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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 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

REopt ® Lite Overview - Resilience Analysis: Clear Sky Tampa Bay [Slides]

Through the Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN), the Clear Sky Tampa Bay team, led by the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC), developed a toolkit to help local governments prioritize sites for solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage in the context of resilience and emergency management. At a high level, the Clear Sky Tampa Bay process involves: (1) Identifying sites based on community resilience needs and priorities ("Where do we need a resilient energy solution?"); (2) Screening and prioritizing sites for solar PV and storage suitability based on site conditions and other factors; and (3) Using REopt Lite to screen down-selected facilities to prioritize sites based on resilience project economics. This slide deck focuses on Step 3 above, and provides a general overview of REopt Lite and suggestions and examples tailored to the Clear Sky Tampa Bay team about how to use REopt Lite for additional analysis.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Electrolyzers in the System Advisor Model (SAM): A Techno-Economic Potential Study

A technoeconomic analysis of grid to low temperature electrolysis (Grid-LTE), photovoltaic to low temperature electrolysis (PV-LTE), concentrating solar power to high temperature electrolysis (CSP-HTSE) and a concentrating solar power with PV to high temperature electrolysis (CSP-PV-HTSE) centralized hydrogen production systems are analyzed to assess the economics of system and to provide a baseline for comparing these technologies against hydrogen production cost targets. A framework integrating the system advisor model (SAM) and US Department of Energy hydrogen production models (H2A) is developed to assess these systems. The hydrogen levelized cost given current and future assumptions for technology cost and performance is evaluated at optimal system configurations. The framework described in this report integrates SAM with H2A electrolyzer technologies and provides analysts a detailed technoeconomic method to analyze concentrating and photovoltaic solar technologies to produce energy that are directly coupled to LTE and HTSEs that use that energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The baseline hydrogen levelized cost (HLCs) for the GRID-LTE, PV-LTE, CSP-HTSE, and CSP-PV-HTSE systems in Daggett, CA are 2.82, 3.86, 3.68, and 2.90 $\$$USD 2016/kg H2 and 2.50, 2.13, 2.84, 2.15 $\$$USD 2016/kg H2 in the 2020 and 2050 scenarios respectively. To achieve the $\$$2/kg H2 target in locations with excellent solar resources, cost parameters values aligned with aggressive R&D targets will need to be achieved for all the systems configurations. In Daggett, PV costs of $\$$0.68 /Wac or moderate ATB PV CAPEX projections result in HLCs of $\$$2 /kg H2. Similarly for PV-MSALT-HTSE systems, $\$$0.60 /Wac result in $\$$2/kg H2. For the MSALT-HTSE systems, better than aggressive 2050 ATB salt tower CAPEX projections would be needed to reach $\$$2/kg H2. Molten salt tower capital costs of $\$$2400/kW would enable $\$$2/kg H2 in 2050.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solar Street Lighting: Highland Park Pathways to Power [Slides]

Through the Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) Pilot, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) engaged the Highland Park Stakeholder Coalition to scope four technical assistance work areas to address their energy needs and goals. This slide deck addresses the highlighted tasks under work area "A" related to the city's streetlights. Due to economic collapse, the City of Highland Park negotiated repossession of it's neighborhood streetlights to help pay its debt to its power provider, DTE. Without street lighting on residential streets, public safety was at risk. Local community-based-organization, Soulardarity, began installing off-grid solar street lights to improve visibility for vehicles and pedestrians in Highland Parks neighborhoods. Residents and leaders of the community who served on the Communities LEAP Coalition requested NREL review a financial model Soulardarity proposed to operate a city-wide solar streetlighting program on the City's behalf. The coalition also requested NREL identify examples of similar implemented city-wide solar street lighting programs.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Community Solar Subscription Credit Considerations and Case Study

Together New Orleans (TNO) requested technical assistance through the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP). The National Community Solar Partnership is a coalition of community solar stakeholders working to expand access to affordable community solar to every U.S. household and enable subscribers and their communities to realize meaningful benefits, such as reduced energy burden, increased resilience, community ownership, and equitable workforce development. TNO asked for a subject matter expert from NCSP to review the Entergy New Orleans (ENO) proposed revised Rate Schedule for Community Solar Generating Facilities. TNO requested that the proposed methodology for subscription credits for applicable residential and non-residential rate schedules be reviewed to determine the expected credit rate. The aim behind the analysis is to provide TNO and engaged stakeholders with an informed understanding of the proposed rate schedule before making decisions on the appropriate rate design for community solar (CS) subscriptions. This report is an exploration of CS subscription credit rate calculation considerations using the CS program in New Orleans as a case study. The report provides a framework for modeling CS credit rates in addition to topics that may be helpful to address when undertaking program design or rule making.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

A Fair and Equitable Clean Energy Transition in Alachua County: Project EMPOWER Final Report

This report provides an overview of the collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy's Communities LEAP Pilot and the community-led Project EMPOWER (Energy Modernization for People, Opportunity, Work, Equity, and Renewables) in Alachua County, FL. Through Communities LEAP, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and others provided technical assistance to Project EMPOWER in the areas of community engagement, solar power, weatherization and energy efficiency, green jobs, and fund development. This final report summarizes work accomplished during the engagement and provides potential next steps for the EMPOWER team to consider as it continues pursuing its goal of a fair and equitable clean energy transition for Alachua County.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

New Pathways for Equitable Solar Adoption in Texas

As part of the SEIN Round 3 program, a diverse group of energy stakeholders in Texas set out to develop and pilot new pathways to increase rooftop solar adoption at no upfront cost to lowincome households. One potentially promising pathway we identified involved combining funding from existing utility and federal programs promoting weatherization and energy efficiency. Our objective was to demonstrate pilot projects that equitably deployed rooftop solar to properties owned or rented by families in disadvantaged communities. Our goal was to create a clear path for lowincome households to achieve electricity bill relief and to access clean energy by leveraging existing utility energy efficiency programs with existing federal resources, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and/or U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funding in Texas. This has been attempted in a few other states with varying degrees of success, but not yet in Texas.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Safely Exploring Solar: A Guide for Austin Energy Customers

It's easy to get overwhelmed as you start to explore your solar options. There is a wealth of information available out there, particularly online, and it can be hard to know who to trust. This informational guide has been adapted from Austin Energy's Solar Education Course and other national best practice resources, as of May 1, 2023. It will help you understand some of the key concepts and resources available to help you on your solar journey if you have a home in Austin Energy's service territory and are considering installing solar. This document includes: (1) Austin Energy Programs and Services Related to Solar; (2) Tips for Spotting a Solar Scam; (3) Things to Know When Designing Your System; (4) Key Considerations When Shopping for a Solar Contractor; and (5) Final Takeaways.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Austin Solar Guide (Flyer)

This flyer was developed to guide homeowners on their solar journey and expand the benefits of solar to local residents. The guide is an overview of various energy and solar programs and services through the Austin Energy utility with tips for spotting scams, a summary of common terms when designing a solar system, and considerations when searching for a solar contractor.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Community Solar Program Design Considerations & Modeling Inputs

Designing and modeling a community solar (CS) program is a complex process with numerous variable inputs that are interconnected. Modeling a CS program can be useful to inform the programs design itself while also providing stakeholders of all types with information. Accurate data inputs and assumptions are key to ensuring that a model is informative and as representative of real market conditions as possible. This report is an exploration of community solar program modeling considerations, especially as it relates to data inputs such as capital costs, administrative fees, and subscription size, using a CS program in North Carolina as a case study.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Navigating Options for Transportation Electrification and Solar Charging: Steps and Lessons Learned in Montana Communities

This document is intended to assist communities who are considering investing in electric transportation. It can assist communities engage stakeholders, prioritize community goals, assess electric transportation options, and navigate complex decisions about deploying zero emission electric transportation in their community. It covers technological, economic and environmental aspects of the transition to electric vehicles (EV), and highlights the specific considerations related to the deployment of renewable energy technologies (e.g., distributed solar) in combination with EV supply equipment (EVSE, e.g., charging stations). There are many important decisions to make and questions for communities to ask themselves as they consider electric vehicle types, charging infrastructure, and electricity generation options. This guide will help communities assess: (1) Which stage in the decision-making process they are in with respect to EV deployment; (2) Questions they can explore to guide their decisions about EV deployment; (3) How to engage key stakeholders on EV deployment options; (4) Tradeoffs and benefits of various electric transportation options and; (5) Synergies of pairing electric vehicle charging and renewable energy generation technologies. The analysis and lessons learned presented in this roadmap are intended to serve as a template and guide for similarly situated communities across the country who want to prepare for and play a role in the electrified transportation future.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solar Energy Innovation Network 2017-2024: Abbreviated Final Technical Report

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Solar Energy Technologies Office under the Agreement/Award Number 32954 for Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN) Project, 2017-2024. SEIN is a dynamic program that assembles diverse teams of stakeholders to research solutions to real-world challenges associated with solar energy adoption. In conjunction with its partner organizations, NREL implemented the program by providing research, analysis, and technical expertise directly to project teams and groups of teams (cohorts), by facilitating networked learning through cohorts and peer exchange, and by facilitating dissemination and replication of solutions and lessons learned among stakeholders across the U.S. with similar challenges.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Community Solar Consolidated Billing: An Exploration of Implementation and Alternatives

The report presents an analysis of the considerations, costs, and benefits surrounding the implementation of utility consolidated billing in community solar programs while also exploring alternatives to achieve similar benefits in its absence. Consolidated billing simplifies the billing process for customers by combining all charges and credits associated with electricity service and community solar subscriptions into a single bill. The potential benefits of consolidated billing implementation include increased transparency, improved customer experience, and ultimately increased retention rates and decreased subscriber acquisition costs. Currently, community solar subscribers often receive two separate bills - one from the utility and one from a third-party community solar provider - potentially causing confusion. Consolidated billing seeks to resolve this by offering a unified bill, which, while beneficial to numerous stakeholders, presents administrative, technical, and financial hurdles that utilities and program administrators must address.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Solar@Scale: A Local Government Guidebook for Improving Large-Scale Solar Development Outcomes (Third Edition)

The purpose of the Solar@Scale guidebook is to help local government practitioners—including planners, economic development professionals, local government managers, and elected and appointed officials—make decisions that improve large-scale solar development outcomes. Given the variation between state and regional contexts and priorities in the United States, the guidebook avoids a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Rather, users will need to apply the guidebook’s key points to the social, political, environmental, and economic situations in their community or the communities they serve. This guidebook contains eight related, but semi-independent, modules and each concludes with key takeaways and a list of references and links to supplemental resources.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary Assessment of PV + Electric Storage Options at the Energy Coordinating Agency

NREL used the REopt (R) platform to evaluate the techno-economic potential of adding solar PV and electric storage at the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) in Philadelphia, PA. The site has access to 600 PV panels (rated at 305 W each) and would like to evaluate the potential of pairing them with battery storage to offset electricity costs, increase renewable energy usage, and establish an onsite microgrid.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Community Solar Consolidated Billing: An Exploration of Implementation and Alternatives [Slides]

This presentation is an abridged version of the report it is based on that presents an analysis of the considerations, costs, and benefits surrounding the implementation of utility consolidated billing in community solar programs while also exploring alternatives to achieve similar benefits in its absence. Consolidated billing simplifies the billing process for customers by combining all charges and credits associated with electricity service and community solar subscriptions into a single bill. The potential benefits of consolidated billing implementation include increased transparency, improved customer experience, and ultimately increased retention rates and decreased subscriber acquisition costs. Currently, community solar subscribers often receive two separate bills - one from the utility and one from a third-party community solar provider - potentially causing confusion. Consolidated billing seeks to resolve this by offering a unified bill, which, while beneficial to numerous stakeholders, presents administrative, technical, and financial hurdles that utilities and program administrators must address.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Solar@Scale: Improving the Local Rules of the Game for Large Scale Solar

This final report summarizes the Solar@Scale Project including project goals, milestones, tasks and deliverables. Solar@Scale, led by ICMA in partnership with the American Planning Association, took place from 2020-2025. The initiative addressed large-scale solar soft costs by developing tools and resources related to planning, siting, permitting and inspection in support of local governments, special districts, and other authorities that have jurisdiction over large-scale solar projects.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Community Solar Project Models: An Introduction to Basic Financial and Administrative Relationships [Slides]

This resource is a collection of visual aids and descriptions to help explain the basic financial and administrative relationships underpinning common community solar project models. The graphics in this resource depict the flow of electricity from generation to consumption and the financial exchanges between the community solar project owner, subscribers, and distribution utility. Community solar models vary based on ownership (e.g., third party, utility), customer type (e.g., multifamily, single-household), and solar array location (e.g., on-site, off-site).

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗