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At least 307 records · Page 17

Geospatial Toolkit

The Geospatial Toolkit is an NREL-developed map-based software application that integrates resource data and other geographic information systems (GIS) data for integrated resource assessment. The non-resource, country-specific data for each toolkit comes from a variety of agencies within each country as well as from global datasets. Originally developed in 2005, the Geospatial Toolkit was completely redesigned and re-released in November 2010 to provide a more modern, easier-to-use interface with considerably faster analytical querying capabilities. The revised version of the Geospatial Toolkit has been released for all original toolkit countries/regions and each software package is made available on NREL's website,

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Mapping and Synthesis of International Biomass Supply Assessments

This report, Mapping and Synthesis of International Biomass Supply Assessments (or Global Biomass Resource Assessment) is the first step in a long-term process to assemble data from around the globe into a virtual repository that can be updated and provide user-friendly access to the data. The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Biofuture Platform Initiative recommended that research be completed to “address the need for internationally accepted benchmarks quantifying sustainable biomass feedstock supplies.” To act upon the CEM Biofuture recommendation, in 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) commissioned Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to prepare this report as the primary deliverable for a one-year assignment to assemble data into a citable form that could help resolve the persistent question presented related to bioenergy policy, “Is there enough sustainable biomass?” In response to that query, this report includes information received by August 2024 from national CEM representatives, collaborators, and public sources on current and future sustainable biomass supplies in 62 nations,and subsequently documents (a) the approach used by ORNL to analyze and categorize the information received in a manner that enables aggregation and comparability; and (b) recommendations for next steps and guidelines to help others update and harmonize future assessments of global sustainable biomass supplies.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Sustainability metrics for assessing water resource recovery facilities of the future

Abstract The recovery of water, energy, and nutrients from water resource recovery facilities ( WRRF s) is needed to address significant global challenges, such as increasing water demand and decreasing availability of nonrenewable resources. To meet these challenges, innovative technological developments must lead to increased adoption of water and resource recovery processes, while addressing stakeholder needs (e.g., innovators, practitioners, regulators). A test bed network of over 90 partner facilities within the United States and abroad will help accelerate innovation and widespread adoption of novel processes through multiscale testing and demonstration of technologies. In this paper, we define a common set of environmental, economic, technical, and social performance metrics for innovative technologies, that will meet the needs of multiple stakeholders in the decision‐making process. These triple bottom line performance metrics can be used to track the sustainability of technologies in a consistent and transparent manner, while aiding the decision‐making process for WRRF s. Practitioner points The Facilities Accelerating Science and Technology (FAST) Water Network includes over 90 test bed facilities dedicated to accelerating innovation and adoption of water energy, and nutrient recovery systems. A common set of environmental, economic, technical, and social performance metrics should be measured and reported when a new technology is evaluated in the FAST Water Network. Performance metrics can aid sustainable decision‐making at WRRF, while meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders.

Cornejo, Pablo K.↗

Application of remote sensing technology to land evaluation, planning utilization of land resources, and assessment of wildlife areas in eastern South Dakota

A soils map for land evaluation in Potter County (Eastern South Dakota) was developed to demonstrate the use of remote sensing technology in the area of diverse parent materials and topography. General land use and soils maps have also been developed for land planning LANDSAT, RB-57 imagery, and USGS photographs are being evaluated for making soils and land use maps. LANDSAT fulfilled the requirements for general land use and a general soils map. RB-57 imagery supplemented by large scale black and white stereo coverage was required to provide the detail needed for the final soils map for land evaluation. Color infrared prints excelled black and white coverage for this soil mapping effort. An identification and classification key for wetland types in the Lake Dakota Plain was developed for June 1975 using color infrared imagery. Wetland types in the region are now being mapped via remote sensing techniques to provide a current inventory for development of mitigation measures.

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Application of remote sensing technology to land evaluation, planning utilization of land resources, and assessment of westland habitat in eastern South Dakota, parts 1 and 2

The author has identified the following significant results. LANDSAT fulfilled the requirements for general soils and land use information. RB-57 imagery was required to provide the information and detail needed for mapping soils for land evaluation. Soils maps for land evaluation were provided on clear mylar at the scale of the county highway map to aid users in locating mapping units. Resulting mapped data were computer processed to provided a series of interpretive maps (land value, limitations to development, etc.) and area summaries for the users.

Myers, V. I.↗

Assessing variability of wind speed: comparison and validation of 27 methodologies

Because wind resources vary from year to year, the intermonthly and interannual variability (IAV) of wind speed is a key component of the overall uncertainty in the wind resource assessment process, thereby creating challenges for wind farm operators and owners. We present a critical assessment of several common approaches for calculating variability by applying each of the methods to the same 37-year monthly wind-speed and energy-production time series to highlight the differences between these methods. We then assess the accuracy of the variability calculations by correlating the wind-speed variability estimates to the variabilities of actual wind farm energy production. We recommend the robust coefficient of variation (RCoV) for systematically estimating variability, and we underscore its advantages as well as the importance of using a statistically robust and resistant method. Using normalized spread metrics, including RCoV, high variability of monthly mean wind speeds at a location effectively denotes strong fluctuations of monthly total energy generation, and vice versa. Meanwhile, the wind-speed IAVs computed with annual-mean data fail to adequately represent energy-production IAVs of wind farms. Finally, we find that estimates of energy-generation variability require 10±3 years of monthly mean wind-speed records to achieve a 90 % statistical confidence. This paper also provides guidance on the spatial distribution of wind-speed RCoV.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Tidal Resource Gaps Analysis Technical Report

The tidal resource gaps project was created to address a growing body of evidence that models underpredict tidal current speeds compared to measurements at a number of the top-ranking tidal energy sites. In response, this project compared opportunistic tidal power density measurements from 16 tidal energy hot spot sites with estimates from resource assessment data to identify discrepancies. To improve the accuracy of resource estimates from model data, updated data from eight improved model simulations were obtained. Model improvements included grid refinement, domain coupling, and the use of unstructured or nested grids. New resource estimates were calculated from the updated models, and these data were used to update the tidal hot spots-a list of promising tidal energy sites around the United States.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

The Critical Role of International Standards and Certification for the Marine Energy Industry

In 2007 the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) initiated Technical Committee (TC) IEC/TC 114 to develop standards for marine energy converters including wave, tidal and other water current converters. Following the inaugural plenary meeting in 2008, the first IEC/TC 114 Technical Specification (TS), Terminology, was published in 2011 and significant work on the development of other TSs is ongoing. Initial conformity assessment activities began in 2011 and the Marine Energy Operational Management Committee (ME-OMC) of the IEC Renewable Energy (IECRE) System was established in 2014. An update on the status of international, consensus-based, marine energy standards and certification deliverables will be provided, including the development of Renewable Energy Test Reports (RETRs) under the IECRE. Currently, IEC/TC 114 has fourteen participating member (P-Member) countries and thirteen observer member (O-Member) countries. Nine Project Teams (PTs), two Ad-hoc Groups (AHGs), and seven Maintenance Teams (MTs) are engaged in writing new TSs, assessing information on TS applications and preparing the published TSs for release of 2nd Editions. To date, IEC/TC 114 has published ten TSs covering subjects including wave and tidal energy converter performance assessment and wave and tidal resource assessment. Additional TSs are expected to be published in 2019 covering river and ocean thermal energy converters and resources, among others. TSs developed by IEC/TC 114 and applied by the industry are essential to reduce risk and increase confidence in marine energy systems. These TSs serve as the fundamental underpinnings of international, 3rd party conformity assessment systems, such as the IECRE. The IECRE is currently comprised of fifteen Member Bodies and operates three Sectors: Marine Energy (ME), Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Wind Energy (WE). The IECRE ME sector has reached a critical milestone in the development of 3rd party conformity assessment deliverables for the marine energy industry. With the approval of IECRE 03 Ed. 2 and OD 300-200 Ed. 1, the ME Sector established a mechanism for the acceptance of Renewable Energy Test Laboratories (RETLs) with a scope in the IEC TS 62600-200 (Power Performance Assessment of Electricity Producing Tidal Energy Converters). A three-year transition period for test laboratory self- assessment based on ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation has been implemented to encourage RETL participation in the ME Sector. A detailed review of IEC/TC 114 and ME-OMC activities is provided and the critical connection between the development and implementation of international standards, and the associated conformity assessment rules and procedures, and the continued growth and commercial success of the marine energy industry is highlighted and examined. Emphasis is given to the role standards and certification play in risk reduction, improved quality and reliability, and increased confidence for the entire range of industry stakeholders.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

The Baseline Performance Reference for Irradiance in PV System Applications

This report proposes the definition of a new baseline performance reference (BPR). The definition goes beyond existing standards pertaining to photovoltaic (PV) reference cells and devices to define the response under all possible operating conditions in the field. Field evaluations using BPR devices will be more sensitive to performance anomalies than pyranometers because they track PV system power output more closely. At the same time, they will be able to detect a broader range of performance anomalies than traditional matched reference devices, which might have matching defects. The BPR definition also opens the door to new practices in resource assessment and yield prediction. Solar resource data can be collected or modeled and validated directly as BPR irradiance, and PV system simulations based on BPR irradiance need fewer assumptions and less processing to obtain the effective irradiance on modules. As a result, lower uncertainty in yield assessments can be expected.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

CO 2 -SCREEN tool: Application to the oriskany sandstone to estimate prospective CO 2 storage resource

Here, the ability to accurately predict the CO 2 storage resource in saline formations is important to make high-level, energy-related government policy and business decisions. CO 2 -SCREEN (Storage prospeCtive Resource Estimation Excel aNalysis) is a tool developed by the United States Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory (US-DOE-NETL) to screen saline formations for prospective CO 2 storage resources. CO 2 -SCREEN uses DOE methods and equations to serve as a consistent mechanism for calculating prospective CO 2 storage resources. CO 2 -SCREEN is comprised of two files: an Excel file used for inputs and outputs and a GoldSim Player file used to run Monte Carlo simulations. CO 2 -SCREEN requires input of physical geologic parameters (i.e. thickness, porosity) as well as efficiency factor ranges (i.e. net-to-gross thickness) to calculate a mass storage estimate. An application of CO 2 -SCREEN is demonstrated here using well log data from the Oriskany Sandstone portion in Pennsylvania. The Oriskany Sandstone is divided into 20 km x 20 km grid cells in which 151 cells contain well log data. CO 2 -SCREEN calculates prospective CO 2 storage resource for each grid cell based on the well log data and uses lithology and depositional environment information for efficiency factor ranges. The Oriskany Sandstone CO 2 storage resource estimate for Pennsylvania, calculated by CO 2 -SCREEN, ranges from 0.07 to 1.28 gigatons (Gt) with a P 50 value of 0.32 Gt. This resource assessment analysis is done to demonstrate the use of CO 2 -SCREEN and results are comparable to previous studies which encourages the application of CO 2 -SCREEN to other saline formations and warrants exploring the expansion of this tool to assess the CO 2 storage resource in other formations such as shale and depleted oil and gas reservoirs.

03 NATURAL GAS↗