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Optimizing Oil Production in Oleaginous Yeast by Cell-Wide Measurements and Genome-Based Models (Final Report)

The work funded under this DOE genomics grant focused on characterizing, modifying and developing genetic engineering tools for the then very promising but under-characterized oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. To-date, all biodiesel production facilities rely on vegetable oils and animal fats as feedstocks, which are very limited. Nature, on the other hand, is very well equipped for making carbohydrates, which are very plentiful throughout the world and rather well distributed in various forms. While numerous (biochemical and thermochemical) technologies exist presently for carbohydrate conversion to alcohols, there is none available for the cost-efficient production of lipids from carbohydrate feedstocks. Such a technology would have wide-ranging implications in land use, renewable resource utilization and production of transportation fuels with minimal carbon footprint. The global research objectives of this award were to develop tools for cell-wide measurement of metabolites and lipids that, along with transcriptional data, will allow the construction of genome-scale metabolic models, as well as models of transcriptional regulation, that will guide the further metabolic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica. To achieve these goals, a very strong international and diverse team consisting of research groups at MIT, UCLA, PNNL and Chalmers University was put together, whose specific goals, achievements and breakthroughs are included in this report.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗

Supporting ARPA-E Power Grid Optimization (Final Report)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Arizona State University (ASU), Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Texas A&M University (TAMU), The University of Texas at Austin (UT), and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-M) supported the ARPA-E Grid Optimization (GO) Competition by providing a common problem formulation, data format, datasets, evaluation mechanism, scoring, rules, and results that resulted in the awarding of $\$9.24$ million dollars to teams from academia, industry, and national labs for solving three sets of increasingly difficult non-linear, security- constrained AC Optimal Powerflow (AC-OPF) optimization problems in order to increase the efficiency of the US Electric Grid. It is estimated that a 1% increase in efficiency can save $\$1$ billion. Current industry practices typically use a linear DC model (DC-OPF) in order solve the OPF problem within the time constraints of the operation schedule. The GO Competition challenges the best power engineers, mathematicians, and computer scientists to make possible operational decisions based on accurate physical models. To accomplish this, the GO Competition created a series of Challenges and funded teams to produce the best solver. Challenge 1 was to solve the security constrained Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow (ACOPF) problem. Challenge 2 extended that to by adding adjustable transformer tap ratios, phase shifting transformers, switchable shunts, price-responsive demand, ramp rate constrained generators and loads, and fast-start unit commitment (UC). Furthermore, Challenge 2 was a maximization problem while Challenge 1 was a minimization problem. While Challenge 3 was being developed, the entrants were invited to find better solutions to the Challenge 2 synthetic datasets with no restrictions on time, hardware, or algorithms. The Challenge 2 solutions turned out to be very good. Challenge 3 expanded the Challenge 2 problem further by using multiperiod dynamic markets, including advisory models for extreme weather events, day-ahead markets, and the real-time markets with an extended look-ahead. These problems included active bid-in demand and topology optimization. Together the Challenges used nearly 30 million CPU hours. Since each team was working on the same problem, using the same data, and running on the same hardware, fair comparisons could be drawn as to the best solver. The datasets were varied enough, however, that the best solver for one dataset was not necessarily the best at another, so cumulative scores were used. The process was managed by the PNNL maintained website https://GOCompetition.energy.gov, where Entrants could find information about the problem, the data, the rules, submit their solver for evaluation, and see the scores of all the competing teams on a Leaderboard. Interest was world-wide but only American teams were eligible for prizes. The Competition has produced 34 journal articles 115 papers and been cited over 500 times in the literature, including 12 dissertations (4 from foreign countries; Columbia (2), Germany, and Italy) and 3 from the DOE ExaScale project. Software developed by Pearl Street Technologies for Challenges 1 and 2 is now deployed by Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and Midcontinent Independent Service Operator (MISO). Other teams have received inquiries from venture capitalists. Google DeepMind has thanked the Competition for making the datasets developed for the Competition public. They are using it to train machine learning models. The larger datasets have billions of unknowns to be solved for, but only a small percent matter in the final solution. Knowing what unknowns are important can dramatically speedup the solution.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Examples of Mission-driven Data Science from Jefferson Lab and ACES

This presentation details mission-driven data science initiatives at Jefferson Lab and the Joint Institute for Advanced Computing on Environmental Studies (ACES). JLab, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory, operates the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), and is the lead institute for the new High Performance Data Facility (HPDF) Hub. The Joint Institute for ACES brings together interdisciplinary teams in health informatics, climate modeling, computer science, and physics to address environmental challenges, including flood modeling. The Hampton Roads region, particularly Norfolk and Virginia Beach, faces increasing flood risks, motivating the need for rapid, reliable, and risk-aware decision support. ACES’s flooding work has a focus on uncertainty quantification (UQ) and machine learning (ML) for coastal flood management. The work is motivated by the increasing vulnerability of communities such as Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia, to frequent coastal flooding events, and the need for rapid, reliable decision support. The research develops computationally efficient ML surrogate models to forecast water levels and flooding risk. A central theme is the quantification and calibration of predictive uncertainty, especially for out-of-distribution (OOD) scenarios, using techniques such as Monte Carlo Dropout, Deep Ensembles, Gaussian Processes, and Deep Quantile Regression (DQR). The study demonstrates that distance-aware UQ is critical for reliable scientific AI, particularly in high-dimensional, safety-critical, and real-time applications.

McSpadden, Diana [Thomas Jefferson National Accele↗

Overcoming the Technical Challenges of Coordinating Distributed Load Resources at Scale (Final Report)

Significant recent research has investigated the potential for loads to provide balancing services to the grid. However, this research has not addressed key issues that may arise when such schemes are applied at scale including: 1. Distribution Network Issues. Coordination of large numbers of loads could result in power flows that violate distribution network constraints; 2. Stability Issues. Certain strategies to control loads can exhibit nonlinearity in the form of period-adding bifurcations and chaos. Other control strategies can potentially synchronize the behavior of large numbers of loads. In both cases, the outcome can be power oscillations and instability; 3. Communication Network Issues. Bidirectional low-latency communication channels between a central controller (or several distributed controllers) and each resource are expensive and likely not necessary for effective coordination. Our research questions were: What network, stability, and communication issues might arise in practice when we coordinate large aggregations of loads? How can we coordinate loads to achieve performance objectives in a cost effective manner while avoiding these issues? The ultimate technical goal of the project was the development of network-aware, communication-constrained, non-disruptive load control strategies with stability guarantees that achieve the performance requirements of typical balancing services at a sufficiently low cost to enable the load aggregator and customer to profit. The overall goal was to establish credibility for load control at scale and contribute to U.S. energy security and environmental goals. The team succeeded in answering these research questions and developing these control strategies. The overall approach was based on the development of three testing environments: a simulation testbed, an experimental testbed (20 physical model houses with window-box air conditioners) coupled with the simulation testbed, and a field testbed (100 actual homes in Austin, TX) coupled with the simulation testbed, which enabled controller testing, identification of issues, controller development, and controller validation. The resulting controller was used to demonstrate fast timescale grid balancing (frequency regulation) by aggregations of physical and virtual air conditioners, with sufficient quality to participate in the electricity market. Cost benefit analysis showed overall benefits to the participating households, load aggregators, and the grid, especially if the control technology was integrated directly into existing programmable communicating thermostats. The project provides a variety of wider benefits. Our technology transfer and outreach activities lead us to choose an open-source licensing commercialization pathway, enabling the project results to be available to researchers, industry, and the public. Furthermore, new grid balancing technologies will increase grid flexibility and will enable higher penetrations of intermittent renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, to be connected to the grid, reducing its environmental impact, and mitigating climate change to the benefit of society.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

CRADA Number NFE-24-10110 with Qubit Engineering Inc. (CRADA Final Report)

Over the past year, the Qubit Engineering team has pushed the frontiers of power‑grid optimization, working in close collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Their progress is reflected in three newly submitted conference papers, “Unified Relational GNN Architecture for AC Optimal Power Flow Calculations in Electric Grids,” “Graph‑Based Attention Mechanisms for Solving the AC Optimal Power Flow Problem in Electrical‑Power Networks,” and “Enhanced Power‑Grid Maintenance Planning and Quantum‑Inspired Combinatorial Prospects.” These publications showcase state‑of‑the‑art graph‑neural‑network methods for AC‑OPF and novel quantum‑inspired heuristics for maintenance scheduling. Beyond the academic results, the Qubit team has converted the research into two production‑grade tools built on TVA data: Neuro‑Grid, an AI‑driven power‑flow simulator that provides instant, interactive full‑grid load‑flow visualizations, and Quanta‑Grid, a quantum‑inspired maintenance‑scheduling engine to support logistics optimization for power utilities. Together, these advances demonstrate how Qubit’s partnership with ORNL and TVA is delivering practical, physics‑grounded analytics for next‑generation grid management.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Integrating Energy Efficiency Strategies with Industrialized Construction for Our Clean Energy Future: Preprint

NREL’s Industrialized Construction Innovation Team has developed an ambitious plan to accelerate the integration of energy efficiency (EE) strategies with Industrialized Construction (IC). The United States (U.S.) construction industry is beginning to use IC methods to build multifamily apartment buildings to address affordability and labor shortages. Apart from reducing cost of construction and delivery times, the IC method of permanent modular construction has the potential to facilitate the integration of a wide range of EE strategies and advanced controls into such buildings. While there may be unintended EE benefits to IC such as a tighter envelope due to higher construction quality, the process has not been leveraged specifically to enhance EE. NREL aims to claim this missed opportunity and integrate IC benefits with EE as well as advanced controls, distributed energy resources, and grid-friendly design strategies. The paper proposes an ‘IC Assessment Framework’ to achieve affordable zero-energy modular multifamily buildings. Through the selection criteria of Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, the framework aims to distill a broad range of proven EE strategies for site-built into a set of strategies that qualify as easy to integrate for off-site. The output is a Factory Information Model (FIM) that represents a process-based digital twin to enable advanced time-and-motion study, plugs into open source building energy modeling platform (EnergyPlus), and serves as a vital tool facilitating wider adoption of EE integration. Conclusively, the paper delineates next steps for upcoming pilots with NREL’s IC partners towards developing a transformational pathway for our Clean Energy Future.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

CRADA with FedIMPACT, LLC (Project 1): Cooperative Research and Development CRADA Number CRD-17-00713 (Final Report)

The funds-in under the CRADA will fund a team of National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers to participate in Energy I-Corps (formerly known as Lab-Corps). Energy I-Corps pairs teams of researchers with industry mentors for an intensive two-month training where the researchers define technology value propositions, conduct customer discovery interviews, and develop viable market pathways for their technologies. FedIMPACT, LLC and its affiliate IP Group, Inc. will evaluate the work completed at Energy I-Corps to determine whether it would like to pursue further commercialization and development of related technologies and background intellectual property.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Cybersecurity for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

As the U.S. electrifies the transportation sector, cyberattacks targeting vehicle charging could impact several critical infrastructure sectors including power systems, manufacturing, medical services, and agriculture. This is a growing area of concern as charging stations increase power delivery capabilities and must communicate to authorize charging, sequence the charging process, and manage load (grid operators, vehicles, OEM vendors, charging network operators, etc.). The research challenges are numerous and complicated because there are many end users, stakeholders, and software and equipment vendors interests involved. Poorly implemented electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), electric vehicle (EV), or grid operator communication systems could be a significant risk to EV adoption because the political, social, and financial impact of cyberattacks — or public perception of such — would ripple across the industry and produce lasting effects. Unfortunately, there is currently no comprehensive EVSE cybersecurity approach and limited best practices have been adopted by the EV/EVSE industry. There is an incomplete industry understanding of the attack surface, interconnected assets, and unsecured inter faces. Comprehensive cybersecurity recommendations founded on sound research are necessary to secure EV charging infrastructure. This project provided the power, security, and automotive industry with a strong technical basis for securing this infrastructure by developing threat models, determining technology gaps, and identifying or developing effective countermeasures. Specifically, the team created a cybersecurity threat model and performed a technical risk assessment of EVSE assets across multiple manufacturers and vendors, so that automotive, charging, and utility stakeholders could better protect customers, vehicles, and power systems in the face of new cyber threats.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

2001 Atlanta Household Travel Survey

The 2001 Atlanta Household Travel Survey collected demographic, socioeconomic, and travel information on work and non-work travel behavior for a 48-hour travel period. The study was conducted on behalf of the Atlanta Regional Commission, and it is an essential element in the transportation planning and modeling efforts for the 13-county Atlanta region. The main objective of the study was to produce data that could be used to develop and calibrate travel demand models for use in travel forecasting, land use planning, and air quality planning to improve the transportation system. The second component in the survey was the deployment of an electronic travel diary with person-based GPS and an accelerometer to collect health and activity information. Travel data includes trip generation, trip distribution, and modal choice. The survey recruited a total of 12,184 households to participate in the study. Of these, 8,069 households (66%) completed travel. The 8,069 households, when weighted, represent 21,323 persons, 14,449 vehicles, and 126,127 places visited from April 2001 through April 2002. This dataset is part of the Metropolitan Travel Survey Archive, which includes travel surveys from numerous public agencies across the United States and is archived by the Transportation Secure Data Center to ensure their continued public availability.

1Hz data↗

How initial conditions-, structural-, and parameter-based model uncertainty interact and influence predictions in permafrost ecosystems: Modeling Archive

This dataset contains model output and input data, as well as source code examples for the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model with the Dynamic Vegetation Model and Dynamic Organic Soil (DVM-DOS-TEM) for the field sites Imnavait creek and the Bonanza creek Long Term Ecological Research Network (LTER). The data covers simulations from the last glacial maximum (LGM) until 2100 for a selection of paleo scenarios, setting the mean temperature of the LGM up to 10°C lower than pre-industrial conditions. The model structure was modulated to represent various model versions, and this dataset contains the relevant changes in the source code. The raw output data, the processed statistical data, the setup and processing scripts as well as parameter value distribution files from a parameter sensitivity analysis are included as well. Model outputs include active layer depth, organic soil carbon, soil layer depths, gross primary productivity (GPP) with and without nitrogen limitation, net primary productivity (NPP), soil liquid water content, heterotrophic, maintenance, and growth respiration, soil temperature, and vegetation carbon (*.nc files). The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments in the Arctic (NGEE Arctic) project is a research effort to reduce uncertainty in the Department of Energy’s Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) by developing a predictive understanding of Arctic tundra ecosystems underlain by permafrost and to quantify feedbacks from the Arctic tundra to the Earth system. NGEE Arctic is supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.Over Phases 1–3, observations made by the NGEE Arctic team across a gradient of permafrost landscapes in Arctic Alaska improved the representation of tundra processes in the land surface component of E3SM (the E3SM Land Model, ELM). Model improvements emphasized unique aspects of permafrost environments and explored reductions in model complexity while retaining predictive power. The Arctic-informed ELM developed by NGEE Arctic has been used to make novel predictions on processes ranging from permafrost thaw to soil biogeochemical cycling to Earth system feedbacks associated with the unique characteristics of tundra plants. In Phase 4, the NGEE Arctic team is evaluating our new predictive understanding under novel conditions across the Arctic domain. In collaboration with partners at long-term pan-Arctic research sites we are examining whether an Arctic-informed ELM can faithfully simulate interactions among surface and subsurface processes at site, regional, and pan-Arctic scales. In turn, we are using variety of tools to dynamically extend and evaluate ELM inference, with an emphasis on data synthesis and pan-Arctic model evaluation, reintegration of code with an evolving E3SM, scaling across heterogeneous Arctic landscapes, and the appropriate representation of the impacts of increasingly frequent Arctic disturbances.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Wind Energy Accomplishments and Year-End Performance Report: Fiscal Year 2022

Four decades ago, construction was just beginning on experimental turbines at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). Today, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) facility is the centerpiece of the laboratory's Flatirons Campus, a world-class hub for renewable energy research. The nation's shift to 100% clean electricity by 2035 will require a mix of renewable energy sources and strategies - and together, wind and solar energy could account for 60% to 80% of that clean energy resource. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, NREL scientists, engineers, and analysts contributed to these visionary goals through their wind energy research. As wind innovations push into new areas, NREL continues to play a vital role in advancing technology and addressing deployment barriers in pursuit of more efficient, reliable, and predictable wind energy systems. FY 2022 wind research and development explored the potential for dramatic growth in land-based systems, the launch of the nation's first commercial-scale offshore installations, and transmission infrastructure buildout. Land-based wind energy is one of the most cost-effective electricity supply options - but utility-scale deployment will require up to 10 times the current number of turbines. An NREL plan addressed this need to accelerate U.S. wind technology rollout at distributed and utility scales. Another project conducted by NREL and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) helps position the nation's first major offshore wind corridor for success. The WETO-funded Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study is evaluating options for balancing electricity supply and demand, while supporting resilience of the grid and marine industries. WETO, NREL, and other partners are working to enable the enormous supply chain and workforce changes the U.S. wind energy industry will need to meet net-zero-carbon-emissions targets. As part of a seminal series of DOE-funded supply chain studies, NREL analysts reported on the trade-offs involved in manufacturing large volumes of wind technologies, while addressing cost, workforce, and logistics issues. All of this research is supported by NREL's outstanding research teams, tools, data, and facilities. A WETO-funded international wind energy field campaign, the American WAKE experimeNt (AWAKEN), has brought together experts from NREL, PNNL, and Sandia National Laboratories to create the world's most comprehensive set of high-resolution data on wind energy atmospheric phenomenon. This study could lead to more accurate predictions of losses from turbine-to-turbine wake interactions, eventually helping wind plants capture more energy and operators save millions of dollars. In addition, NREL researchers developed testing, modeling, and analysis tools to improve the security of power grids by identifying wind power plant dynamic stability problems. A new Stochastic Soaring Raptor Simulator (SSRS) protects golden eagles from turbine encounters by predicting flight paths. This report provides more detail on these top achievements and other accomplishments made by NREL and its partners during FY 2022 (between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022).

accomplishments↗

Grid Optimization Competition on Synthetic and Industrial Power Systems

This paper summarizes a grid optimization (GO) competition effort in the United States to find the best solution strategies for up to interconnect-scale power system networks with around 32,000 buses. The optimization problem is a mixedinteger, non-convex non-linear problem, (MINLP) and includes discrete variables such as unit commitment and line switching, control settings (transformer taps and phase shifters with impedance correction tables), and bus shunts. The case study includes six actual industry grids as well as 16 realistic synthetic grids created by three different dataset teams. The winners are selected and ranked based on scoring criteria, which consider the solution quality (such as objective functions) within time limits. Nine winner teams are selected from 26 competitor teams. The results achieved by different teams are described and the performance of different algorithms on synthetic grids and actual industry grids are compared and analyzed.

mixed-integer non-linear programming↗

Comminty Geothermal: Planning and Design of a Heating and Cooling System in Framingham, Massachusetts

These reports, plans, and drawings review the achievements of Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) and its partners to plan and design a network of interconnected ground-source heat pump systems, or geothermal network, in an area encompassing multiple environmental justice (EJ) neighborhoods in the City of Framingham, MA. The materials provided in this dataset include, a) stakeholder and design best practices, b) study on optimal method to interconnect geothermal loops, c) guidelines for monitoring and metering, d) operations and maintenance plans, e) permitting guidelines and f) 10-day driller tutorial curriculum. These materials can guide the efficient and ethical design of future geothermal networks nationwide. The capacity of the system is estimated at 217 tons and is designed to provide 100% of heating and cooling needs for the buildings connected to the loop. In this project, 80 boreholes are used as the main thermal resources, the distribution system (or loop) consists of 0.61 miles of an 8-inch single-pipe at ambient temperature, with the capacity to connect 44 buildings, including 13 apartment buildings from the Framingham Housing Authority, one transitional home, one school building and 29 single family homes. While Framingham already has a geothermal network loop that is currently in the commissioning stage, our proposed project is unique because it is the first utility-led expansion loop (2nd loop) project that will connect to an adjacent existing geothermal loop (1st loop) in a pre-existing neighborhood. Both the 1st and 2nd loops are being installed, owned and operated by Eversource Energy, the utility Deployment Partner.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Heat load measurements for the PIP-II pHB650 cryomodule

This study presents a brief overview of the 1st and 2nd phases and an in-depth analysis of the 3rd phase heat load testing performed on the pHB650 (prototype High Beta 650 MHz) cryomodule at PIP2IT (PIP-II Injector Test Facility), with a focus on both the results and the methodological advancements that have improved testing efficiency and accuracy. A key challenge identified in the testing campaign is the higher-than-expected heat loads observed in the first PIP-II (Proton Improvement Plan II) prototype cryomodules (pSSR1 and pHB650) tested at PIP2IT. Elevated heat loads are concerning given the fixed capacity of the PIP-II cryoplant that is currently being installed at Fermilab. However, understanding the sources of these elevated heat loads offers a critical opportunity to implement effective heat load mitigations on upcoming PIP-II cryomodules to stay within the available capacity of the PIP-II cryoplant. The study includes a summary of test results, descriptions of measurement procedures, and key observations on parameters directly and indirectly related to heat load measurements. Direct observations include measured heat loads and the effectiveness of JT heat exchanger under varying conditions, while indirect observation analyze factors such as the temperature distribution on the two-phase pipe and relief piping under varying conditions. Thermal acoustic oscillations (TAO) were identified during testing, which was mitigated by replacing the original G10 stem with a stainless steel stem equipped with wipers for the cryomodule cooldown valve. A major innovation during pHB650 Phase 3 testing was the development of an automated Python script to streamline data acquisition, analysis, and reporting of heat load results. This script automatically retrieved data from ACNET (Accelerator Control Network), performed heat load calculations, and generated detailed reports featuring plots and tables. This advancement significantly reduced manual labor and enhanced the thoroughness of data analysis compared to earlier campaigns. The heat load test reports were promptly uploaded to the electronic logbook shortly after each test, enabling rapid feedback and collaboration between the SRF and cryogenic teams. The heat load measurements included various components: HTTS (high-temperature thermal shield), LTTS (low-temperature thermal shield), 2K isothermal and non-isothermal heat loads. Results were recorded both within the cryomodule and between the bayonet can supply and return. Measurements were conducted under different operating conditions such as "standard", "linac", and "simulated dynamic". Additionally, HTTS and LTTS heat loads were calculated in real time, allowing for the tracking of thermal stability and identification of changes during testing, both in steady-state and transient conditions. The results of this testing campaign not only provide valuable insights into the performance of the pHB650 cryomodule but also highlight best practices and lessons learned that will inform future cryomodule testing at PIP2IT. These include adopting automated tools for data analysis, refining real-time measurement capabilities, and emphasizing detailed pre-test planning. The framework established in this campaign aims to set an improved standard for cryomodule testing and heat load reporting in future cryomodule test campaigns.

Porwisiak, D. [Fermilab; Wroclaw Tech. U.]↗

Cybersecurity Platform and Certification Framework Development for Extreme Fast Charging (XFC)-Integrated Charging Ecosystem (Final Project Report)

This report summarizes a pioneering effort in Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure ecosystem cybersecurity requirements, assessment methodologies, functional verification, as well as embodiment of the key technologies in the form of hardware and software tools being made available to the public. EPRI led a team of experts, as well as a stakeholder coalition encompassing all key actors in the EV charging infrastructure ecosystem that includes eXtreme Fast Charging (XFC) equipment (defined as 200kW or above). EV charging infrastructure in the United States is a patchwork of networks that have continued to grow organically and have been designed to serve the charging needs of the EV owners, who are their customers. In doing so, each network provider, as well as their connected entities such as the cloud Electric Vehicle Service Providers or EVSPs, utility back office, utility AMI networks, payment networks, as well as Original Equipment Manufacturer (EV manufacturer) telematics networks, have designed systems that may work well individually, but no single entity is responsible for the entire ecosystem to be secure in terms of data exchange. Furthermore, there is no uniformity in how each actor has implemented the cybersecurity requirements since no system-wide cybersecurity requirements existed prior to this project. The final project report describes the technical approach guided by the EV charging infrastructure cybersecurity working group, convened specifically for this project. The technical approach included definition of requirements at the ecosystem level, treated as a ‘system of systems’, and then passed down to individual systems (EVSE, EV, cloud EVSP, utility, and the payment networks), followed by developing the cybersecurity risk and vulnerability assessment methods, that were later applied to real-world cyber-physical systems at EPRI, ANL, and NREL laboratories, to validate both the process and the results. Finally, in a spotlight over the most vulnerable equipment, which is the EV charge station (AC or DC), the team developed a multi-layer cybersecurity implementation in the embedded domain embodied by the open-source Secure Network Interface Card (SNIC) demonstrating the various ways in which the infrastructure can be secured protecting against the identified attack surfaces. Finally, the entire process of EV infrastructure cybersecurity assessment was encapsulated in the Electric Vehicle Charging Cybersecurity Management (EVC2M) online GUI-based tool, that is expected to be released to the public. The report presents the objectives, the technical approach, the key results, and recommendations for future work.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Grid Strength Analysis for Integrating 30 GW of Offshore Wind Generation by 2030 in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection: Preprint

Offshore wind is a key player in the transition to a decarbonized electric gird, and the United States has set ambitious goals of integrating 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. To facilitate this integration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are conducting the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study to assess transmission solutions. To achieve the 110-GW target by 2050, meticulous planning for network expansion and resource allocation is essential; however, meeting the 2030 goals requires integrating offshore wind power with minimal system upgrades, thus necessitating a careful study of grid strength and stability. The study team developed the Grid Strength Analysis Tool (GSAT) to assess system strength under various operating conditions and contingencies, focusing on the proposed integration of 30 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. In this paper, we provide a summary of key features of the GSAT software and results of the grid strength analysis for integrating 30 GW of offshore wind generation by 2030 in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection.

Automated System-wide Strength Evaluation Tool (AS↗

Gamma Spectrometry Code Rodeo for Uranium Enrichment—FY 2022 Report

In the first two quarters of FY22, data acquisition continued at ORNL and LLNL using uranium sources of known enrichments. This was an FY21 task which could not be completed in FY21 because of problems encountered with the ORNL M400 CZT in Q4 of FY21, and the subsequent repairs. The detector was received back from H3D in the first of September 2021 , and the measurements resumed . Measurements using the repaired detector were completed in Q1 of FY22. The spectra were distributed by ORNL to the analyzing labs. Analysis results were received in Q2 of FY2022. The results from the various codes were intercompared and an ANOVA analysis was performed. Random and systematic uncertainties were established for each code. The ANOVA results and discussions were included in a revised version of FY21Annual Report issued in March 2022. A paper was presented at the INMM 2022Annual Conference, with the analysis results from the various isotopic codes, and the ANOVA table with random and systematic uncertainties. The Project Work Plan (PWP) for FY22 included a task to perform field testing of the M400 CZT and the analysis codes using UF 6 cylinder measurements at the Framatome Fuel Fabrication Facility in Richland, WA. PNNL was the lead for the field testing task. PNNL drafted a Field Test Plan, and refined it based on comments received from the team. PNNL coordinated with Framatome facility, the logistics of carrying out the field testing . A collimator and shield made out of TFlex (tungsten impregnated polymer) was designed and professionally manufactured. The collimators were used in the field test measurements. The measurements at Framatome were completed on April 21, 2022. A total of 34 Type 30B cylinders were measured using three M400 detectors (PNNL, LLNL, and ORNL detectors). Measurements using M400 were taken at two locations on the side of each cylinder and from the end-on bottom location. Additionally, HPGe measurements were taken at the end-on location to establish ground truth. Cylinder wall thickness measurements were also made at all three locations. To gain a better understanding of the effect of background from surrounding cylinders, the same five cylinders measured individually in low background locations were measured again in the cylinder storage yards. Due to inclement weather, manufacturer delays, shipping delays, and equipment failure, the measurement campaign spanned twice as long compared to the original timeline. Gamma-ray spectra from M400 and HPGe detectors, along with the cylinder data and photographs were organized and shared with the collaborators for further analysis. Spectra were analyzed by the participating laboratories. FY22 PWP also consists of tasks related to plutonium source measurements, adapting the codes to analyze plutonium spectra, and inter-comparison of the results from various codes. Plutonium spectra are being acquired at LANL, ORNL, and LLNL. LANL, SNL and LLNL are in the process of modifying FRAM, GADRAS, and CZTU, respectively. The plutonium related tasks will be completed in Q2 of FY23.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Grid Strength Analysis for Integrating 30 GW of Offshore Wind Generation by 2030 in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection

Offshore wind is a key player in the transition to a decarbonized electric gird, and the United States has set ambitious goals of integrating 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. To facilitate this integration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are conducting the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study to assess transmission solutions. To achieve the 110-GW target by 2050, meticulous planning for network expansion and resource allocation is essential; however, meeting the 2030 goals requires integrating offshore wind power with minimal system upgrades, thus necessitating a careful study of grid strength and stability. The study team developed the Automated System-wide Strength Evaluation Tool (ASSET) to assess system strength under various operating conditions and contingencies, focusing on the proposed integration of 30 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. In this paper, we provide a summary of key features of the ASSET software and results of the grid strength analysis for integrating 30 GW of offshore wind generation by 2030 in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection.

Automated System-wide Strength Evaluation Tool (AS↗