission time and frequencies, and communication pathways (Wi-Fi, cellular, satellite) expected to be encountered in field deployments. It will also include procedures to test the ability of the Sentinel to operate for extended periods without loss of functionality. Based on results from energy and power measurements, and anticipated duty cycles in field deployments, we will model annual system autonomy (e.g. loss of load probability) for off-grid operation in representative locations.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

The Hydraulic and Electric Reverse Osmosis Wave Energy Converter (HERO WEC)

The Hydraulic and Electric Reverse Osmosis Wave Energy Converter (HERO WEC) is a 6-ft wave energy device that turns seawater into drinking water. It is designed for rapid deployment in disaster response scenarios where fresh water is limited. Featuring both hydraulic and electric power takeoff systems, HERO WEC has undergone two ocean deployments at Jennette's Pier on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in addition to extensive in-lab testing. The research provides practical insights into the real-world challenges of wave energy conversion beyond modeling and dry-lab environments. Attendees will develop an understanding of the practical considerations for deploying wave energy devices and the lessons learned from real-world HERO WEC deployments.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
NASA NTRS1986

High voltage characteristics of the electrodynamic tether and the generation of power and propulsion

The Tethered Satellite System (TSS) will deploy and retrieve a satellite from the Space Shuttle orbiter with a tether of up to 100 km in length attached between the satellite and the orbiter. The characteristics of the TSS which are related to high voltages, electrical currents, energy storage, power, and the generation of plasma waves are described. A number of specific features of the tether system of importance in assessing the operational characteristics of the electrodynamic TSS are identified.

Williamson, P. R.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Behind-the-Meter Battery Storage: Frequently Asked Questions

This quick read provides concise answers to frequently asked questions about behind-the-meter (BTM) storage systems. It includes a basic introduction to BTM energy storage and the services it can provide and helps dispel some common misconceptions. It touches on the building blocks that support BTM storage deployment and its safe incorporation into power system operations. Examples and best practices from advanced jurisdictions that can be applied elsewhere are also included.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

SIW21-95: Hybridizing Synchronous Condensers with Grid-Forming Battery Energy Storage Systems

One of the main challenges associated with deployment of high shares of inverter-based resources (IBRs) in power grid is not only reduced system inertia but also degrading system strength that may cause severe stability impacts. A minimum level of system strength is needed for the power system to remain stable under normal conditions and to return to a steady state condition following a system disturbance. Significant system strength reduction is expected in almost all planned areas for solar and wind generation deployment. Synchronous condensers (SC) have been considered as one main technology to address the system strength issues for the areas with high levels of IBRs. SCs can help improving reliability and resiliency of power system but they do not provide the full range of services needed by power systems for reliable and economic integration of high shares of inverter-coupled variable generation such as PV generation. Services related to active power controls cannot be provided by SCs due to lack of prime mover. Even for provision of reactive power SCs have certain constraints based on their thermal and stability limits. NREL has been conducting research on a hybridized concept that combines SCs with grid forming (GFM) battery energy storage systems (BESS). This super flexible AC transmission system (SuperFACTS) that combines these two technologies in a single plant under the same controller offers a unique scalable set of services to the power system at all levels (transmission, sub-transmission, distribution, islands and isolated microgrids). Depending on use cases, SuperFACTS can be controlled to provide fully dispatchable and flexible operation using energy storage component, provide a full range of existing and future ancillary and reliability services to the grid (similar or better than conventional sources), maintain adequate levels of grid strength and inertia, and provide fault current for proper operation of protection systems. Therefore, this economic and easy to commercialize solution has potential for significant impacts on certain segments of global energy sector. All types of gird services (market based, reliability and resiliency) can be provided by SuperFACTS plants. GFM BESS can act as a self-black start source for each SuperFACTS module, which in turn can act a black start resource for co-located PV and wind power plants, segments of transmission and distribution networks, for conventional power plants, etc. The issue of in-rush currents during black start is addressed by overcurrent capability of SCs. In this paper we describe the results of modeling for SuperFACTS concept.

grid forming↗
NASA NTRS1984

Technology needs of advanced Earth observation spacecraft

Remote sensing missions were synthesized which could contribute significantly to the understanding of global environmental parameters. Instruments capable of sensing important land and sea parameters are combined with a large antenna designed to passively quantify surface emitted radiation at several wavelengths. A conceptual design for this large deployable antenna was developed. All subsystems required to make the antenna an autonomous spacecraft were conceptually designed. The entire package, including necessary orbit transfer propulsion, is folded to package within the Space Transportation System (STS) cargo bay. After separation, the antenna, its integral feed mast, radiometer receivers, power system, and other instruments are automatically deployed and transferred to the operational orbit. The design resulted in an antenna with a major antenna dimension of 120 meters, weighing 7650 kilograms, and operating at an altitude of 700 kilometers.

Herbert, J. J.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Implementing the Inflation Reduction Act: What We Expect and How We Might Get There

This presentation summarizes findings from three related studies: Evaluating Impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law on the U.S. Power System; The Roles and Impacts of PV-Battery Hybrids in a Decarbonized U.S. Electricity Supply; and Optimal Design and Deployment of Wind-Solar Hybrids in Low-Carbon U.S. Power System. The compilation of results from these three studies indicate that the Inflation Reduction Act could drive significant deployment of variable renewable energy technologies, but the level of deployment depends on our ability to build new transmission projects (among other factors). Hybrid systems can help, to an extent, to facilitate greater shares of wind/solar with lesser amounts of transmission expansion.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermomagnetic generators for ultra-low-grade marine thermal energy harvesting

Low-grade thermal gradients in marine environments represent an underexploited energy source for autonomous sensing and monitoring. Converting such small temperature differences into usable electrical power remains a key challenge for ocean-deployed systems. We present a deployable thermomagnetic generator thoroughly characterized for marine-relevant energy harvesting. The device powers an internet-connected sensor and harvests ultra-low temperature differences akin to those at the ocean surface. It draws heat from water and rejects it to ambient air, operating optimally at a temperature difference (ΔT) of ~7.5 °C. Laboratory prototypes generated up to 6.7 mW at ΔT ~ 10 °C with gentle airflow (~1 m s -1 ). A separate controlled wave-tank demonstration validated stable operation and sensor powering under marine-like boundary conditions. Given its voltage and power margins, the generator could sustain multiple sensor nodes. Scalability and material assessments identify modular deployment and non-rare-earth alternatives as pathways toward practical marine energy harvesting and low-grade waste-heat recovery.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
NASA NTRS1983

A concept for an advanced earth observation spacecraft

Remote sensing missions have been synthesized which could contribute significantly to the understanding of global environmental parameters. Instruments capable of sensing important land and sea parameters are combined with a large antenna designed to passively quantify surface emitted radiation at several wavelengths. A conceptual design for this large deployable antenna has been developed. All subsystems required to make the antenna an autonomous spacecraft have been conceptually designed. The entire package, including necessary orbit transfer propulsion, is folded to package within the Space Transportation System (STS) cargo bay. After separation the antenna, its integral feed mast, radiometer receivers, power system, and other instruments are automatically deployed and transferred to the operational orbit. The design resulted in an antenna with a major antenna dimension of 120 meters, weighting 7650 kilograms, and operating at an altitude of 700 kilometers.

Lovelace, U. M.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Assessment of the Electrical Substation-Grid Testbed with Inside/Outside Devices and Distributed Ledger Technology

The electrical substation-grid testbed was created to integrate the GOOSE and/or DNP (Distributed Network Protocol) messages with time synchronized sources and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). The objective was to study the impact of faults and cyber-events at an electrical substation with inside (protective relays) and outside (power meters) substation devices. The electrical substation-grid testbed was based on the design of a 34.5/ 12.47 kV electrical substation (sectionalized bus configuration) with two power transformers, connected to radial power lines and load feeders. The electrical substation-grid testbed was installed at 252 lab space (Advanced Power System Protection), Grid Research Integration and Deployment Center (GRID-C), Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This testbed was created for Task 5, DarkNet project. The electrical substation-grid testbed was created to simulate fault and/or cyber events that could potentially result in damage to the electrical infrastructure. In addition, tests were run that are usually not allowed to be performed in an operational electrical power grid, because these test scenarios could trip breakers and/or generate fault situations that could potentially damage equipment. The number of tests performed in the electrical substation-grid testbed were executed in a better way than in a real electrical substation and/or power grid, because multiple tests could be run in a short period of time, and complex permits, and safety/ schedule restrictions like in a real electrical substation environment were not needed. The electrical substation-grid testbed was created using real measurement, communication, and protection devices that are used by electrical utilities, to have same conditions that we could observe in a real power grid or electrical substation. The electrical substation-grid testbed was based on using a real time simulator and expansion box with amplifiers that were wired to electrical substation-grid devices. This hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) was provided by protective relays, power meters, ethernet switches, remote terminal units, synchronized timing network clock, DLT devices, workstations, and servers. This report includes the design, installation, and assessment of the electrical substation-grid testbed that was similar to an operational electrical substation, integrating the power system protection, communication, and control systems. The results for the electrical substation-grid testbed were based on:• verifying the analog signals for protective relays and power meters, • observing the synchronized time source frame at devices, • authenticating the GOOSE (IEC 61850) and DNP messages from power meters and protective relays, and • verifying the trip conditions of protective relays at fault tests with the power system fault event detection, using DLT devices. For future work, the electrical substation-grid testbed with protective relays and power meters, using DLT and synchronized time source from DarkNet, will be used to study the impact of cyber-events at inside and outside substation devices. Advanced algorithms for detecting cyber-events produced by non-desired protective relay settings will be studied, to improve the detection and reliability of protection, control, and communication systems at power grids.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

SunDial – An Integrated SHINES System to Enable High-penetration Feeder-level PV

The Project Team of Fraunhofer USA, National Grid, and IPKeys developed and conducted a pilot deployment of the SunDial system, a virtual power plant platform that enables high-penetrations of solar PV to be integrated into the distribution grid. The pilot was conducted over a 15-month period from August 2018 through October 2019 on a National Grid distribution feeder in Shirley, MA. A vendor-agnostic control platform (the “Global Scheduler”) optimally shaped the net load for a virtual portfolio of non-co-located DERs based on user-defined policy objectives. The goal of the SunDial project was to simplify and reduce the risk associated with the deployment of solar in high-penetration environments by: (1) Developing an open-source, vendor-agnostic dispatch platform that can be readily adapted to optimize control of DERs over a variety of use cases; (2) Developing auto-calibrating load and solar prediction methodologies that can be readily implemented and scaled to new deployments; (3) Developing a methodology to use demand-side management with traditional electrochemical energy storage to provide “load shaping” services in high solar penetration environments; (4) Using grid-scale storage to minimize short-term intermittency association with PV production; and (5) Deploying on the National Grid distribution system to gain experience on the potential for (and limits of) integrated storage with demand-side management.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

ARIES Annual Report FY25

Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) test bed for energy system demonstration and de-risking. ARIES comprises the largest collection of physical and digital assets in the DOE laboratory complex, supporting flexible configuration across a broad range of energy scenarios. In Fiscal Year 2025, ARIES provided a platform for system-level research to anticipate and address future energy needs in energy security, system reliability, and technology deployment.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Methods for Representing Flexible, Energy-Constrained Technologies in Utility Planning Tools

Capacity expansion models are widely used by power system researchers, planners, and policy analysts to evaluate alternative power system investment scenarios. With the increasing deployment of wind and solar in the US, there has been much focus on improving the representations of variable generation (VG) technologies within capacity expansion models. Models that capture the variable net-load profiles and larger reserve requirements associated with high penetration VG systems represent an improvement to classic capacity expansion models, but fall short of capturing the complexities associated with storage technologies, such as battery energy storage (BES) and concentrating solar power with thermal energy storage (CSP with TES). While difficult to model in a capacity expansion setting, these technologies are potentially competitive sources of flexibility with the intriguing characteristics of being able to absorb VG that would otherwise be curtailed and directly contribute to renewable energy goals, respectively. In this paper we present methods for accurately representing these technologies in a large-scale capacity expansion model with high electrical and geospatial resolution. VG modeling techniques, including novel methods for capturing curtailment due to unit commitment and other hourly dispatch phenomena, are also reviewed. Modeling for a region in the southwestern United States demonstrates the economic relevance of being able to explicitly trade off the costs and capabilities of energy-constrained technologies, especially BES, against other resources in the near-term, in time to make plans for the coming decade

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Application of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Systems for Powering Safety Monitoring Systems of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations, OESI 2.0 M-1 T-1-P1.1 – Objective 3 Report: Collocation of OTEC with Offshore Oil and Gas Activities

This report is a component of a comprehensive research initiative aimed at evaluating the technoeconomic feasibility of deploying Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) systems to power safety monitoring systems for offshore oil and gas operations in the Gulf of America (GOA). The overarching study has three primary objectives: summarizing existing oil and gas equipment monitoring systems, modeling OTEC as a renewable marine energy source, and exploring the collocation of OTEC power sources with offshore oil and gas activities to offset power demand. This report specifically addresses Objective 3, focusing on the integration of OTEC systems with floating oil and gas facilities.

02 PETROLEUM↗
NASA NTRS2019

Common Power and Energy Storage Solutions to Support Lunar and Mars Surface Exploration Missions

Future human exploration missions on the moon and Mars will require a new generation of power sources to sustain crew members and leverage in-situ resources. Long-duration human missions to the lunar and Martian surface will likely include large-scale landers, crew habitats, pressurized rovers, and in-situ propellant production plants. The power demands for these surface elements, whether on the moon or Mars, will be similar starting with robotic precursor missions in the multi-kilowatt range scaling to 10s of kilowatts as the crew presence expands and local propellant production is established. While the power requirements may be similar, the vastly different environments on the two surfaces present unique challenges for power generation and storage systems. Candidate technologies to satisfy the surface power needs include deployable solar arrays, regenerative fuel cells, and small fission reactors. This paper presents strategies for power system architectures with elements that can be used on the moon and are extensible to Mars with features that make them resilient to either environment.

Mason, Lee↗
NASA NTRS1993

General-Purpose Driver For Arrays Of Photodetectors

Electronic system containing both digital and analog circuits supplies clock waveforms at frequencies up to 12 MHz and/or bias voltages in 16 output channels. Designed to provide low-noise driving signals for any of variety of arrays of photodetectors. Clock waveform and/or bias in each channel adjusted independently of others to suit requirements of specific array of detectors. System offers primary advantage (adjustability) of prior laboratory systems, but at cost, power, and size like those of prior dedicated, field-deployed systems.

Shu, Peter K.↗