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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 OSTI2024

A Weather Analysis for Xcel Energy's 2030 Colorado Preferred Plan

The Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), a subsidiary of Xcel Energy (Xcel), plans to meet its target of an 80% reduction in CO 2 emissions over 2005 levels by 2030 through its Preferred Plan1,2 that includes increasing the wind and solar energy on its system, reducing coal, and adjusting the operation and dispatch of new and existing thermal generation. The objective of our analysis reported here is to identify how the PSCo generation and transmission of its Preferred Plan might operate in the face of specific weather events. We investigate weather events that currently cause stress to PSCo’s system, such as winter storms and extreme heat. In addition, we explore how the future system responds to scenarios that may be considered normal weather conditions today, but that have a large impact on wind and solar generation potential.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Xcel Energy’s electric carbon emissions reduction trajectories in the context of 1.5°C and 2°C warming pathways

In 2015 the Paris Agreement established the goals of limiting global average warming to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit warming to below 1.5°C. A large and growing number of scenarios have been developed by the climate research community that explore global energy and emissions pathways that would achieve those goals. We draw on the most recent database of such scenarios to update a previous analysis of Xcel Energy’s emissions reduction goals in light of evolving climate science. We assess the outlook for the role of the US electricity sector in current economy-wide and global emissions pathways and compare it to Xcel Energy’s near-term resource plans to 2030. We find that global scenarios that achieve the 1.5°C goal span a range of US/North America electricity sector emissions reductions by 2030 of about 65-85%. Xcel Energy’s emissions reductions to date have exceeded those of the US electricity sector as a whole, and its projected trajectory to 2030 under current approved resource plans falls within this range. Scenarios achieving the 2°C goal have a wider range of reductions (about 40-85%). In scenarios achieving either goal, electricity sector emissions fall faster than economy-wide emissions, a robust feature of mitigation scenarios, which typically rely on low carbon electricity to achieve climate targets.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Xcel Energy – LBNL ‘Beyond Widgets’ Project. Workstation Specific Lighting with Daylight Dimming Controls System Program Manual

This program manual was developed through a U.S. Department of Energy project to develop streamlined utility program approaches to the deployment of integrated systems in commercial offices. Integrated systems present deep opportunities for energy savings, however by nature these systems have additional levels of complexity and effort required for their design and energy savings assessment, which create barriers for utility incentive programs to develop streamlined cost effective incentive programs to capture these savings. This project worked with Xcel Energy in Colorado and Minnesota to select an integrated system and develop a streamlined approach to its deployment for small and large commercial offices. Xcel Energy worked with LBNL to select a workstation specific lighting system with daylight dimming controls, applied as a retrofit in commercial office spaces. Previous studies indicated a potential lighting annual energy savings of 28-63%, with an average of 47% for this system type, due to reduced fixture LPD and controls only, not including a full fixture replacement from a condition such as T8 to LED. Xcel also had a desire to incorporate this fixture replacement in their integrated system package, and as a result annual energy lighting savings are expected to be higher. FLEXLAB testing of the system for 500 lux minimum output conditions translated into a 94% annual energy savings for this system. Market analysis was developed for large and medium commercial office buildings in Xcel’s Minnesota and Colorado markets showing a potential for 48-295 and 120-672 GWh of energy savings potential for Colorado and Minnesota respectively. Total Resource Costs (TRC) vary by location and technology package used (enterprise versus non-enterprise lighting controls system), and vary from 0.29 to 1.27 and 0.06 and 0.44 for a Retrofit case, and 0.20 to 1.63 and 0.07 to 0.57 for a Replace on Burnout strategy for Colorado and Minnesota respectively. These results indicate good potential for demonstrating a strong technical and economic case for deployment of this system type in Xcel’s Colorado territory, while deployment in the Minnesota market may be advisable as well as part of a portfolio of programs, or as an effort to help shift the market into integrated systems deployment in general. It should be noted that the cost of avoided energy in both markets is significantly low ($0.07/kWh for Minnesota, $0.08/kWh for Colorado), and these TRC values would not be representative of deployment potential in other markets with higher utility rates. In addition, installation costs used for these systems may decrease with time, further enhancing their return on investment. Overall, workstation specific lighting systems with daylight dimming controls present a very strong potential for cost effective lighting energy savings, as demonstrated by the FLEXLAB test results and previous case studies. Further energy savings may be realized from the use of fixture-specific occupancy sensors as well, although this approach was not considered in this study.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2017

Automated Work Packages: Radio Frequency Identification, Bluetooth Beacons, and Video Applications in the Nuclear Power Industry

The need to move conventional paper-based work packages into an electronic state motivated the development of a large span of electronic work package forms that ranged from simple Portable Document Format (PDF) files to adaptive and intelligent electronic forms. In parallel to this development, the Department of Energy Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program (LWRS) initiated the automated work package as a pilot project to evaluate implementing state of the art automation techniques into the work package process to improve the economic and safety of the work process. Through a multiple year’s effort, the automated work package project have developed a vision of the future work package that relies on automation in all critical and human factor challenging tasks. The vision identified gaps in the work process, the means to automate them, and evaluated the implementation, feasibility and benefits of these means. This was conducted through continues engagement with the nuclear power industry. The aim of this report is to study the potential of three automation technologies, which have been advancing in various industries, in the current work process of nuclear power plants. The study is to determine the feasibility and benefits of incorporating the technologies and determine potential gaps, if any, that need to be addressed to facilitate deployment of the studied technologies. The three automation technologies identified for this effort are ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacons, and video monitoring and recording. As part of this effort, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) collaborated with Xcel Energy Inc. to evaluate these technologies. During the research and development scope of the effort, INL engaged Xcel Energy Inc. periodically and exchanged valuable insight on the means to implement these technologies in a nuclear power plant. Multiple pilot prototypes were developed and tested in a user study conducted at Xcel Energy Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The outcome of this effort resulted in significant findings that included the detailed means to custom fit the technologies to fit the nuclear power industry need, and identifying and evaluating several applications of high economic or safety potential. The limitations and obstacles that could impact deployment of the technologies were also identified, and the means of how to address these limitations and obstacles were studied.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

Techno-Economic Analysis of Product Diversification Options for Sustainability of the Monticello and Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plants

The objective of this work was to perform techno-economic analysis (TEA) of hybrid options that could be integrated with light water reactor (LWR) nuclear power plants (NPPs) in order to improve the viability and sustainability of existing LWRs through product diversification by utilizing nuclear energy not only to produce grid electricity but to also produce carbon free products such as hydrogen, ammonia or synthetic fuels. Much of the analysis herein could be generally applied to any LWR (high temperature steam electrolysis- HTSE design), but hydrogen demand and the optimization of the HTSE was completed with specific collaboration and data from Xcel Energy’s Prairie Island and Monticello nuclear generating stations and the surrounding market and logistics potential in the greater Minneapolis region. Xcel Energy has set aggressive goals with regards to decarbonization, including an 80% reduction in CO 2 emissions from 2005 levels, by 2030 and 100% carbon free by 2050. Other TEAs regarding hydrogen production with nuclear energy have been completed in collaboration with other utility companies previously. Besides being the first TEA in this regard specific to Xcel Energy and the surrounding markets and logistics, this TEA adds to the previously completed TEAs by providing the most up to date and state of the art analysis and optimization of the hydrogen production plant integrated with nuclear power (NPP-HTSE).

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2021

ADMS Test Bed Updates

This webinar will present results from a joint project with utility partner Xcel Energy in which we evaluated their ADMS application for volt-var optimization using different levels of model quality. We were able to help Xcel Energy understand the trade-offs of telemetry measurements and model quality when managing a feeder's voltage profile to maximize energy conservation. We simulated scenarios with varying levels of model quality and measurement density to evaluate Xcel's options for best using its ADMS. The results help Xcel and other utilities understand how network data affects voltage management as grid operations see continued growth in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and electric vehicles (EVs).

ADMS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Real-Time Distribution Feeder Performance Monitoring, Advisory Control, and Health Management System

New data collection system equipment was installed in Xcel Energy substations and data was collected from 6 substations and 20 feeders. During Phase I, ABB collected and analyzed 793 real-time events to date from 6 Xcel Energy substations and continues today. The development and integration of several applications was completed during the course of this project, including a model-based faulted segment identification algorithm, with very positive results validated with field-gathered data discussed and included in this report. For mostly underground feeders, the success rate is 90% and the overreach rate is 90%. For mostly overhead feeders, the success rate is 74% and the overreach rate is 50%. The developed method is producing very accurate results for mostly underground feeders. For mostly overhead feeders, due to the bad OMS data quality and varying fault resistance when arcing, the developed method is producing good results but with much room for improvement. One area where the algorithm can be improved is the accuracy for sub-cycle fault events. In these cases, the accuracy of the conventional signal processing methods suffers due to most of these methods being based on a one-cycle processing window. By improving the signal processing accuracy, the accuracy of the faulted segment identification algorithm will also improve significantly. ABB intends to devote research in this area in the near future to help solve this problem.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Enhanced Control, Optimization, and Integration of Distributed Energy Applications (ECO-IDEA)

With support from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) partnered with Xcel Energy, Schneider Electric, Varentec, and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to meet the goals of the Enabling Extreme Real-Time Grid Integration of Solar Energy (ENERGISE) program. This project developed and validated an innovative data-enhanced hierarchical control architecture that enables the efficient, reliable, resilient, and secure operation of future distribution systems with a high penetration of distributed energy resources like solar energy. The architecture enables a hybrid control approach where a centralized control layer is complemented by distributed control algorithms for solar inverters and autonomous control of grid edge devices. It is fully interoperable and includes all the cybersecurity aspects necessary for reliable and secure system operation. The hybrid approach can seamlessly integrate multiple voltage-regulation technologies, both at central and grid-edge levels, which enables reliable and efficient system operation in the face of unpredictable conditions. The overarching goal of the Eco-Idea project is to develop, validate, and deploy a unique and innovative Data-Enhanced Hierarchical Control (DEHC) architecture that comprehensively addresses the formidable challenges associated with proliferation of high penetration of distributed PV such as reverse power flows, transients from variability of PV systems, feeder load balancing, and voltage stability. These issues are exposing the weaknesses of existing grid operations and controls - including, but not limited to, lack of grid situational awareness, heuristic and slow-acting control actions, latency of control for emergency situations, and points of failure in communications. The proposed architecture will comprehensively resolve the deficiencies of current operational settings - where monitoring and control solutions proposed across industry and academia may not be interoperable and may not coexist in the same system - and will enable an efficient, reliable, resilient, and secure operation of future distribution systems with penetration of solar energy well beyond current limits. The DEHC architecture was developed and validated rigorously through hardware-in-loop simulations in the laboratory environment and deployed on the field.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Region-Specific Merchant Hydrogen Market Assessment and Techno-Economic Assessment of Electrolytic Hydrogen Generation: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-18-00751

Utilities need to recover value from baseload and some renewable assets even when the electricity is curtailed. The declining cost of renewables (particularly solar), the persistently low-cost of natural gas, and the declining electricity demand, have all worked to lower the price of electricity. Furthermore, the baseload assets have a high turndown cost, which is not reflected in the low market electricity prices. One option for utilizing the curtailed electricity is hydrogen generation. One important aspect of this project will be to provide a “go/no-go” recommendation on the economic feasibility of pursuing hydrogen generation vs. other markets that could offtake curtailed electricity or nuclear steam. This project will specifically assess the opportunities for hydrogen production and use in the service territories of Southern Company Services (SCS), Exelon SBC, and Xcel Energy. Each utility partner represents a different mix of generation fleets: Exelon has significant nuclear assets, Xcel is primarily renewables (wind) with some nuclear, and SCS represents both a renewables fleet and a heavily baseload fleet, which includes significant nuclear. The Contractors will conduct the study of hydrogen market opportunities by first considering the approximate electricity demand and price profiles for the year, and power generation capacity that can be used to produce hydrogen. Therefore, a profile for hydrogen generation will also be developed to better understand the quantity and timing of hydrogen production. Once the hydrogen production schedule is estimated, hydrogen storage requirements can be determined. This effort will provide sufficient information to make a go/no-go decision on moving ahead with a detailed regional case study for hydrogen production in any of the three utility areas.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

High-Fidelity Analysis of EV Integration on Real Utility Feeders in Colorado

Residential electric vehicle (EV) charging has the potential to alter long-held assumptions on load characteristics impacting distribution grid planning, operations, and design standards. This study identifies analysis and control methods to increase the affordability of residential EV charging both for Xcel Energy and their customers. The project also provides solutions for more reliable grid interconnection that can support a reliable utility business model prepared for increasing EV charging load in the coming years. For this project, we referenced Level 2 alternating current (AC) onboard charging profiles for various vehicle models and high-fidelity charging data collected at the experimental setup established at the EV Research Infrastructure Laboratory at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Next, we developed EV adoption models for 2030 and 2040 for the Boulder and Aurora regions in Colorado. Moreover, we evaluated different smart charging control algorithms and compared their performance. We developed time-of-use (TOU)-based and grid-aware active EV charging control methods and integrated them within the study region to understand field impacts. Diving deeper, we selected 10 feeders in Boulder and Aurora for high-fidelity grid modeling down to the house level. We executed detailed grid analysis comparing the smart charge management (SCM) algorithms we developed. Finally, we created a novel tool, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure--Distribution System Integration Tool (EVI-DiST), to integrate all the approaches in a single software environment to provide easy integration, fast simulation, and detailed evaluation capability for utility engineers and other stakeholders.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Energy Systems Integration Partnerships: NREL + Panasonic

In collaboration with Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, Xcel Energy, land developer L.C. Fulenwider, and the City and County of Denver, NREL is developing a zero-energy transit-oriented campus at the Denver International Airport's Pena Station.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Analysis of Electric Heavy-Duty Driving and Infrastructure Requirements

The analysis discussed in this report was performed as part of DOE award DE-EE0009232 to model the effects of charging Heavy Duty Battery Electric Trucks (HDBETs) on the grid. This project combines best in class freight modeling by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with advanced distribution modeling by EPRI using detailed data from Xcel Energy and Salt River Project to analyze the effects of depot charging and utility-grade transmission modeling by Tri-State Transmission and Generation Association Inc. to analyze the effects of en-route charging.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Peña Station NEXT Energy District Master Plan (Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-17-681)

The objective of the project is to work in close collaboration with Panasonic, Xcel Energy (Public Service), and their partners L.C. Fulenwider, and Denver International Airport to examine different design and technology options in creating an energy master plan for the 400 acre Pena Station NEXT district in Denver, Colorado. To accomplish this, NREL will conduct a solar power/battery storage/grid integration study using the OpenDSS platform linked to UrbanOPT software.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Western Wind and Solar Integration Study: Hydropower Analysis

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) study of 20% Wind Energy by 2030 was conducted to consider the benefits, challenges, and costs associated with sourcing 20% of U.S. energy consumption from wind power by 2030. This study found that with proactive measures, no insurmountable barriers were identified to meet the 20% goal. Following this study, DOE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory(NREL) conducted two more studies: the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study (EWITS) covering the eastern portion of the U.S., and the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study (WWSIS) covering the western portion of the United States. The WWSIS was conducted by NREL and research partner General Electric (GE) in order to provide insight into the costs, technical or physical barriers,and operational impacts caused by the variability and uncertainty of wind, photovoltaic, and concentrated solar power when employed to serve up to 35% of the load energy in the WestConnect region (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming). WestConnect is composed of several utility companies working collaboratively to assess stakeholder and market needs to and develop cost-effectiveimprovements to the western wholesale electricity market. Participants include the Arizona Public Service, El Paso Electric Company, NV Energy, Public Service of New Mexico, Salt River Project, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Cooperative, Tucson Electric Power, Xcel Energy and the Western Area Power Administration.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Case Study: Hybridizing Nuclear Energy Systems in the U.S.

This case study was presented at the ICTP-IAEA VIRTUAL Course on Nuclear-Renewable Integrated Energy Systems: Phenomenology, Research and Development. It provides preliminary results on an analysis of hybridizing the two nuclear power plants owned by Xcel Energy and located in Minnesota. The analysis extends previous analyses that provided only price-taker results. Those assume adjusting the generation sold to the grid does not impact locational marginal electricity prices nor do they estimate impacts on the total net cost to serve the load. This presentation summarizes the new technique that was developed to both optimize the size and operations of the hybridized system and the resulting impacts on the grid when it is operated optimally.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Regional Hybrid Energy Systems Technoeconomic Analysis

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been working with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to analyze the potential that hybridizing Xcel Energy's two nuclear power plants in Minnesota might have. The hybrid nuclear power plants would maximize sales of electricity when its price is high and reduce electricity sales to maximize hydrogen production when the price of electricity is low. This presentation summarizes the project's approach and status and communicates future direction.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY,HYDROGEN↗