Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “FOCUS PROGRAMS”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Retrospective on Recent DOE-Funded Studies Concerning the Extraction of Rare Earth Elements & Lithium from Geothermal Brines (Final Report)

Rare earth elements (REE) and lithium are non-toxic metals that are considered critical materials due to their use in electronics, magnets, batteries, and a wide variety of industrial processes important for the economy and military preparedness. Demand for REE and lithium is increasing and these critical materials are imported, so identifying and exploiting domestic sources of REE and lithium is a national priority. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) has been in the forefront of sponsoring research investigating the potential recovery of REE, lithium, and other critical minerals from geothermal brines. It has been proposed that the future of geothermal energy should include “hybrid systems” that combine electricity generation with other revenue-generating activities, such as recovery of valuable and critical minerals, including REE and lithium. Two recent GTO funding opportunities have focused on the recovery of REE and other valuable minerals from geothermal brines. The research supported by the GTO’s mineral recovery program is focused on three areas: resource characterization, technology for the extraction of REE, and technology for the extraction of lithium (Tables 1 and 2). This report is a retrospective study examining the outcome of GTO’s two recent mineral recovery programs (DE-FOA-0001016 in FY 2014 and DE-FOA-0001376 in FY 2016). In this report, the knowledge, technology, and techniques that were developed by researchers funded by GTO are summarized and discussed. Four projects were funded to assess the concentrations and amounts of REE found in geothermal brines and oil field produced waters. The GTO-funded studies compiled publically available data on REE concentrations from brines and produced water from all over the USA. In addition, new samples were collected and characterized from major geothermal and hydrocarbon basins in the Western USA. The studies examined the relationship between lithology and REE concentrations and developed models examining the influence of geology on REE concentrations in produced brines. It was determined that REE are frequently found at higher concentrations in oil field produced water than geothermal brines, but that some geothermal areas had significant REE resources. Significant reservoirs of REE were identified in the Western USA. In some cases, concentrations of REE were more than 1000 times the concentrations found in seawater. Collectively, these studies represent a comprehensive picture of REE resources associated with geothermal and hydrocarbon systems in the USA. The studies did not examine lithium resources, but in some cases, lithium concentration data was collected. Data from these studies are housed in the Geothermal Data Repository (GDR) and represent a significant information resource and it is recommended that these data be further analyzed in a future study. Eight projects were funded to develop new technology for REE extraction from geothermal fluids. These projects investigated sorption as an approach for removal and recovery of REE from geothermal brines. The projects investigated cutting-edge technology for selective sorption of ions from complex solutions, including the application of metal-organic frameworks and biosorbent proteins. The REE sorption studies tested different combinations of metal-binding ligands and solid supports. The most promising metal-binding ligands for REE included phosphonic acid, thiol, and carboxylic acid functional groups. Ligands were attached or incorporated into a wide variety of solid supports. In most cases, attachment was via covalent bonding to organic resins, polymers, or silica-based supports. Most of the REE projects were conducted at a low technology readiness level (TRL) and showed promise, but direct comparison between technologies was not possible based on the available information. It is recommended that testing and reporting be standardized to the extent possible to facilitate comparisons between technologies. Two projects were directed at novel lithium extraction technology. Both projects investigated the use of inorganic sorbents, including manganese oxides. One study also examined the use of metal- ion imprinted polymers as selective ion-exchange resins for the separation of lithium and manganese from brines. Both approaches showed promise for the selective extraction of lithium from brines, including potentially geothermal brines. Results from these GTO studies indicated that selective REE and lithium extraction is possible, but interference from co-occurring solutes, such as calcium, magnesium, or heavy metals, will interfere with process efficiency and negatively impact process economics. Techno-economic analysis conducted as part of the resource and technology studies suggest extraction of REE from geothermal brines is unlikely to be economically viable, especially since non-geothermal produced waters frequently have higher REE concentrations. It is recommended that benchmarks for techno-economic analysis be established to the extent possible for future studies, to facilitate direct comparison of various technologies. Based on the collective results of this program, it appears that hybrid geothermal power would benefit more from recovery of lithium and other metals, rather than REE. It is recommended that future studies be conducted at a higher- TRL and that sorbents be tested against actual geothermal fluid samples. Prior higher-TRL efforts to extract metals from geothermal brines should be further evaluated for lessons learned.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

FOCUSing on Innovative Solar Technologies

Many of ARPA-E’s technology programs seek to break down silos and build new technological communities around a specific energy challenge. In this video, ARPA-E’s Deputy Director for Technology Eric Rohlfing, discusses how the Full-Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS) program is bringing together the photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) communities to develop hybrid solar energy systems. This video features interviews with innovators from the FOCUS project team made up by Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, and showcases how the FOCUS program is combining.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Sandia's Biofuels Program

Sandia's biofuels program is focused on developing next-generation, renewable fuel solutions derived from biomass. In this video, various Sandia researchers discuss the program and the tools they employ to tackle the technical challenges they face.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Panel Session 33: Aligning Decision-Making to Deliver Timely Performance in Large Results-Based Programs

The panel focused on results-based project execution and ways to improve the effectiveness of program and project-specific decisions by gearing them to consistently achieving timely, cost-efficient, and sustainable results. Panelists discussed the complexities of making sound, actionable decisions in the face of budgetary, resource and technological constraints. Toward that end, the 10 panelists responded to the following questions: 1. What decision-making process has been most effective for you and your project team? 2. How effective are the incentives in your contract? 3. What would you be doing differently if your project were being executed on purely commercial terms? 4. Are your Contractor Assurance Programs effective? 5. Have we challenged industry and national laboratories to deliver revolutionary rather than evolutionary technologies to solve challenges? 6. What can we do to make stakeholder involvement more meaningful? 7. How do you apply lessons learned from events and issues like the Mixed Oxide Facility (MOX), the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) event, and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) incident?.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2015

MO-DE-207-04: Imaging educational program on solutions to common pediatric imaging challenges

This imaging educational program will focus on solutions to common pediatric imaging challenges. The speakers will present collective knowledge on best practices in pediatric imaging from their experience at dedicated children’s hospitals. The educational program will begin with a detailed discussion of the optimal configuration of fluoroscopes for general pediatric procedures. Following this introduction will be a focused discussion on the utility of Dual Energy CT for imaging children. The third lecture will address the substantial challenge of obtaining consistent image post -processing in pediatric digital radiography. The fourth and final lecture will address best practices in pediatric MRI including a discussion of ancillary methods to reduce sedation and anesthesia rates. Learning Objectives: To learn techniques for optimizing radiation dose and image quality in pediatric fluoroscopy To become familiar with the unique challenges and applications of Dual Energy CT in pediatric imaging To learn solutions for consistent post-processing quality in pediatric digital radiography To understand the key components of an effective MRI safety and quality program for the pediatric practice.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2012

Post-Retrofit Residential Assessments

This study examined a range of factors influencing energy consumption in households that had participated in residential energy-efficiency upgrades. The study was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and was conducted by faculty and staff of Portland State University Center for Urban Studies and Department of Economics. This work was made possible through the assistance and support of the Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO), whose residential energy-efficiency programs provided the population from which the sample cases were drawn. All households in the study had participated in the ETO Home Performance with Energy Star (HPwES) program. A number of these had concurrently pursued measures through other ETO programs. Post-retrofit energy outcomes are rarely investigated on a house-by-house basis. Rather, aggregate changes are ordinarily the focus of program impact evaluations, with deviation from aggregate expectations chalked up to measurement error, the vagaries of weather and idiosyncrasies of occupants. However, understanding how homes perform post-retrofit on an individual basis can give important insights to increase energy savings at the participant and the programmatic level. Taking a more disaggregated approach, this study analyzed energy consumption data from before and after the retrofit activity and made comparisons with engineering estimates for the upgrades, to identify households that performed differently from what may have been expected based on the estimates. A statistical analysis using hierarchal linear models, which accounted for weather variations, was performed looking separately at gas and electrical use during the periods before and after upgrades took place. A more straightforward comparison of billing data for 12-month periods before and after the intervention was also performed, yielding the majority of the cases examined. The later approach allowed total energy use and costs to be assessed but did not account for weather variation. From this statistical analysis, 18 study participants were selected and interviewed. The participants completed an in-home interview covering a range of topics, including changes in occupancy and additional changes to the homes that may have affected energy use. The goal of the interviews was to identify factors that may have contributed to unusual energy performance. These factors were identified by their frequency of occurrence in outperforming or underperforming homes, or simply by identifying factors that had the largest impact on overall savings. The motivations and levels of satisfaction with the outcomes of the upgrades were covered in detail, as well as extensive discussions of behaviors pertaining to thermal control, lighting, water, and appliance use. Most of cases studied achieved substantial energy savings, although it was more common for the projected savings to be greater than the demonstrated savings. Two factors that played a very large role in savings variation were 1) changes in occupancy and 2) fenestration improvements outside of the incentive programs. Motivation for pursuing the upgrades (e.g., environmental sustainability vs. comfort or cost savings) did not seem to play any role in achieving savings. Participants generally were more concerned with maintaining aesthetics through lighting than comfort through heating or cooling. They also seemed more likely to turn the lights off when leaving a room than to turn the heat off when leaving the home.

high performance homes↗
DOE OSTI2014

MO-E-18A-01: Imaging: Best Practices In Pediatric Imaging

This imaging educational program will focus on solutions to common pediatric imaging challenges. The speakers will present collective knowledge on best practices in pediatric imaging from their experience at dedicated children's hospitals. Areas of focus will include general radiography, the use of manual and automatic dose management in computed tomography, and enterprise-wide radiation dose management in the pediatric practice. The educational program will begin with a discussion of the complexities of exposure factor control in pediatric projection radiography. Following this introduction will be two lectures addressing the challenges of computed tomography (CT) protocol optimization in the pediatric population. The first will address manual CT protocol design in order to establish a managed radiation dose for any pediatric exam on any CT scanner. The second CT lecture will focus on the intricacies of automatic dose modulation in pediatric imaging with an emphasis on getting reliable results in algorithmbased technique selection. The fourth and final lecture will address the key elements needed to developing a comprehensive radiation dose management program for the pediatric environment with particular attention paid to new regulations and obligations of practicing medical physicists. Learning Objectives: To understand how general radiographic techniques can be optimized using exposure indices in order to improve pediatric radiography. To learn how to establish diagnostic dose reference levels for pediatric patients as a function of the type of examination, patient size, and individual design characteristics of the CT scanner. To learn how to predict the patient's radiation dose prior to the exam and manually adjust technique factors if necessary to match the patient's dose to the department's established dose reference levels. To learn how to utilize manufacturer-provided automatic dose modulation technology to consistently achieve patient doses within the department's established size-based diagnostic reference range. To understand the key components of an enterprise-wide pediatric dose management program that integrates the expanding responsibilities of medial physicists in the new era of dose monitoring.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2013

SiC MODIFICATIONS TO MELCOR FOR SEVERE ACCIDENT ANALYSIS APPLICATIONS

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) Light Water Reactor (LWR) Sustainability Program encompasses strategic research focused on improving reactor core economics and safety margins through the development of an advanced fuel cladding system. The Fuels Pathway within this program focuses on fuel system components outside of the fuel pellet, allowing for alteration of the existing zirconium-based clad system through coatings, addition of ceramic sleeves, or complete replacement (e.g. fully ceramic cladding). The DOE-NE Fuel Cycle Research & Development (FCRD) Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) is also conducting research on materials for advanced, accident tolerant fuels and cladding for application in operating LWRs. To aide in this assessment, a silicon carbide (SiC) version of the MELCOR code was developed by substituting SiC in place of Zircaloy in MELCOR’s reactor core oxidation and material property routines. The purpose of this development effort is to provide a numerical capability for estimating the safety advantages of replacing Zr-alloy components in LWRs with SiC components. This modified version of the MELCOR code was applied to the Three Mile Island (TMI-2) plant accident. While the results are considered preliminary, SiC cladding showed a dramatic safety advantage over Zircaloy cladding during this accident.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Accuracy of automated measurement and verification (M&V) techniques for energy savings in commercial buildings

Trustworthy savings calculations are critical to convincing investors in energy efficiency projects of the benefit and cost-effectiveness of such investments and their ability to replace or defer supply-side capital investments. However, today’s methods for measurement and verification (M&V) of energy savings constitute a significant portion of the total costs of efficiency projects. They also require time-consuming manual data acquisition and often do not deliver results until years after the program period has ended. The rising availability of “smart” meters, combined with new analytical approaches to quantifying savings, has opened the door to conducting M&V more quickly and at lower cost, with comparable or improved accuracy. These meter- and software-based approaches, increasingly referred to as “M&V 2.0”, are the subject of surging industry interest, particularly in the context of utility energy efficiency programs. Program administrators, evaluators, and regulators are asking how M&V 2.0 compares with more traditional methods, how proprietary software can be transparently performance tested, how these techniques can be integrated into the next generation of whole-building focused efficiency programs. This paper expands recent analyses of public-domain whole-building M&V methods, focusing on more novel M&V2.0 modeling approaches that are used in commercial technologies, as well as approaches that are documented in the literature, and/or developed by the academic building research community. We present a testing procedure and metrics to assess the performance of whole-building M&V methods. We then illustrate the test procedure by evaluating the accuracy of ten baseline energy use models, against measured data from a large dataset of 537 buildings. The results of this study show that the already available advanced interval data baseline models hold great promise for scaling the adoption of building measured savings calculations using Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) data. Median coefficient of variation of the root mean squared error (CV(RMSE)) was less than 25% for every model tested when twelve months of training data were used. With even six months of training data, median CV(RMSE) for daily energy total was under 25% for all models tested. Finally, these findings can be used to build confidence in model robustness, and the readiness of these approaches for industry uptake and adoption

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2016

DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT RESEARCH AT SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES.

Water is the backbone of our economy - safe and adequate supplies of water are vital for agriculture, industry, recreation, and human consumption. While our supply of water today is largely safe and adequate, we as a nation face increasing water supply challenges in the form of extended droughts, demand growth due to population increase, more stringent health-based regulation, and competing demands from a variety of users. To meet these challenges in the coming decades, water treatment technologies, including desalination, will contribute substantially to ensuring a safe, sustainable, affordable, and adequate water supply for the United States. This overview documents Sandia National Laboratories' (SNL, or Sandia) Water Treatment Program which focused on the development and demonstration of advanced water purification technologies as part of the larger Sandia Water Initiative. Projects under the Water Treatment Program include: (1) the development of desalination research roadmaps (2) our efforts to accelerate the commercialization of new desalination and water treatment technologies (known as the 'Jump-Start Program),' (3) long range (high risk, early stage) desalination research (known as the 'Long Range Research Program'), (4) treatment research projects under the Joint Water Reuse & Desalination Task Force, (5) the Arsenic Water Technology Partnership Program, (6) water treatment projects funded under the New Mexico Small Business Administration, (7) water treatment projects for the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), (8) Sandia- developed contaminant-selective treatment technologies, and finally (9) current Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) funded desalination projects.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Peak Demand Impacts From Electricity Efficiency Programs

Quantification of the costs and benefits of electricity efficiency programs have focused largely on the economic value of annual energy reductions. State public utility commissions PUCs and utilities are increasingly interested in assessing peak demand impacts of these programs. The U.S. Energy Information Administration defines peak demand as "The maximum load during a specified period of time." In practice, utilities and grid operators use a wide range of definitions for peak demand. With increasing need for a more flexible and resilient electricity system, and changing costs for generation, utilities and other efficiency program administrators must take into account all characteristics of efficiency programs — including peak demand reduction — to ensure a reliable system at the most affordable cost. In this study, Berkeley Lab explored a new metric, the program administrator (PA) cost of saving peak demand (PA CSPD). We collected data on costs, energy savings and peak demand savings for electricity efficiency programs for 36 investor-owned utilities and other PAs in nine states (Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York and Texas) for 2014 to 2017. While some utilities report demand reductions for their electricity efficiency programs, there has been little sustained effort in the United States to gather peak demand reduction data or benchmark the cost of achieving peak demand impacts. As a first of its kind analysis, we developed a framework for analyzing peak demand savings across utilities and states and begin to quantify the cost of saving peak demand.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2016

Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Fields. CETUP2015/ Particle Physics and Cosmology Conference. PPC2015)

For last five years Center for Theoretical Underground Physics and Related Areas (CETUP*) serves as a collaboration point for scientists from around the world interested in theoretical and experimental aspects of underground science. The mission of CETUP* is to promote an organized research in physics, astrophysics, geoscience, geomicrobiology and other fields related to the underground science and provide a stimulating environment for creative thinking and open communication between researches of varying ages and nationalities in dynamic atmosphere of intense scientific interactions. Scientists invited to participate in the program will not only provide theoretical support to the underground science, but they will also examine core questions of the 21st century including: What is dark matter? How well do we know the neutrino parameters?, How have neutrinos shaped the evolution of the universe?, How were the heavy elements made?, What are the fundamental underlying symmetries of the Universe? Is there a Grand Unified Theory of the Universe? How do supernovae explode? Studies of Neutrino Physics and Dark Matter are of high interest to particle and nuclear physicists, astrophysicists and cosmologists. Ongoing and proposed Neutrino and Dark Matter experiments are expected to unveil the answers to fundamental questions about the Universe. This year summer program was focused exactly on these subjects bringing together experts in dark matter, neutrino physics, particle physics, nuclear physics and astrophysics and cosmology. CETUP*2015 consisted of 5 week long program (June 14 – July 18, 2015) covering various theoretical and experimental aspects in these research areas. The two week long session on Dark Matter physics (June 14 – June 26) was followed by two week long program on Neutrino physics (July 6 – July 18). The international conference entitled IXth International Conference on Interconnection Between Particle Physics and Cosmology (PPC) was hosted at CETUP* in the time between the Dark Matter and Neutrino workshops (June 29 – July 3) covering the subjects of dark matter, dark energy, neutrino physics, gravitational waves, collider physics and many others. PPC brought about 90 national and international participants. Started at Texas A&M University in 2007, PPC travelled to many places which include Geneva (Switzerland), Turin (Italy), Seoul (South Korea) and Leon (Mexico) over last few years. The objectives of CETUP*2015 and PPC2015 were to analyze the connection between dark matter and particle physics models, discuss the connections among dark matter, grand unification models and recent neutrino results and predictions for possible experiments.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2017

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center Spallation Neutron Sources

The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) provides the scientific community with intense sources of neutrons, which can be used to perform experiments supporting civilian and national security research. These measurements include nuclear physics experiments for the defense program, basic science, and the radiation effect programs. This paper focuses on the radiation effects program, which involves mostly accelerated testing of semiconductor parts. When cosmic rays strike the earth's atmosphere, they cause nuclear reactions with elements in the air and produce a wide range of energetic particles. Because neutrons are uncharged, they can reach aircraft altitudes and sea level. These neutrons are thought to be the most important threat to semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. The best way to determine the failure rate due to these neutrons is to measure the failure rate in a neutron source that has the same spectrum as those produced by cosmic rays. Los Alamos has a high-energy and a low-energy neutron source for semiconductor testing. Both are driven by the 800-MeV proton beam from the LANSCE accelerator. The high-energy neutron source at the Weapons Neutron Research (WNR) facility uses a bare target that is designed to produce fast neutrons with energies from 100 keV to almost 800 MeV. The measured neutron energy distribution from WNR is very similar to that of the cosmic-ray-induced neutrons in the atmosphere. However, the flux provided at the WNR facility is typically 5×107 times more intense than the flux of the cosmic-ray-induced neutrons. This intense neutron flux allows testing at greatly accelerated rates. An irradiation test of less than an hour is equivalent to many years of neutron exposure due to cosmic-ray neutrons. The low-energy neutron source is located at the Lujan Neutron Scattering Center. It is based on a moderated source that provides useful neutrons from subthermal energies to ~100 keV. The characteristics of these sources, and ongoing industry program are described in this paper.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Flexible Financial Credit Agreements: Low-Interest Secured Flex Loans (LISFL)

Flexible Financial Credit Agreements is a broad term used to describe a suite of solar products with innovative features not currently offered in traditional solar financing programs. This brief focuses on a flex loan program that offers a no- or low-cost capital source to bridge the gap between the initial installation cost and the ultimate receipt of tax credits and energy savings. This program also provides low interest rates, for affordability, as well as a pre-funded debt service reserve account (DSRA), and is secured by the solar PV asset.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY,SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Improving the Safety Culture by Strengthening Leadership Skills - 16563

As a primary contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M) is managing a team of approximately 1,400 employees at the Hanford Site in Southeast Washington. The work on this 10-year, $5.7 billion contract ranges from design and construction to decommissioning and cleanup. In 2013, CH2M began the second half of its contract and expanded its leadership development program to focus on succession planning and strengthening the leadership skills of its employees. The goal is to create and sustain qualified leaders to lead the Hanford cleanup mission today and into the future. CH2M launched the Leadership Impact Initiative, a training program modeled from best practices used at other CH2M projects, including the Idaho Cleanup Project. Based on the results of a CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company site-wide safety culture survey, the company developed an improvement strategy focused on leadership development with emphasis on the front-line leadership. The strategy stresses core leadership principles and skill development to help managers more effectively engage the workforce. The two-day workshop gives employees the opportunity to build leadership on the job in an audience of their peers. CH2M expanded the workshops to include employees from all levels of the organization, including bargaining unit employees. The workshops are reinforced at quarterly all-manager meetings, communications among team members and regular sharing of lessons learned and experiences in the field. The Leadership Impact Initiative advances CH2M's vision of quality leadership and project delivery anchored by health and safety performance excellence. Since 2013, CH2M hosted more than 25 Leadership Impact Initiative workshops, reaching approximately 500 participants. Meanwhile, the company achieved the best safety record since the start of its contract, and results from its 2015 safety culture survey show improvements in the safety climate. A DOE assessment of the CH2M worker health and safety culture for the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) found the workshop was a contributing factor to the contractor achieving VPP Star and VPP Star of Excellence Status. This paper summarizes the strategy behind the leadership development program, the outcomes and its relevance for other companies, particularly those on DOE Environmental Management decommissioning projects. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2019

International Standards as Critical Enablers to Development and Diffusion of D and D Technologies - 19372

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (DOE EM) has taken a leading role in investing in the research and development (R and D) of critical technologies to support the safe and efficient decommissioning of legacy nuclear facilities. In order to facilitate the complex-wide deployment and adoption of those technologies from the laboratory to end users, and to maximize return on investment of government-sponsored R and D projects, DOE EM proactively solicits and evaluates initiatives intended to enhance achievement of these goals. One such case study emerged and involved the successful deployment of an intumescent fixative technology in support of the SRS 235-F PuFF Facility Risk Reduction Program. A detailed analysis confirmed that a critical enabler and key contributor to this effort was a deliberate, methodical approach to leverage an international, consensus-based standards organization from the onset. There is a substantial body of literature that supports the crucial role of standards in technology programs across all phases of development - from concept, to deployment, to large-scale diffusion - in other industries. Formal standards are the result of a consensual negotiation process carried out by producers, regulators, end users and other interested stakeholders in a voluntary process within standardization organizations (WTO, 2011). Therefore, standard setting is often viewed as a self-regulatory process (Gupta and Lad, 1983), and can often yield better acceptance of technologies in certain industries, particularly if those standards are further referenced in government directives and regulations. This analysis connects several theoretical concepts: information asymmetry, risk adverse markets, and technology diffusion. It is complimented by some initial, rudimentary survey results in a burgeoning academic study conducted by the author, and reinforced by the aforementioned case study on the deployment of a fixative technology at the SRS 235-F PuFF Facility. The importance of managing a holistic technology development program that focuses on not just the technical aspects of the technology itself, but the critical enablers as well, is emphasized. This effort has direct application to potentially enhancing DOE EM technology development programs across the complex. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2021

Integrated biochar research: A roadmap

We provide the rationale and broad outline for a long-term integrated research program that focuses on biochar, a relatively persistent solid form of C produced by thermal conversion of biomass under low-oxygen conditions. We believe that investment in this integrated long-term research program would, within a decade, resolve the most important information needs with respect to the technology for biochar and bioenergy production and the agronomic and environmental impacts of biochar use. This information is critically needed by both private and governmental decision makers to ensure that deployment will yield the maximum productivity, economic, and environmental benefits. Biochar and integrated biochar-bioenergy production systems have the potential to become a robust distributed industry supporting rural economies and an important part of a broader portfolio of solutions to climate change.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Environmental Emissions Nonenergy Benefits Working Paper: ARRA Period

Weatherization reduces energy usage by low-income households, and thereby reduces the environmental impacts of the production and consumption of energy and reduces the social costs associated with those environmental impacts. The nonenergy benefits study conducted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) evaluation focused on measuring the emissions reductions resulting from WAP program energy usage reductions and estimating the societal value of those emission reductions. While there are other environmental impacts associated with the WAP program, this study focused on emissions impacts because the 2010 National Research Council (NRC) report Hidden Costs of Energy: The Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use recommended that Congress focus on emissions costs because they have the highest documented social impact costs

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗