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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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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Global Energy System Transitions

Energy systems power the world’s economies. They are pivotal to providing sustained economic prosperity that provides the goods and services that humans desire. Climate change is intimately linked with energy systems, because CO2 from fossil fuel use is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas emitted to the atmosphere, and cumulative anthropogenic emissions determine Earth’s concentration of CO2. Limiting climate change therefore means that global energy systems must reduce net CO2 emissions to zero and stabilize emissions of other GHGs. We compare energy system pathways as they are currently evolving with alternatives that have the potential to limit climate change over the 21st century. The differences are profound. Here we also discuss some frontier research issues that can provide a better understanding of potential pathways and their implications for decisions makers.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
NASA NTRS2022

Satellite Data Applications for Sustainable Energy Transitions

Transitioning to a sustainable energy system poses a massive challenge to communities, nations, and the global economy in the next decade and beyond. A growing portfolio of satellite data products is available to support this transition. Satellite data complement other information sources to provide a more complete picture of the global energy system, often with continuous spatial coverage over targeted areas or even the entire Earth. We find that satellite data are already being applied to a wide range of energy issues with varying information needs, from planning and operation of renewable energy projects, to tracking changing patterns in energy access and use, to monitoring environmental impacts and verifying the effectiveness of emissions reduction efforts. While satellite data could play a larger role throughout the policy and planning lifecycle, there are technical, social, and structural barriers to their increased use. We conclude with a discussion of opportunities for satellite data applications to energy and recommendations for research to maximize the value of satellite data for sustainable energy transitions.

energy↗
DOE OSTI2024

The hydrogen economy can reduce costs of climate change mitigation by up to 22%

In response to the urgent need to mitigate climate change via net-zero targets, many nations are renewing their interest in clean hydrogen as a net-zero energy carrier. Although clean hydrogen can be directly used in various sectors for deep decarbonization, the relatively low energy density and high production costs have raised doubts as to whether clean hydrogen development is worthwhile. Here, we improve on the GCAM model by including a more comprehensive and detailed representation of clean hydrogen production, distribution, and demand in all sectors of the global economy and simulate 25 scenarios to explore the cost-effectiveness of integrating clean hydrogen into the global energy system. We show that, due to costly technical obstacles, clean hydrogen can only provide 3%–9% of the 2050 global final energy use. Nevertheless, clean hydrogen deployment can reduce overall energy decarbonization costs by 15%–22%, mainly via powering “hard-to-electrify” sectors that would otherwise face high decarbonization expenditures. Our work provides practical references for cost-effective clean hydrogen planning.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Net Zero World COP28 Outcomes Report – Indonesia

This report describes Net Zero World Initiative activities initiated with Indonesia in 2023. The Net Zero World Initiative is a collaborative effort of eight countries, nine U.S. government agencies, 10 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories, and partnering philanthropies and nongovernmental organizations. Its goal is to elevate and enact climate ambition pledges and accelerate the transition to net-zero, resilient, and inclusive energy systems globally. The Net Zero World team, the Government of Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), and other stakeholders jointly identified and are advancing action in the four priority focus areas -- Energy Infrastructure Analysis, Island Energy Transition, Building Decarbonization, and Sustainable Transport.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Experimental Characterization of Hydrogen Diffusion in Shale Rocks for Geologic Storage Applications

As global energy systems undergo a transition to cleaner alternatives, geologic hydrogen storage has emerged as a promising solution for large-scale energy storage. A critical factor in determining the feasibility of this approach is the effectiveness of caprock formations, such as shale, in preventing hydrogen migration. This study investigates the diffusion behavior of hydrogen through shale to assess its suitability as a caprock for geologic hydrogen storage. Using a novel double-seal core holder design and a through-diffusion apparatus, hydrogen diffusion was measured through shale rock from the Eagle Ford and Wolfcamp Formations under dry conditions. These measurements were complemented by microstructural and mineralogical analyses using low-pressure nitrogen adsorption and X-ray diffraction. The effective diffusion coefficient of hydrogen in these shale caprocks ranged from 2.51 × 10 –8 to 9.85 × 10 –8 m 2 /s. Notably, we observed that the diffusion behavior was more related to the pore network structure and could not be attributed to differences in the total pore volume between shale types alone. Here, to further understand the role of pore network complexity, a fractal pore model was developed to correlate tortuosity with the fractal dimension of the pore structure (a measure of pore network complexity). The proposed model closely matched tortuosity values obtained from diffusion experiments, outperforming existing theoretical tortuosity–porosity correlations. These findings provide key quantitative parameters needed to assess the feasibility of geologic hydrogen storage as well as insights that can be applied to hydrogen storage in a range of geologic formations.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

Considerations for the Global Commercialization of Floating Offshore Wind Energy

Floating offshore wind (FOW) has the potential to unlock access to wind resources in deep water where fixed-bottom turbines are not feasible, enabling coastal regions around the world to meet growing energy demands. Although fixed-bottom offshore wind is commercially mature, FOW, which may be needed for water deeper than 60 m, must progress in multiple ways to reach full commercial viability. In this Perspective, we examine the status of the global FOW industry's commercial development across three key areas - technical innovation, industrialization and cross-cutting value. Technical innovation has enabled FOW turbines to perform as well as fixed-bottom turbines, with the promise of future cost reductions. However, the complex architecture of FOW turbines, combining floating structures with more than 8,000 electrical and mechanical parts in wind turbines, requires industrialization efforts such as standardization and supply-chain integration to enable commercial project deployment. FOW can potentially offer unique benefits, including reduced environmental impacts and strengthened economic development in coastal regions, through substantial regional economic activity. Successful coordination across these three areas could help to position FOW as a major contributor to a competitive, reliable and resilient global energy system.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Accelerating Innovative Energy Solutions Using Combustion Simulations

Combustion-based transportation, electricity generation, and industrial heating in manufacturing constitute the three largest sectors of energy demand. Some of the recent technology development in these sectors are: switching to low-carbon fuels for the transportation sector, increasing energy efficiency in the power sector, and capturing carbon emissions from conventional power generators. Several teams at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have been actively advancing research in these areas by leveraging computational modeling of combustion processes across the heavy-duty land based transportation, aviation, and power generation sectors. This article summarizes some of these efforts, demonstrating the potential of advanced computational techniques to generate technological solutions that will transform the global energy system.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Fossil Fuel Transitions Framework: Case studies of the decision-making process for energy and economic development pathways

The Net Zero World Initiative leverages expertise across U.S. government agencies and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) national laboratories, in partnership with other governments and philanthropies, to accelerate the decarbonization of global energy systems. This whole-of-government approach supports countries committed to raising their climate ambitions by co-creating and implementing highly tailored, actionable technical and investment strategies that put just and sustainable net-zero solutions within reach. The Net Zero World Initiative enables country partners to harness the convening power and technical expertise of U.S. and international industry, think tanks, and technical institutions.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modeling Small Modular Reactors in GCAM

This study uses the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) to examine the critical role and future of nuclear energy in the global energy system, with a focus on the United States. We also analyzed the U.S. government’s new strategic vision for the nuclear energy sector.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS2015

A Framework for the Cross-Sectoral Integration of Multi-Model Impact Projections: Land Use Decisions Under Climate Impacts Uncertainties

Climate change and its impacts already pose considerable challenges for societies that will further increase with global warming (IPCC, 2014a, b). Uncertainties of the climatic response to greenhouse gas emissions include the potential passing of large-scale tipping points (e.g. Lenton et al., 2008; Levermann et al., 2012; Schellnhuber, 2010) and changes in extreme meteorological events (Field et al., 2012) with complex impacts on societies (Hallegatte et al., 2013). Thus climate change mitigation is considered a necessary societal response for avoiding uncontrollable impacts (Conference of the Parties, 2010). On the other hand, large-scale climate change mitigation itself implies fundamental changes in, for example, the global energy system. The associated challenges come on top of others that derive from equally important ethical imperatives like the fulfilment of increasing food demand that may draw on the same resources. For example, ensuring food security for a growing population may require an expansion of cropland, thereby reducing natural carbon sinks or the area available for bio-energy production. So far, available studies addressing this problem have relied on individual impact models, ignoring uncertainty in crop model and biome model projections. Here, we propose a probabilistic decision framework that allows for an evaluation of agricultural management and mitigation options in a multi-impactmodel setting. Based on simulations generated within the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP), we outline how cross-sectorally consistent multi-model impact simulations could be used to generate the information required for robust decision making. Using an illustrative future land use pattern, we discuss the trade-off between potential gains in crop production and associated losses in natural carbon sinks in the new multiple crop- and biome-model setting. In addition, crop and water model simulations are combined to explore irrigation increases as one possible measure of agricultural intensification that could limit the expansion of cropland required in response to climate change and growing food demand. This example shows that current impact model uncertainties pose an important challenge to long-term mitigation planning and must not be ignored in long-term strategic decision making

farmlands↗
NASA NTRS1990

Surface radiation budget in the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) effort and in the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX)

The surface radiation budget (SRB) and the atmospheric radiative flux divergence (ARD) are vital components of the weather and climate system. The importance of radiation in a complex international scientific endeavor, the GEWEX of the World Climate Research Programme is explained. The radiative transfer techniques and satellite instrumentation that will be used to retrieve the SRB and ARD later in this decade with the CERES are discussed; CERES is a component of the Earth Observing System satellite program. Examples of consistent SRB and ARD retrievals made with Nimbus-7 and International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project data from July 1983 are presented.

Charlock, Thomas P.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Resource Adequacy in Decarbonizing Power Systems

Decarbonization of the power sector is instrumental to reducing emissions worldwide. Following the 13th Clean Energy Ministerial conference (CEM13) in 2022, several governments signaled their intention to develop power sector decarbonization action plans. The 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP), in coordination with all Clean Energy Ministerial power workstreams and collaborators, is providing technical support on critical focus areas as these countries prepare their action plans. Countries will present the action plans at the upcoming CEM14 in India. Brought to you by the Clean Energy Solutions Center and 21CPP, this webinar will focus on resource adequacy and grid flexibility, key themes in the CEM14 action plans and critical topics for integrating variable renewable energy into the grid while ensuring system reliability. Global energy experts will discuss how grid planners can ensure stable supply while rapidly decarbonizing the power system and how various policies can increase the power grid's flexibility.

emissions↗
DOE OSTI2023

COP28 Outcomes Report: Executive Summary

Net Zero World, launched at COP26, is a flagship U.S. effort to partner with countries in accelerating transitions to clean energy systems. This initiative brings together world-class experts and resources from 10 U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories and nine U.S. government agencies. Collaboratively, they work with technical and government representatives from Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and Ukraine to advance decarbonization in these economies.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Net Zero World Initiative: Net Zero World COP28 Program Highlights

The Net Zero World initiative, a U.S. flagship program launched at COP26, is designed to support countries in accelerating transitions to clean energy systems. Combining expertise from 10 U.S. Department of Energy laboratories and 9 U.S. government agencies, Net Zero World collaborates with governments in Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and Ukraine to fortify net-zero pathways, advance implementation of priority actions, and mobilize significant investment in clean energy projects and infrastructure, targeting $10 billion by 2025. This fact sheet highlights program impacts to be presented at COP28.

decarbonization↗
NASA NTRS1985

Global energy regulation in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system

Some basic concepts which are essential in the understanding of global energy regulation in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system are introduced. The importance of line-tying concept is particularly emphasized in connection with the solar wind energy, energy release in the magnetosphere and energy dissipation in the ionosphere.

Sato, T.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Summer Aerosol and Trace Gas Observations in Houston, Texas Using an Adaptable Mobile Facility

An aerosol container featuring a shared inlet system was deployed to Houston, Texas in July 2022, enabling direct, high-time-resolution in situ measurements of aerosols and trace gases. The internal rack system and floorplan was designed for adaptable modularity to elucidate aerosol physicochemical processes at fine scales. The design allowed for the deployment of a core instrument suite and additional customized research grade instruments. A heterogeneous mixture of aerosols was observed during three regimes: (1) intermittent black carbon (BC) and diurnal variations in aerosol chemical composition, (2) observed particle growth associated with SO 2 , (3) transported supermicron dust. The high variability of observed particles and gases in high time resolution indicated a complex urban area with multiple local and regional sources and processes. Particle growth rates of 7–16 nm/hr were observed for submicron particles during periods when SO 2 was >0.5 ppbv. Two periods of multi-day long-range transport events of dust from the African Sahara were observed in the supermicron and submicron particle modes with total mass concentrations up to 30 μg m −3 . Aerosol scattering angstrom exponents and extinction coefficients (B ext ) increased with humidity as a function of particle composition. The measurements demonstrate collaborative capabilities that can be used to increase observations of aerosol processing, microphysical and optical properties, internal mixing state, and supermicron aerosol that are not parameterized or missing in global Earth energy system models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tierra del Fuego Case Study Capacity Expansion Analysis

This case study, developed by Net Zero World Initiative and the Government of Argentina, examines least-cost decarbonization pathways for Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, utilizing renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen, and other decarbonization technologies. Being the second largest natural gas producing province in Argentina, Tierra del Fuego has historically relied on natural gas for their energy sector needs. As they look at possible decarbonization pathways, they face challenges due to extreme weather conditions, isolation from the mainland, and low population density. The study utilizes the Engage web application for capacity expansion modeling, addressing both business-as-usual (BAU) and accelerated decarbonization scenarios, with varying degrees of electrification and carbon emission constraints. Key findings reveal that an interconnection with the mainland, high contribution of wind energy development on Tierra del Fuego, energy storage, and hydrogen, coupled with energy-efficient electrification technologies (such as heat pumps and electric vehicles), emerge as the most cost-effective solutions to decarbonize, significantly reducing carbon emissions and total system energy costs. The study explores self-generation and interconnection alternatives, demonstrating the economic advantage of an interconnection of Tierra del Fuego with the mainland, as an alternative to 100% local generation. Sensitivity analyses on wind data sources and temporal resolutions, as well as projected natural gas prices, highlight the influence of external factors on the feasibility of decarbonization pathways. Challenges identified include the practicality of phasing out natural gas, economic uncertainty, cost implications of long-term storage technologies as wind energy increases, and geographical limitations for wind generation. The case study concludes that while substantial emissions reductions can be achieved by 2050, and be competitive with conventional pathways, achieving a full 100% decarbonization by 2050 would entail higher costs, particularly due to the significant reliance on storage solutions with higher contribution of wind energy. The analysis offers valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in Argentina's energy sector, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, investment in renewable energy and storage technologies, and careful consideration of local conditions in the transition towards Net Zero targets.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗