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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

A High-resolution Regional Wave Resource Characterization For The U.S. West Coast

Objectives/Scope: Wave resource characterization is a critical step for wave energy converter deployment in the coastal ocean and relies on long-term, high-resolution wave datasets. This study presents a detailed modeling study of the wave resource along the U.S. West Coast (Washington, Oregon, and California), a coastal region that was identified with high wave energy potential in earlier studies. Methods, Procedures, Process: The wave hindcast covers a 32-year period from 1979 to 2010 and is based on a multi-resolution, unstructured-grid SWAN model framework. Model configuration closely follows and meets the requirements recommended by the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical Specification (IEC TS) for wave energy resource assessment and characterization (Class 2 - feasibility study). The model domain covers the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the West Coast and has a spatial resolution varying from ~300 m in the nearshore region (20 km from the shoreline) to ~2500 m within the EEZ and ~5000 m at the open boundary, which extends beyond the EEZ. The model was forced by hourly 2-D wave spectra produced by a two-way nested WaveWatch III model, which covers the global ocean domain and the broader U.S. West Coast region domain with spatial resolutions of 0.5 degree and 10 arc-minutes, respectively. Both wave models are forced by hourly, 0.5-degree wind forcing obtained from NCEP’s Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) product. Results, Observations, Conclusions: The standard model output for the SWAN model includes 3-hourly output for the six IEC wave resource parameters (e.g., omnidirectional wave power) at each grid point and hourly 2-D spectra at more than 50 NDBC buoys. Extensive model validation was achieved by comparing the six model-predicted IEC parameters with those derived from field observations at representative NDBC buoys. The error statistics indicated the model’s satisfactory performance. Further analyses were conducted to systematically evaluate the temporal and spatial distributions of wave energy potential and wave climate along the U.S. West Coast. Results suggest that Washington and Oregon coasts have similar nearshore wave resource, which is significantly higher than resources in Southern California. Strong seasonal variations are also observed, e.g., high wave energy tends to occur in the winter months. In summary, this study produced the first high-resolution, comprehensive dataset on wave energy distribution along the U.S. West Coast. Novel/Additive Information: The results are being used by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to update the MHK Atlas, which was originally derived from NOAA’s 4-arc-minute WaveWatch III model output. In addition, the monthly averaged wave energy climatology dataset can be readily shared to support a variety of research and application efforts within the EEZ of the U.S. West Coast.

Wang, Taiping↗
DOE OSTI2022

INL Contributions to Draft HTTF Benchmark Specifications

The High-Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) is an integral effects thermal hydraulics test facility at Oregon State University designed as a 1/4 length scale model of the Modular High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor 350 MW core (mHTGR-350). In the spring and summer of 2019, several experiments were conducted at HTTF providing a valuable source of gas-cooled reactor thermal hydraulics data. Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Oregon State University, Argonne National Laboratory, and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories have partnered to use this experimental data to develop a gas-cooled reactor thermal hydraulics benchmark led by INL under the auspices of the Advanced Reactor Technologies (ART) program. This report provides some context on the benchmark, HTTF, and previous Reactor Excursions and Leak Analysis Program (RELAP)5-3D modeling of HTTF. It also provides a draft of the benchmark specifications for the Depressurized Conduction Cooldown problem, which is the INL-led benchmark problem.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluating Hydropower Plants for Wildfire Resilient Microgrids

The increasing occurrence and severity of wildfires in recent years is severely impacting critical infrastructures, including the power grid, compromising the quality of life and provision of essential services, including electricity. The western parts of the United States, more specifically Washington, Oregon, and California, which are prone to large wildfires, are also rich in hydropower resources. Hydropower resources located close to communities vulnerable to wildfire can be utilized to develop wildfire-resilient microgrids to support critical needs of those communities. Therefore, this paper develops a framework to characterize hydropower plants and evaluate their feasibility to operate in microgrids during wildfire-related outages. In the proposed framework, hydropower plants are characterized using various plant and site attributes and evaluated in terms of capability and performance indicative metrics. A case study is carried out evaluating the Hills Creek hydropower plant located in a wildfire-prone region of Oregon for wildfire-resilient microgrid. The results of steady-state and dynamic simulations show that the hydropower plant is capable of providing the essential microgrid services and powering nearby communities during extended wildfire-related outages.

29 - ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Can Restoring Tidal Wetlands Reduce Estuarine Nuisance Flooding of Coasts Under Future Sea‐Level Rise?

Wetland restoration is an increasingly popular nature‐based method for flood risk mitigation in coastal communities. In this study, we present a novel method using hydrodynamic modeling and harmonic analysis to quantify wetlands' ability to reduce future nuisance flooding. The method leverages a hydrodynamic model calibrated to present day data and was run for a range of future sea‐level rise (SLR) and wetland restoration scenarios to quantify changes to tidal harmonic amplitudes and phases. The harmonic constituents are used to generate water surface elevations over a time period of interest (e.g., one year) and compared to critical exceedance thresholds such as levee elevations. Then, changes to nuisance flooding are calculated by counting the number of hours critical thresholds are exceeded under different SLR and wetland restoration scenarios. We applied the method to Coos Bay, Oregon, USA as a test case. We found restoration reduces the number of hours nuisance flooding occurs in downtown Coos Bay from 15 hr (present day conditions) to 0 hr (fully restored condition) under median SLR (82 cm by 2100). Restoration had spatially variable impacts on reducing peak flood elevations with minimal impacts near the estuary mouth and greatest impact 32 km inland. The effectiveness of restoration was heavily dependent on future SLR. Restoration was maximally effective in 2050 under all SLR scenarios, less effective in 2100 under median SLR, and not effective under high SLR. Modeling results suggest increased tidal prism and accommodation space are driving restoration‐associated reductions in tidal amplitudes.

Brand, Matthew W. [Louisiana State Univ., Baton Ro↗
DOE OSTI2026

Inundation and Sediment Supply Predict Annual but Not Centennial Carbon Accumulation in Tidal Wetlands Across Land‐Use Types

Despite growing interest in the contributions of tidal wetlands to natural climate solutions, data remain scarce on how land use affects their carbon accumulation rates (CAR). Additionally, environmental factors driving the large observed variability in CAR among sites are poorly understood. To address these knowledge gaps, we measured short-term (∼1 year) and long-term (∼100 years) CAR using feldspar marker horizons, 210 Pb profiles, and surface elevation tables from 39 sites in seven estuaries in Oregon and Washington, USA. Sites varied in wetland type (tidal marsh, tidal swamp, nontidal pasture), land-use history (reference, restored, and disturbed), and salinity (fresh to polyhaline). Across both timescales, CAR was lowest in disturbed pastures and highest in restored marshes, reflecting patterns in sediment accretion rates. Short-term CAR exceeded long-term CAR by approximately 50% on average and was only weakly correlated with long-term CAR, with differences among hydrogeomorphic setting. Short-term CAR was well predicted by summer inundation frequency and relative sediment load, together explaining 60% of variance, whereas long-term CAR was poorly predicted by contemporary environmental conditions. These findings highlight the importance of aligning predictor and response timescales when modeling blue carbon dynamics, and reinforce the climate mitigation potential of tidal wetland restoration.

land use and land cover change↗
DOE OSTI2025

Coupled Aerodynamic and Hydrodynamic Hybrid Simulation of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

The development and innovation of floating offshore wind energy in the U.S. requires detailed high-fidelity observations and measurements of turbine and platform loading due to wind, waves, and currents. However, full-scale and quasi-full-scale experiments require significant financial and temporal investments for construction, experimental testing, and long-term field campaigns. To support the commercial advancement of the offshore wind energy industry, specialized wind tunnel and wave basin experimental facilities are critical to be able to test FOWT designs at small scale under controlled conditions prior to full-scale deployment. Oregon State University (OSU) is internationally known as a leader in water and energy research, development, and testing. The O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory (HWRL) and the Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility (WESRF) at OSU have extensive experience building, modeling, monitoring, controlling, and actuating scaled systems. Experiments on wave-structure interaction have been performed at the HWRL since its establishment in 1972. Studies have included the interaction of waves with coastal structures (breakwaters, seawalls, buildings, cylinders, bridges, fixed foundations of offshore wind turbines, etc.) and with floating structures (e.g., wave energy converters, maneuvering of vessels, etc.). Hinsdale is actively used by marine energy technology developers, both for private testing and OSU-collaborative research projects. However, despite the availability of several large-scale facilities for hydrodynamic testing (at OSU and elsewhere in the U.S.), existing experimental laboratories are generally limited in their ability to accurately generate combined wind and wave conditions. The simulation of both wind and waves in experimental testing is complicated due to a number of constraints, including: [i] incompatible similitude laws governing the wind and waves for scaled experiments, [ii] producing accurate wind over a large enough control volume via fans, and [iii] generating wind that reasonably represents the atmospheric boundary layer in existing wave basins/flumes. Hence, physical test data providing insight into the simultaneous wave- and wind-structure response of floating offshore wind components can be difficult to generate. Given the aforementioned challenges in classic hydrodynamic experiments, the motivation of this project is to establish a real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) approach that can apply aero- and hydro-dynamic loading by augmenting wave-only experimental facilities with virtual aerodynamic forces through numerical models representing the remaining dynamic forces. RTHS is a physical-numerical approach that partitions a prototype system into physical and numerical sub-assemblies that interact with each other through actuators and sensors in real time. In coupling physical and numerical models, the hybrid simulation approach applied herein is ideal for problems with: (1) structures subjected to different scaling laws, such as floating offshore wind turbines subjected to combined aero/hydro-dynamic loading, (2) structures that are too large or complex to be tested entirely in a laboratory setting, such as deep-water mooring applications, and (3) component testing, where the behavior of a portion of the assembly is uncertain but still interacts with other portions of the structure, such as testing the fatigue life of turbine blades. Few U.S. experimental facilities are able to test simultaneous aero- and hydro-dynamic loading and none can accurately produce aero/hydro-dynamic response on scaled FOWT models due to conflicting similitude laws between the wind (commonly Reynolds) and the waves (commonly Froude). To aid in accelerating the development of the U.S. floating offshore industry, there is a significant need to develop a flexible, modular framework that can expand the capacities of existing wave-only laboratories. The project goal is to demonstrate a hydrodynamic real-time hybrid simulation (hydro-RTHS) framework that couples numerical wind and physical waves acting on a FOWT, thus representing simultaneous aero/hydro-dynamic loading. The FOWT is partitioned into a full-scale numerical sub-assembly associated with the aerodynamics and a model-scale physical sub-assembly associated with the hydrodynamics. The numerical-physical partition associated with hydro-RTHS mitigates scaling constraints by supplying different scaling laws to the physical and numerical sub-assemblies. Herein, length, force, and time are scaled and exchanged between the sub-assemblies using Froude scaling to represent the open-channel flow in the physical sub-assembly. Other similitude laws could also be utilized depending on the problem definition. It is envisioned that the ability to model FOWTs under waves and wind, with mitigation of similitude distortions, would result in reduced development costs (currently, FOWT concept development is performed with full-size pro- totypes at enormous expense and risk) and increase the reliability of the FOWT industry (since extreme wave and wind conditions and contingency events can be tested safely in a controlled environment).

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2025

Anion exchange membrane test protocol validation

This study presents the validation of protocols for measuring ion exchange capacity (IEC) and alkaline stability of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) for low-temperature water electrolysis. While protocols are often tested within individual laboratories, their results across multiple laboratories with varying equipment, environmental conditions, and personnel qualification remain unverified. The validation involved Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and University of Oregon (UO) using the same commercially available AEM to assess reproducibility and reliability of the protocols under diverse conditions. For the IEC protocol, results across laboratories were consistent within ±10% of the NMR-determined reference value. The alkaline stability protocol could pose greater challenges due to factors such as variations in sample collection timing, preservation methods, and analytical techniques, but consistent test results for percentage IEC loss were demonstrated across institutions. These results highlight the reliability and applicability of the protocols, emphasizing the importance of validation to ensure consistency in diverse research environments.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

While legume-based rotation influences the chemical composition of mineral-associated organic matter, tillage has little effect on its persistence

Legume-based rotations are key to enhancing soil carbon (C) storage in stable forms such as mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), improving soil health, and helping maintain long-term C stock. This study investigates how plant inputs and tillage practices influence the distribution, composition, and persistence of MAOM in wheat cropping systems when legumes are incorporated into the rotation. Soil samples were collected from Walla Walla silty loam of northeast Oregon, including conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT) treatments in a long-term dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spring pea (Pisum sativum L.) rotation experiment, with an adjacent grass pasture (GP) plot serving as the baseline. Bulk soil, particulate organic matter (POM), and MAOM fractions were scanned using mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy and analyzed for total C and nitrogen (N) as well as radiocarbon age, aggregate stability, and mineralizable C. In WP systems, NT promoted greater C accumulation and stabilization in MAOM than CT, reaching levels similar to those under native GP conditions. Furthermore, our findings indicate that decades of continuous legume-based rotation were insufficient to restore total bulk C content to levels observed in the undisturbed reference site (GP) in the 0–30 cm layer, with increases limited to the surface layer. The Mid-IR data provided insights into how cultivation may alter the chemical composition of MAOM. An increase in amide bands was observed in GP, while legume-based rotation systems favored an abundance of aliphatic (C-H) components in the MAOM fraction. In cultivated soils, C in MAOM exhibited longer residence times under arable conditions than in grassland, while POM remained an actively cycled pool across all treatments. Despite variations in the chemical composition of MAOM across treatments, mineralizable C emissions from MAOM fractions remained statistically unchanged during the 96-hour incubation period. Our findings suggest that soil physical protection, enhanced by reduced tillage, is the primary factor influencing MAOM cycling.

Carbon stabilization↗
DOE OSTI2026

Microchannel-based Membrane-less Extraction of Li from Unconventional Lithium Sources & the Separation of REE

This final report provides an overview of the Project's entire duration, covering July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. It primarily focuses on the achievements, technological developments, and unique challenges the team faced while working on separating and extracting Lithium from produced waters. The project's primary aim was to create an integrated, high-throughput, membrane-less, and modular microfluidic platform that could extract Lithium from unconventional sources. We have successfully met all goals and milestones envisioned in the SOPO document. The most critical primary milestones, including the Go-No-Go milestone (refer to the Gantt chart in the Appendices), were successfully accomplished. We demonstrated phase separation (>90%) and extraction (>85%) performance in the MPSE using synthetic, and representative produced water composition feed at 50 ml/min total flow through MPSE 36. We have also performed a parametric study of the MPSE operations, beyond the scope of SOPO, exploring operating conditions of current and broader interest. The extended investigation of operational parameters is concurrent with our efforts to seek further development of the MPSE technology beyond the scope of the Project. Along these lines of development, we have made efforts to be responsive to DOE calls for technological developments of other types of resources (beyond PW) for the recovery of Critical Materials and higher TRL development (beyond TRL 4). During the work on this Project, we developed and implemented three innovative technical approaches that emerged from our efforts to successfully meet the Project milestones. The innovative & original technical approaches developed and implemented in this Project are now the contributions to process engineering that could be clearly credited to the Project. First, Convergent Design Approach is a comprehensive feedforward & feedback loop of four design phases: i) design for functionality, ii) design for manufacturing, iii) design for sustainability, and iv) design for market. Next was Process Intensification. A major aim of this Project was to create an innovative phase separation & extraction microscale-based technology for Li separation – thus the words microchannel-based in the Project title. A microscale-based technology is intrinsically in the center of the Process Intensification domain as defined by its unique principles. Therefore, Process Intensification was implicitly envisioned in the Project’s SOPO. Lastly, Time Scale Analysis is a novel tool for discovering the needs and directions of Process Intensification implementations in any process technology. This Project is fully credited for developing and implementing the three novel technical approaches mentioned above. These are general contributions to process engineering that emerged from this Project. Beyond the original SOPO scope, the OSU-U.Pitt research group utilized a Convergent Design methodology, integrating first-principles mathematical modeling with experimental validation on the Minimum Development Vehicle. By creating these Digital Twins, the team rapidly assessed manufacturing iterations to support TEA analysis. This framework further enabled the development of advanced Surface Modification Techniques, where hydrophobic and oleophobic coating strategies were optimized via Digital Twin tools and validated through rigorous 100-hour longevity testing. TEA Analysis: The closing efforts of this Project were focused on the TEA analysis. TEA analysis had two primary functions: i) enabling critical assessments of design variations withing 10 the Concurrent Design Approach, thus enabling evolution of the MPSE design to reach faster- better-cheaper alternatives; and ii) to create a bridge between the accomplishments of this Project and future projects of higher TRL, beyond TRL 6 level. It is important to note that the TEA model created in the Project stirred the technological solutions for the recovery of critical materials toward a vision of a very profitable modular plant that has unique zero-waste water discharge signature. More importantly, thanks to our experimental performance data and conservative assumptions, the TEA model predicts minimal technological and investment risks. Low cost of a modular unit of a nominal capacity of [1000 tons of Li 2 CO 3 /year] positions the MPSE based technology within the reach of community investors, thus offering a paradigm shift in the development of critical technologies. The project successfully navigated two primary challenges: solvent selection and manufacturing adaptation. Restricted by the SOPO to existing literature for lithium recovery, the team identified a critical need for a "material excellence program" to develop next-generation solvents, eventually concluding with a preliminary investigation into promising Ionic Liquids (ILs). Simultaneously, COVID-19 supply chain disruptions forced a pivot from traditional manufacturing to advanced additive methods at ATAMI-OSU. By transitioning from stainless steel to 3D-printed polymer substrates, the team achieved a transformative three-order-of- magnitude reduction in manufacturing costs and compressed prototyping timelines from several months to just two days. The MPSE technology offers significant energy, environmental, and economic advantages by overcoming the traditional bottlenecks of phase-separation hardware and contactor size. Unlike conventional mixer-settlers or membrane-based systems, MPSE operates without moving parts or fouling-prone membranes, achieving robust performance even with challenging, viscous, or particulate-heavy feeds. Key performance metrics include an energy intensity reduction of 5–50x (3–40 kJ/m 3 ) compared to incumbent technologies and a dramatic reduction of processing time to under 60 seconds, which drastically reduces the physical plant footprint. These technical efficiencies translate into superior economic outcomes; for a 100 t/year Li 2 CO 3 facility, implementing MPSE is projected to nearly halve contactor CAPEX (from $\$$6.08M to $\$$3.01M) and significantly increase the project's Net Present Value (NPV), derisking new investment and enabling distributed critical-mineral processing configurations. The commercialization of MPSE technology is being spearheaded by Vigsur Dynamics Inc., which has adopted a structured, parallel approach to technical and business development since its formation in January 2026. Following extensive customer discovery and engagement with the Oregon State University accelerator, Vigsur Dynamics is working to establish a business model that transitions from pilot demonstrations to modular hardware sales, ultimately aiming for a "build-own-operate" service strategy. Current technical milestones—including 100 hours of continuous operation, superior energy efficiency, and successful 6-unit modular scale-up— provide a foundation for this transition. Backed by ongoing IP licensing and a growing network of industrial and venture advisors, the company is actively de-risking the platform to replace conventional mixer-settler systems in the critical minerals market.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2026

The Interactions Between Shading and Organic Fertilizer Application on Dry-farmed Tomato Grown Between Photovoltaic Panels

Agrivoltaic systems are mixed systems of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and agricultural production, where shade from the panels can result in lower evapotranspiration for crops, which is of particular interest for dryland agriculture. Dry-farmed tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production in the Willamette Valley of Oregon has lower total yields and higher rates of blossom-end rot (BER) than irrigated tomato production, resulting in reduced marketable yields. To determine how dry-farmed ‘Early Girl’ tomato performed in an agrivoltaics system, a trial was conducted at the Valley Creek Solar Project (Salem, OR, USA) in 2020, using three different amendment treatments and three levels of shading from the panels. Amendment treatments were 0N (receiving no fertilizer), 84N (receiving 84 kg·ha −1 N), and 168N (receiving 168 kg·ha −1 N), applied as processed chicken manure. Plants were estimated to receive an irradiance factor of 30%, 76%, and 89% for full-shade, partial-shade, and full-sun treatments respectively. There was an interaction between amendment treatments and shading treatments in their effects on unblemished yield (yield of fruit without BER or sunscald). The optimum fertilizer application for full-shade and partial-shade rows was 84N, the optimum for full-sun rows was 0N. Fertilizing these rows at these rates resulted in an unblemished yield for the aisle of 11.1 t·ha −1 , which was lower than unblemished yields reported in previous experiments and trials in open fields. However, these results are from a single location and a single year, and other solar sites may behave more similar to open-field conditions. Shading from the panels increased average fruit weight and decreased incidence of BER and sunscald, suggesting that crops were less drought stressed. This resulted in similar unblemished yields for the full-shade and full-sun plots at 84N and 168N. Applying fertilizer resulted in higher total yields, smaller average fruit weight, increased BER incidence, and decreased sunscald incidence. The results suggest a possible synergy between dry-farmed tomato production and agrivoltaics, although several concerns remain, including difficulties managing the vegetation under panels, rules restricting PVs on high-value agricultural soils, and the possibility of soil compaction during PV installation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Three Western Pacific Typhoons Strengthened Fire Weather in the Recent Northwest U.S. Conflagration

Abstract Strong winds that accentuated a fire outbreak in the western United States in early September of 2020 resulted from an atmospheric wave train that spanned the Pacific Ocean. Days before the atmospheric waves developed in the United States, three western Pacific tropical cyclones (typhoons) underwent an extratropical transition over Korea within an unprecedentedly short span of 12 days. Using a climate diagnostic approach and historical forecast data, it was found that the amplitude of the atmospheric waves accompanying the western U.S. fire weather would not have been so profound if not for the influence of these typhoons. Together, the recurving typhoons provided a significant source of wave activity flux directed toward North America – amplifying the ridge over the U.S. west coast while deepening the trough in central Canada. This anomalous circulation produced the severe frontal system that caused extreme winds in western Oregon, Washington and California – rapidly spreading fire.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

DEEPEN Data Catalog for Magmatic Geothermal Systems in the United States

This data catalog contains information related to the Training Site Analysis for the Geothermica project "DE-risking Exploration of geothermal Plays in magmatic ENvironments (DEEPEN)." The DEEPEN project aims to reduce exploration risk for geothermal fluids in magmatic systems by developing improved an improved framework for interpretation of exploration data using the Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) methodology. The Training Site Analysis performed for DEEPEN leverages existing datasets to develop a customized PFA approach to exploration for multiple geothermal resource types in magmatic systems (conventional hydrothermal resources, supercritical fluid and superheated steam resources, and superhot EGS resources). This data catalog contains links to publicly available data files related to 8 training sites in the United States. US training sites are: the Cascades/Aleutians PFA project; the Hawaii PFA project, the Oregon Cascades PFA project, the Snake River Plain, Idaho PFA project, the Washington State PFA project, Newberry Volcano, Coso Geothermal Field, and the Geysers Geothermal field. This database contains an overview of these training sites, data sources, and links to publicly available exploration datasets. For the five PFA projects, details on exploration data related to PFA components (heat, fluid, permeability, sometimes seal) are provided, including a summary of data weighting methodologies.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

DEEPEN: Newberry Volcano MT and Gravity Data - 2022 and 2023 Acquisition and Processing

As part of DEEPEN (DE-risking Exploration of geothermal Plays in magmatic ENvironments), a 3D play fairway analysis (PFA) was conducted at Newberry Volcano in Central Oregon for multiple play types (conventional hydrothermal, superhot EGS, and supercritical). For use in this PFA, combined full tensor broadband magnetotelluric (MT) and gravity data were acquired, processed, and inverted by Enthalpion Energy LLC (Enthalpion) with support from NREL staff. The data collection efforts took place from June 19th to July 24. Data were collected with the goal of gaining an improved understanding of the South Flank and the extent of the magma chamber. This GDR submission includes the raw data, single inversions, joint inversions, resolution matrices, and a report on these processes. More detailed information about the folder structure of the datasets included in this submission may be found on pages 94-97 of Magnetotelluric and Gravity Survey Report.pdf below.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Laboratory Upgrade Point Absorber (LUPA) CAD Files

The Laboratory Upgrade Point Absorber (LUPA) is an open-source wave energy converter designed and tested by Oregon State University. The computer-aided design (CAD) files are provided here in two forms: the original SOLIDWORKS (2021) model as "LUPA SOLIDWORKS.zip" and as a STEP file "LUPA-A1000.step". The bill of materials is provided as an Excel file with assemblies (LUPA-Axxx), part numbers (LUPA-Axxx-Pyyy), part descriptions, manufacturers, and manufacturer part numbers. This comprehensive CAD model represents LUPA as it was deployed in Fall 2022 testing at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory. The mass properties including mass, center of gravity, and moments of inertia have been overridden for some parts and assemblies to match the physical device properties as determined from experiments. This appears as "overridden by user" when viewing mass properties in SOLIDWORKS. The LUPA-A1000.SLDASM file from the LUPA SOLIDWORKS.zip folder is the topmost assembly, open this file to see the entire model as one assembly. See "PMEC Page", "OpenEI Wiki Page", and the "Signature Project Page" resources below for more information on LUPA.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2020

Residential Building Energy Efficiency Field Studies: Low-Rise Multifamily

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has conducted a series of research studies to validate energy efficient building technologies in the field. Much of the work has focused on single-family construction, and some has also addressed commercial energy codes. The work detailed in this DOE-funded study (EE0007616) focuses on low-rise multifamily buildings (three stories or fewer above grade) in various regions of the United States, and reports on how state-level building codes are being implemented, both in terms of observed characteristics and also in terms of estimated energy impacts. Nearly 100 buildings across four states—Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington—were sampled, which represent a range of climate types from mild temperature to very cold continental. Both common entry and outdoor entry buildings were included, and a parallel research project evaluated envelope air tightness and current still-evolving air tightness testing methods. Finally, a set of structured interviews of building designers and other relevant professionals was carried to out to gain more insight into this market. To the greatest extent possible, the methodology developed under the project for low-rise multifamily buildings mirrored the approach established by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for single-family residential buildings (https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/downloads/residential-building-energy-code-field-study). This included the general approach to sampling, recruitment, and data collection, as well as data analysis and presentation. The range of permitting dates for the sites encompassed two energy code cycles in most regions. All states in the study had adopted a variation of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for the structure of their state code. The low-rise multifamily occupancy presents a hybrid building type: most of the building’s conditioned floor area was covered by the residential chapter of the code while portions of the building (such as corridors and common spaces) fell under the commercial code chapter. The key items assessed in this work were: Building Shell—exterior wall insulation, ceiling insulation, foundation insulation, windows. Common Areas—HVAC and lighting. Living Units—lighting, ventilation. A few items were not assessed in detail, given their relative paucity in this occupancy type; these included duct leakage, pipe insulation, and hot water circulation controls. Building characteristics were collected via a combination of architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing plan reviews and field inspections, and entered into a spreadsheet-based tool that was later queried to build a database. Data went through quality control both upon arrival and via a later semi-automated review and assurance process. Most of the data are presented graphically so that the reader can quickly assess compliance with the applicable energy codes (both by state and by code year). As a final step, EnergyPlus™ simulations were created for all buildings in the study to estimate both the as-found energy use intensity (EUI) and the energy and CO 2 that could be saved if features that were found to not meet code minimums were brought up to code. The savings estimates were tabulated for each of the four states in the study. The research team found that the single-family approach was largely applicable to low-rise multifamily buildings. This applies to both the data collection and the prototype EUI analysis. Most of the occupied space is living units and falls under residential energy codes, and many characteristics use similar envelope construction and relatively straightforward mechanical systems and lighting. One of the most challenging aspects of this work was to build an effective spreadsheet-based data collection instrument that could allow efficient collection of both building plan and field data. The research team is of the view that other methods could be equally effective if the work is done carefully with diligent quality control. The primary findings for the work center around the thermal envelope and mechanical systems and lighting at the sites: For thermal envelope components, the majority of buildings met or were better than the prescriptive code.This suggests that building designers and builders are aware of code requirements. In some cases, surveyed buildings were designed to qualify for energy efficiency certification programs. These buildings made up at least 20% of sampled buildings in each state. Almost all buildings met mechanical system efficiency requirements (for both living units and common areas). In some cases, sites employed systems that were considerably more efficient than required by the applicable energy code. Dwelling units had a majority of high-efficacy lighting, often in excess of the state’s residential code requirements. While high-efficacy fixtures were also typical in common areas (corridors and stairwells), lighting power densities (LPDs) in these areas were sometimes higher than levels dictated by the applicable part of the state commercial energy code. The simulation models run on a series of low-rise multifamily prototypes, informed by a composite of the field data collected, calculated annual EUIs of between 20 and 50 kBtu/ft2-yr, with the range representing the effects of both building characteristics and building location (climate zone). A detailed process (based on simulations of prototype buildings) was used to estimate the amount of avoided energy use that would occur if 100% adherence to energy codes were attained. The results indicated modest savings are attainable for items such as window thermal performance and common area lighting. The result is overall only a modest potential for additional energy savings, averaging about 10% of EUI.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Integration of a Concentrating Solar Steam Topping Turbine to an Existing Geothermal Binary Power Plant (CRADA CRD-17-700 Final Report)

U.S. Geothermal Inc. is a publicly traded leading renewable energy company focused on the development, production, and sale of electricity from geothermal energy with operating generation facilities at Raft River, Idaho; San Emidio, Nevada; and Neal Hot Springs, Oregon. (U.S. Geothermal was acquired by Ormat Technologies, Inc. since the execution of this project). This project will evaluate the integration of a concentrating solar steam topping cycle with a geothermal bottoming binary cycle. This hybrid plant configuration will enable high efficiency conversion of the solar heat to electrical power, while simultaneously increasing the power output of the bottoming cycle. Such a design has the potential to reduce the cost of electrical power from concentrating solar power (CSP) and geothermal plants, and a viable design could be deployed at existing geothermal plants that have experienced resource productivity decline as well as in greenfield projects. This analysis will examine US Geothermal’s Raft River power plant for implementation of this concept. INL and NREL have previously collaborated in the analysis of geo-solar hybrid power plants. These two labs will again work together to model the solar field, steam-topping, and geothermal bottoming cycles in order to investigate the performance of the proposed cycle. This analysis will provide US Geothermal with technical information including equipment specifications and estimated power generation necessary to advance the concept toward implementation. A successful project outcome has two parts: One would be for US Geothermal to have a process flow diagram (heat and mass balance), and performance parameters for the major pieces of equipment. US Geothermal could then use this information evaluate the techno-economic feasibility of the hybrid power cycle, and serve as the basis for subsequent detailed equipment design, purchase, and installation of the cycle. The second would be for the developed solution to be published by DOE for use by other geothermal developers both to retrofit underperforming plants and to lower the LCOE of new developments.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Biophysical model of eelgrass and water quality in Coos Bay, OR shows greater mitigation potential for ocean acidification than hypoxia

Seagrass beds provide important ecosystem services and are valued, in part, for their potential to mediate stressors such as ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) for sensitive species. However, the susceptibility of seagrasses to anthropogenic impacts and recent declines motivate the need to better understand the drivers of seagrass and the water quality consequences that occur with variation in seagrass abundance. To meet this need, we leveraged existing monitoring data (water quality and seagrass), hydrodynamic circulation model, and biogeochemical model framework with seagrass submodel, to produce a biophysical model of Coos Bay estuary, Oregon, U.S. The model includes biogeochemical processes involving water quality, plankton, seagrass, and sediment-water interactions. Ecosystem models like this are useful for evaluating complex estuarine systems because they allow us to extend our understanding of system dynamics beyond existing observations and perform experiments to identify the processes driving observed patterns. We used the biophysical model of Coos Bay to evaluate the dynamics of water quality and native eelgrass (Zostera marina) under three eelgrass abundance scenarios (zero eelgrass, current extent, and maximum observed extent) to elucidate the relationship between eelgrass and OAH. Including eelgrass in the Coos Bay model produced results that more closely resembled water quality observations - dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH were more dynamic in simulations with eelgrass, often having both higher highs and lower lows. While there were some areas of the estuary where DO improved with the addition of eelgrass to the model there was overall a small net increase in harmful DO conditions (based on a salmon physiological threshold). In contrast, ocean acidification conditions, pH and calcium carbonate saturation state for aragonite (Ω), were improved (based on oyster requirements) with the addition of eelgrass - although the magnitude of improvement differed seasonally and spatially. Our new model represents a useful tool - one which accounts for and controls the relevant physical and biogeochemical processes - to evaluate conditions that confer resilience or enhance vulnerability to OAH in an important Pacific Northwest coastal estuary and results can inform the OAH-related dynamics occurring in other eastern boundary current estuaries.

FVCOM-ICM↗
DOE OSTI2026

3D Play Fairway Analysis for Examining of Superhot Reservoir Production Scenarios

The DEEPEN (DE-risking Exploration for geothermal Plays in magmatic ENvironments) project was a multi-laboratory, international effort to reduce uncertainty and improve resource characterization in superhot geothermal systems. Building on this foundation, this work advances open-source tools designed to lower the exploration risk and cost of superhot geothermal projects while promoting transparency, reproducibility, and efficiency in exploration workflows. These tools are being tested at two key sites: (1) the Nesjavellir Geothermal Area in Iceland, where the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) will drill its third well, and (2) Newberry Volcano in Oregon, USA, where Mazama Energy will pilot the first superhot enhanced geothermal system (EGS). A major outcome is the creation of a modular, open-source Python framework for play fairway analysis (PFA) in 2D and 3D, called geoPFA. The PFA workflow has been expanded to produce pseudo conceptual models, and will soon be refined to assess reservoir components through integration with the thermo-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical (THMC) simulator TReactMech, to enable iterative coupling between PFA and THMC models, improving characterization of superhot systems. All three of the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project's production scenarios were analyzed via this framework: (1) a superhot deep injection well paired with conventional production wells at Nesjavellir, (2) a superhot deep production well at Nesjavellir, and (3) superhot enhanced geothermal system at Newberry Volcano. This analysis provides useful insights around conceptual modeling of these production scenarios, helping to inform decisions around which scenario is best suited for which types of environments.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗