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At least 19 records

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DOE OSTI2023

Clean Energy and Microgrid Opportunities to Make Electricity Affordable, Reliable, and Clean in New Orleans

The City of New Orleans, Louisiana, is participating in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Communities Local Energy Action Program (LEAP) Pilot, which is supporting 24 communities across the United States in their efforts to transition to clean energy to improve energy reliability, lower energy costs, and strengthen local economies. Communities LEAP is specifically open to low-income, energy-burdened communities that are also experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts, or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels.

Communities LEAP↗

DOE OSTI2026

Impact of Space Heating Options on Electricity Rates and Affordability

Electricity prices have increased in many regions of the U.S., with a national average of 18 cents/kWh projected for 2026, up from 16 cents/kWh in 2020. While the increases can be attributed to a number of factors, increasing electricity use in an efficient and strategic manner - with energy efficient building envelope upgrades and high performance HVAC systems - has the potential to increase revenue for utilities without significantly increasing electricity demand, and therefore could help moderate rate increases. This effect has been studied for electric vehicle charging[1] and dual-fuel heat pumps in Minnesota[2]. Leveraging a recently developed system cost methodology and FERC data on utility revenue, spending, and profits, this poster will present the direction and relative magnitude of rate impacts for efficient space heating upgrades in utility balancing areas across the contiguous U.S., using current prices and showing how the rate impacts would evolve under future grid scenarios.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Energy Storage and the Law of Averages: How Storage Can Make Electricity More Affordable

The electric grid is planned, built, and operated to satisfy peak demand. But because peak demand only occurs for a few hours per year, customers end up paying full price for grid infrastructure that is only used for a small fraction of the year—an increasingly expensive proposition as peak demand continues to grow and more infrastructure is required to meet it. The emergence of cost-competitive energy storage technologies in recent years, however, offers the potential for a grid that is planned, built, and operated based on average demand. By strategically siting and operating energy storage throughout the electric grid, excess generation in low-demand periods can be captured and stored near customers, which then reduces the amount of electricity that needs to be generated and moved through the transmission and distribution systems during high-demand periods. This paper describes these potential benefits, supported by real-world examples of energy storage projects that have created cost savings, which points to the potential for profound and far-reaching reductions in the cost of electricity if energy storage technologies are deployed at scale throughout the electric grid. These examples will be of use to system planners and operators, utility regulators, decision makers, and stakeholders in those processes as they look for opportunities to reduce the cost of electricity in their respective systems and jurisdictions.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2025

Grid Modernization of Cooperatives and Municipal Utilities via Breakthrough System Monitoring, Control and Optimization (CRADA Final Report)

This project aims at developing and demonstrating successful implementation of breakthrough approaches in real-time data visualization as well as real-time distributed DER control and optimization to provide ample benefits to both utilities and end users. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Holy Cross Energy (HCE), National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and Survalent are collaborating to enable Cooperative and Municipal utilities to fully leverage DERs as part of their strategies for providing safe, reliable, and affordable electric services to their customers and help meet DOE Grid modernization goal of achieving at least 10% active devices to provide grid flexibility by 2035. This project will use novel real-time control algorithms and approaches for distributed control recently developed under DOE-funded projects, using the date from the Survalent’s basic SCADA engine, GIS and AMI engines deployed at HCE combined with NRECA’s globally-used MultiSpeak(R) software interoperability specification for seamless and real-time communications between electric utility enterprise software to embrace DER as part of their strategies for providing safe, reliable and affordable electric service to their customers.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Innovative Natural Gas Technologies For Efficiency Gain In Reliable And Affordable Thermochemical Electricity Generation (INTEGRATE)

Hyper is a cutting-edge system that pairs computational models that simulate the response of different systems with physical components such as sensors and actuators to transfer said calculated response to the HyPer facility. Computational models must operate in real-time in order to resolve the system response when coupled to physical hardware. Real-time is defined by the minimal HyPer system response time of Δt = 0.080 s. The integration of these models serves as a foundation for performance characterization based on real-world SOFC hardware and paves the way for comprehensive fuel flexibility studies. This report underscores the innovative approach to cyber-physical system deployment at NETL’s HyPer Facility, highlighting the critical role of computational models in enhancing the performance and adaptability of energy technologies.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Today's Energy Challenges, Tomorrow's Solutions: Electrons to Molecules: Building a New Foundation for Industrial Processes

The vast majority of global goods and materials we use on a daily basis are manufactured from fossil fuel precursors - chemical building blocks strung together using combinations of heat, pressure, and chemical catalysis. NREL, along with energy industry partners, is exploring the use of renewable, affordable electricity as the driving force for the conversion of low-energy molecules - such as water and carbon dioxide (CO2) - to generate other molecules that could be used as chemicals, materials, fuels, or energy storage.Through this research, NREL and its partners are working together to determine the most efficient and cost-effective solutions for energy storage as well as safer ways to create chemicals and plastics that do not rely solely on fossil fuels.

affordable electricity↗

DOE OSTI2025

Electric Grid Security (EGS) FY24 Annual Report

Sandia’s Electric Grid Security program advances a national vision of a secure, resilient, and affordable electric system for all users. Our achievements reflect a strategic approach combining technology development; modeling, simulation, and data analytics; and partnered demonstrations and outreach to further the adoption of advanced grid and storage technologies. Our FY24 efforts leverage the strengths of our partnerships—spanning Sandia’s core science and technology competencies as well as external technology leaders—to develop the solutions today which enable the grid of tomorrow. Key accomplishments in this report that support our strategy span our technical program areas and include: • The advancement of energy storage technologies, including creation of a national Long Duration Energy Storage Consortium; • Applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhanced grid operations and planning; • Development of solid-state power conversion technologies and a new medium-voltage research lab; • New technologies to assess wildfire vulnerabilities and mitigate potential impacts; • Advanced applications of new cybersecurity technologies with industry partners; • Contributions to understanding the impacts of electromagnetic pulses and geomagnetic disturbances on grid components; and • Digital twin development for hybrid microgrids with multiple generators, storage, and loads.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Empowering Rural Electrification in Honduras: An Integrated Assessment of PV/BESS and Productive Uses of Electricity in Gracias a Dios

Honduras faces significant challenges in its energy sector, particularly in rural areas where access to reliable and affordable electricity remains limited. The flagship rural electrification initiative for Honduras Secretary of Energy (SEN) is the Politica de Acceso Universal a la Electricidad (PAUEH - Universal Electricity Access Policy), a key solution for addressing this energy poverty is the deployment of more than 1700 distributed solar and hybrid mini-grid solutions. In late 2023 as a first step towards supporting SEN's electrification efforts, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a literature review of SEN electrification policy documents and conducted a series of technical capacity-building workshops with SEN and other energy sector stakeholders in Honduras focused on using NREL's open-source REopt tool to conduct techno-economic assessments and develop least-cost optimizations for potential solar + storage mini-grid systems. Building on some initial capacity building on mini-grid modeling, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) worked with SEN to develop a detailed techno-economic assessment for electrifying two schools, a healthcare clinic, and a hospital in a hypothetical community within the department of Gracias a Dios. The analysis also evaluates the business case for cold storage productive use of energy (PUE) applications for the fisheries value chain and how the incorporation of these PUE loads potentially impacts both the viability of the PV+BESS solutions as well as local economic development. By assessing the potential for deployment of integrated PV/BESS systems to both support critical community services like education and healthcare, as well as potential for downstream enterprise and economic development, this analysis represents a first step that can help to inform specific strategies for development of pilot PV+BESS projects aligned with national priorities and sector level planning under PAUEH.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Fortalecimiento de la Electrificación Rural en Honduras: Una Evaluación Integrada de PV+BESS y Usos Productivos de la Electricidad en Gracias a Dios, Honduras [Empowering Rural Electrification in Honduras: An Integrated Assessment of PV/BESS and Productive Uses of Electricity in Gracias a Dios] (Spanish Translation)

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Solar-Plus-Storage Program Design: Frameworks and Examples [Slides]

The Columbia River Treaty Tribes in the Pacific Northwest - the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Yakama - hold treaty-reserved fishing rights for the Columbia River, the largest river in North America flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The four Tribes, through the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), prepared a vision for a more harmonized energy and water system in their 2022 Energy Vision for the Columbia River Basin. In it, the four Tribes envision a future where the Columbia Basin electric power system supports healthy and harvestable fish and wildlife populations, protects Tribal treaty and cultural resources, and provides clean, reliable, and affordable electricity. To help realize the Energy Vision, CRITFC received technical assistance from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) through the Communities Local Energy Action Program (LEAP) pilot with the goal of ensuring that the Tribes are fully informed and prepared to integrate their interests into regional power system planning. This resource aims to provide an overview of program and policy design frameworks for behind-the-meter (BTM) energy storage and solar-plus-storage programs and examples from across the United States. This information is intended to build CRITFC's understanding of potential policies and program designs that could support the deployment of solar photovoltaics (PV) and energy storage in the Pacific Northwest.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Co-simulation of transactive energy markets: A framework for market testing and evaluation

The proliferation of distributed energy resources (DER)—and the ability to intelligently control these assets—is re-defining the electrical distribution system. As the number of controllable devices rapidly expands, grid operators must determine how to incorporate these assets while delivering reliable, equitable, and affordable electricity. One possible approach is to establish distribution-level electricity markets and allow devices/aggregations of devices to participate in price establishment. While this approach purports some of the same benefits as the highly successful wholesale electricity markets (i.e., open competition, efficient price discovery, reduced communication overhead), this needs to be researched and quantified via an analysis platform that models distribution-level markets at the appropriate fidelity. Specifically, the simultaneous evaluation of market performance, DER performance, DER bidding approaches, and distribution feeder power quality requires modeling that spans multiple technical areas. Co-simulation has emerged as a powerful tool in addressing this type of problem, where outputs depend on a range of underlying areas of expertise and associated models. In this paper we describe a solution, as implemented in the HELICS co-simulation platform, where we include (1) high fidelity house models, (2) intelligent bidding agents, (3) a modular market integration/design, and (4) a distribution feeder model. We then present a case study where we test two different market designs: (1) a pseudo-wholesale double-blind auction, and (2) an asynchronous matching market. In this work, the markets are run under two DER penetration levels and economic results are compared to full retail net energy metering and avoided cost net metering scenarios that bookend current approaches to remuneration of DER participation. We show the potential for transactive markets to provide increased value for most customers relative to net metering (and all customers relative to avoided cost scenarios) while decreasing costs for the utility.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2026

A Bis(arenesulfonyl) Peroxide, an Ambient-Stable Oxidant, Is a Strong p-Dopant for Organic Semiconductors

Strong p-dopants are required to dope high-ionization energy organic semiconductors for a variety of potential applications, but strong, simple one-electron oxidants are typically sensitive to reduction by atmospheric moisture and thus challenging to store or handle. Here we show that bis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzenesulfonyl) peroxide─a dimer formed by two highly oxidizing radicals─can function as a water-stable yet powerful oxidant, cleanly reacting with some organic semiconductors to form two radical cations and two 3,5-bis-(trifluoromethyl)benzenesulfonate anions, although in other cases sulfonylation reactions can also occur. Notably, this peroxide is capable of p-doping the high-ionization energy polymer poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl)- alt -(benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazol-4,7-diyl)] (F8BT) to afford electrical conductivities of up to 0.03 S cm –1 , while its use with electron-rich poly(3,4-dialkoxythiophene-2,5-diyl) derivatives can afford values up to 100 S cm –1 . Quantum-chemical calculations reveal the peroxide oxidant behaves in a fashion mirroring that of relatively oxygen-stable, but highly reducing, n-dopants that have been developed based on dimers of organic radicals or organometallic sandwich compounds.

doping↗

DOE OSTI2026

FY25 Electric Grid Security Annual Report

Sandia’s Electric Grid Security program advances a national vision of energy dominance and accessibility, while applying our national security -emphasis on ensuring of a secure, resilient, and affordable electric system for all users. Our achievements reflect a strategic approach combining technology development; modeling, simulation, and data analytics; and partnered demonstrations and outreach to further the adoption of advanced grid and storage technologies. Our FY25 efforts leverage the strengths of our partnerships—spanning Sandia’s core science and technology competencies as well as external technology leaders—to develop the solutions today which enable the grid of tomorrow. Key accomplishments in this report that support our strategy span our technical program areas and include: • New open-source analytical tools for systems -level planning and optimization, including significant advances to the QuESt analytical environment; • Further advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhanced grid operations and planning as we rise to the challenge of new large loads; • Development of solid-state power conversion technologies and a new medium-voltage research lab; • New technologies to assess wildfire vulnerabilities and mitigate potential impacts; • Advanced applications of new cybersecurity technologies with industry partners; • Contributions to understanding the impacts of electromagnetic pulses and geomagnetic disturbances on grid components; and • Digital twin development for hybrid microgrids with multiple generators, storage, and loads. This report indicates key areas of research and engagement and summarizes the impact of Sandia’s contributions through notable accomplishments, journal publications, patents, and technical conferences and presentations. It is provided with the hope that readers discover ways we can further team to create our modern grid and apply the outcomes of our efforts. The bulk of work described herein is funded by several offices within the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE), including the Office of Electricity (OE); Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER); former offices such as the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the Grid Deployment Office (GDO), the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), and other key programs at USDOE. As we continue to state in these annual reports, the contributors to our successes are too numerous to name here, though our team wishes to express our deep gratitude to the numerous program and project sponsors at the US Department of Energy, who often function equally as technical collaborators; our many partners in industry, academia, utilities, and other national labs; and fellow researchers and business partners at Sandia whose leadership and creativity have enabled the accomplishments described herein.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2025

NREL Tools and Partnership Opportunities for Rural Electric Cooperatives in the United States

Rural electric cooperatives provide power to more than 42 million Americans, many of whom reside in rural and persistent poverty counties. As these co-ops invest in modernizing their energy infrastructure, they play a crucial role in ensuring affordable electricity, enhancing system resilience, and supporting economic development in their communities. To aid in this transition, NREL offers a suite of tools and partnership opportunities designed to help co-ops address evolving resource, affordability, and reliability needs. This factsheet covers already published content on select NREL tools and their most relevant applications for co-op decision-making and investment planning. Additionally, it features case studies demonstrating how rural co-ops can collaborate with NREL to advance both energy and economic development goals.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Energy Paths for the Yurok People

The Yurok Tribe has been working for more than two decades to bring adequate, cost-effective energy services to their Tribal members. With the completion of the electric line extension to Wautec, they are well on their way to an effective and sustainable energy future. However, there is still much work to be done; many Tribal households in the Upper Reservation are still without reliable, affordable electric power. Now the Tribe needs to determine the next steps to realize their energy vision. This Yurok Tribe energy strategic planning study examined electricity usage, costs and infrastructure, as well as electricity needs on the Reservation. It also assessed the Tribe’s energy resources. Equipped with this information, the project team conducted an energy options analysis that examined different project opportunities and identified key projects that are both feasible to implement and will help the Tribe reach its stated Energy Vision. There are still numerous households in the Upper Reservation and adjacent lands that are without grid electric power, and it is likely that most of them will remain disconnected from the grid because of their remoteness. To provide these community members with reliable, affordable, modern energy services their homes will need to be electrified via a robust off-grid energy services program that installs and maintains off-grid energy systems. This is the key need that is explored and addressed in this plan.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Electric Mobility Opportunities for Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

This report will support Brooklyn Park as it navigates changes in mobility technologies and approaches to best serve the transportation needs of its communities. The content details the advantages of electric mobility, reviews electric mobility options that meet diverse needs and constraints, and maps the benefits and limitations of these options in terms of available technologies, their uses, and incentives that aim to improve accessibility and affordability. Although personal EVs provide both individual and collective advantages to residents - from lowering the total cost of ownership over the lifetime of a vehicle to improving air quality in the surrounding environment by reducing tailpipe emissions - they may still be unaffordable and/or inaccessible to some households in Brooklyn Park. Therefore, this report provides an overview of other accessible and affordable electric mobility options, including electric carshares, e-micromobility (i.e., e-scooters, e-bikes), and on-demand services, as enabled by web-connected technologies and the proliferation of smartphones.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Latent demand for electricity in sub-Saharan Africa: A review

Universal access to electricity is an essential part of sub-Saharan Africa's path to development. With the United Nations setting Goal 7 of its sustainable development goals to be universal access to clean, reliable and affordable electricity, substantial research efforts have been made to optimize electricity supply based on projected demand in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Our study reviews the literature on electricity demand, with a specific focus on latent demand (i.e., electricity demand that would exist if the necessary techno-economic conditions were met) in SSA. We found that out of 57 electricity demand papers reviewed, only 3 (5%) incorporated latent demand in their electricity demand projections. Furthermore, majority of the literature on electricity consumption and demand estimation in SSA use econometric models to identify determinants of electricity consumption and project future demand. We find that population density, urbanization, household income, electricity price, market value of crops and availability of natural resources to be significant determinants of electricity consumption in SSA. We conclude the review by proposing a methodology, and providing an initial proof of concept, for more accurately projecting latent demand in sub-Saharan Africa. Incorporating latent demand in electrification models would help inform energy sector stakeholders (e.g., investors and policymakers) about which sectors and geographic locations hold potential for wealth creation via electricity access.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Typical Use Cases for Energy Storage in Rural Areas

Public power utilities and cooperatives play a crucial role in delivering reliable and affordable electricity to remote and sparsely populated regions. Unlike their urban counterparts, these utilities often face a unique set of challenges that can complicate their operations and service delivery. One of the primary challenges is the vast geographical area they must cover, which often results in higher transmission and distribution costs per customer. Additionally, public power utilities in rural areas often cannot afford the investments required to maintain and upgrade aging grid infrastructure to provide reliable and resilient power or withstand the impacts of recurring, severe weather events, which can cause extended outages and disrupt service delivery. Energy storage has emerged as a promising tool to help public power utilities meet these challenges. By enabling the storage of excess energy during low demand periods and providing a source of backup electricity during outages, energy storage systems can help utilities balance supply and demand more effectively. Additionally, they can help integrate a portfolio of various energy sources, reduce the need for expensive peak power purchases and provide ancillary services that stabilize the grid. This white paper describes potential use cases for energy storage in rural areas as well as documents a set of relevant example projects by project types.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗