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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 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Hierarchical analysis of US electric vehicle subsidies for carbon emission mitigation

Electric vehicle (EV) adoptions are promoted with subsidies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ground transportation. In this paper, a hierarchical analysis is presented on the potential of greenhouse gas emission mitigation via the electric vehicle subsidy policy at state level in the US, through research of environmental and economic fundamentals of electric vehicle operations, energy consumptions, battery degradation and service life. It has been found that restructuring the federal subsidies to promote EV adoption can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the US. The reduction costs of greenhouse gas emissions vary between $\$1167.44$/ton in Vermont to $\$6880.13$/ton in Wyoming. A case study reveals that 15.24 % more greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced with a tiered federal subsidy structure. The restructuring of subsidies will also encourage the adoption of clean energies in the grid fuel mix and drive technological advancements to extend the battery lifetime in the future.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

High-efficiency purification of CH 4 and H 2 energy sources enabled by a phosphotungstic acid-supported Os single-atom catalyst

Methane (CH 4 ) and hydrogen (H 2 ) show promise as low-carbon energy sources, but their impurities, including H 2 and CO, pose challenges for storage and use. To address these challenges, a robust purification protocol for CH 4 and/or H 2 , combined with the catalytic conversion of impurities into CO 2 and H 2 O, is a compelling solution. Here, in this work, we investigated 11 phosphotungstic acid (PTA)-supported single-atom catalysts (SACs) by density functional theory (DFT) computations. Os 1 /PTA SACs exhibited superior catalytic activity, and the ease of oxidation follows the CO > H 2 > CH 4 order. It facilitated efficient purification of CH 4 in solvents such as water, MeOH, and various others. For H 2 purification, Os 1 /PTA SACs demonstrated excellent performance in gas, water, and MeOH. Notably, in water and MeOH, it selectively removed CO without consuming H 2 with low free energy barriers. The strong Os-PTA interactions and charge transfer mechanism contributed to its exceptional catalytic activity. Our findings shed light on SAC behavior and their potential for efficient CH 4 and H 2 purification. By addressing impurity challenges and improving clean energy utilization, these findings contribute to the development of sustainable energy technologies.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Engage the Public in Science and Embrace Future Change with Human-Centric Stories, Art, and Imaginings

Human-centric stories that weave in real scientific data may be able to engage the public in environmental issues that do not yet directly affect them. Science fiction and artistically rendered futuristic scenarios can unleash the imagination and act as a lens to envision technological, social, and cultural aspects of transitioning to clean energy. Cultures with strong oral traditions use stories to record history, develop a shared identity, pass on environmental lessons, and prepare for future change. Through the lenses of our non-physical science disciplines (cultural anthropology and environmental sociology), we discuss challenges to communicating science, the use of narratives to illustrate ecosystem processes, and we report on a collaborative, interdisciplinary workshop and book project that is creating narratives of hope and visions for the future through inspiring art, short stories, and essays. We explore the surprising potential of 'cli-fi,' humor, games, and the research behind emotion and imagination-driven engagement. We describe methods that help people visualize their future well-being and we explore opportunities to spread those methods.

clean energy↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermomechanical Properties of Hafnium Hydride for Radiation Shielding in Tokamak Devices

The development of effective neutron shielding materials is of paramount importance for the progression of fusion technologies with the aim of producing clean and sustainable energy for future generations. This study demonstrates the successful fabrication of a promising candidate material for shielding applications, hafnium hydride, through the powder metallurgy process. Powder metallurgy fabrication resulted in the production of 91% dense, crack-free, ε-phase HfH 2 pellets with a hydrogen-to-metal ratio of 1.89 to 2.00. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) was used to measure a Young’s modulus of 34.52 ± 2.70 GPa and a shear modulus of 12.25 ± 0.18 GPa. Nanoindentation techniques have been used to establish a hardness value of 4.45 ± 1.63 GPa, and a Young’s modulus of 47.8 ± 6.4 GPa was determined using Poison’s ratio from RUS. Hydrogen release was measured using thermogravimetric analysis and appeared to occur in three different regimes as the sample transitioned through the ε- and δ-phases. Heat capacity matched literature data up to 600 K, after which a rapid increase was observed due to phase transformations occurring with hydrogen loss.

Hafnium hydride↗
DOE OSTI2025

X-ray absorption spectroscopy of lanmodulin-derived peptides bound to rare earth elements

A sustainable and robust supply chain of rare earth elements (REEs) is necessary to meet our consumer, national security and clean energy goals. However, current intra-REE separation technologies (e.g. solvent extraction) are costly and carry a heavy environmental burden. Therefore, the development of new aqueous based ligands that are selective for individual REEs will be integral in future REE production systems. To develop these ligands, an understanding of how ligand coordination structure relates to selectivity is imperative. We used X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to observe the local structure around four lanthanide (Ln) ions (La, Ce, Pr and Nd) complexed by water and several relevant chelating ligands [lanmodulin EF-hand 1 peptides (LanM1), ethyl­enedi­amine­tetra­acetic acid (EDTA), amino­tris­(methyl­ene­phospho­nic acid) (ATMP) and citric acid]. To collect these liquid-phase XAS spectra, we developed a new flow cell that prevents bubble interference and beam damage to the samples. In the X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), we observed energy shifts in the white line, white line broadening and differences in the white line intensity of different Ln–ligand complexes between ligands. In the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), we distinguished differences in peak intensity and distance between coordinating ligands. Differences in the local coordination structure between Ln–LanM1 peptide complexes were more subtle compared with the other ligands (La–water, La–EDTA, La–ATMP and La–citric acid complexes). Further XANES and EXAFS studies, in combination with modelling and other techniques, could greatly improve our structural knowledge of how these aqueous ligands bind Ln ions and how they can be used to design more selective ligands for more efficient and sustainable REE separations.

EDTA↗
DOE OSTI2023

Artificial Intelligence for a Resilient and Flexible Power Grid

Recent widespread and extreme natural disasters as well as the drive towards clean sustainable energy sources necessitate a transformational operational and technological approaches to improve power grid resilience. Convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), distributed computing, and connectivity technologies enables these new approaches to deliver a sustainable electric grid. In particular, AI-based techniques can enable proactive decision-making by processing massive amounts of data to deliver intelligence at various levels of the system, edge devices to control room. In this chapter, we will explore the potential applications AI-based technology will unlock and challenges to address to achieve a sustainable, flexible power grid.

Omitaomu, Femi↗
DOE OSTI2022

Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program Activities (LDRD 2021 Annual Report)

Each year, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is required to provide a report of its completed Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (LDRD) projects to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Scientific and Technical Information in accordance with DOE Order 413.2C Chg1 (MinChg) dated August 2, 2018. This report provides a detailed look at the scientific and technical activities for each of the LDRD projects funded by BNL in FY 2021, in fulfillment of that requirement. In FY 2021, the BNL LDRD Program funded 68 projects, 24 of which were new starts, at a total cost of $17.1M. The investments that BNL makes in its LDRD program support the Laboratory’s strategic goals. BNL has identified six scientific initiatives that define the Laboratory’s scientific future and that will enable it to realize its overall vision. This requires simultaneous excellence in all aspects of BNL’s work – from science and operations, to external partnerships with the local, state, and national communities, and beyond. This is enabled by safe, efficient, and secure operations; by an unwavering commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, including workforce development, both with staff and reaching out to the community; and by a strong focus on renewed infrastructure. The six scientific initiatives are: (1) Nuclear Physics: The Electron Ion Collider, (2) Clean Energy and Climate, (3) Quantum Information Science and Technology, (4) Discovery Science Driven by the Human-AI-Facility Integration, (5) High Energy Physics: Building for Discovery, and (6) Accelerating Isotope Production: Ensuring the Nation’s Supply is Secure. The funded projects support BNL’s six scientific initiatives and priority programs as well as new areas of research and competencies at the Laboratory that are consistent with the Laboratory’s vision and mission. In total, these LDRD investments supported 80 postdoctoral researchers and graduate students in whole or in part and resulted in 136 publications and 3 awards. This Program Activities Report represents the future of BNL science; it is an impressive body of exploratory work that investigates many scientific and technical directions in support of the DOE and BNL missions.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary Screening Techno-Economic Analysis of Industrial SOFC/SOEC and Reversible SOC Integration

National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) provides system-level process, cost, and market analyses on solid oxide cell (SOC) based technologies. Specifically, techno-economic analyses (TEA), market assessments, and other technology evaluations serve to guide the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (R-SOFC) Program technology goals and objectives. These studies are key to describing how the technologies contribute to improving domestic energy infrastructure in a clean, efficient manner. This effort seeks to elucidate the potential integration opportunities between reversible SOCs and industrial systems which would aid in SOC commercialization and deployment. These preliminary screening-level results show what opportunities exist for power generating SOFCs, hydrogen producing SOECs, and point-source carbon capture. Improvements can be seen through changes in cost of electricity, cost of hydrogen, and cost of carbon capture.

reversible SOC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Advancing Energy Justice in Alaska

NREL works with remote and rural communities across Alaska and the world to develop energy and building technologies that enhance culture, strengthen economies, and improve resilience in a changing environment. Alaska and Arctic communities not only face one of the harshest climates on earth; they also pay some of the highest energy and housing costs in the nation. NREL's Alaska Campus collaborates with communities and tribes to develop affordable, culturally appropriate homes and buildings that combine traditional knowledge and twenty-first century technology. Demonstration homes deployed all over Alaska prove out new technologies in energy efficiency, foundations, indoor air quality, and clean energy. Local workforce development is incorporated into every project: new homes are built by local workers, often including the home's future occupant. With the Arctic warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet, coastal erosion and thawing permafrost are wreaking havoc on roads, buildings, and infrastructure across Alaska. With an inclusive approach to R&D, NREL is helping communities adapt to a changing environment and advancing energy justice in the world's extremes.

Alaska housing prototypes↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electric Vehicle Fire Primer for Fleet Managers

The U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Office provides project assistance through Clean Cities, technical expertise, and funding to help stake-holders implement alternative fuels and electric vehicles (EVs). Fleet managers considering EVs can learn about the potential for EV fires and measures to help reduce fire risk.

ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Local Power: Comparing County-Level Renewable Energy Potential to Consumption Using the SLOPE Platform

Wide-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. Many communities have ambitious clean energy goals with targets for locally generated renewable energy. To inform state and local clean energy planning, analysts from the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) used data from NREL's State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) platform to compare annual technical generation potential of renewable energy technologies to modeled electricity consumption in every county of the contiguous United States. Annual costs were calculated to produce a 20% share of electricity consumed annually from each technology to examine localized cost effectiveness of a diversified mix of generation sources. For example, combining distributed and utility-scale wind and solar generation can offset the need for storage and nonintermittent fossil resources to achieve high deployment of renewables. This county-level analysis provides insight into where localized renewable energy generation could cost-effectively match annual electricity consumption.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Technical Characterization and Benefit Evaluation of 5G-Enabled Grid Data Transport and Applications

This report summarizes the Year 1 work of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL’s) 5G Fabricated Resource and Asset Management Encompassment for energy infrastructure (Energy FRAME) project funded by the Department of Energy Office of Science’s Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program. 5G is a breakthrough technology that enables a fully mobile and connected society, and a 5G-enabled digital continuum will be one of the critical foundations for a clean energy economy and grid modernization. In collaboration with PNNL’s Advanced Wireless Communication team and Center for Advanced Technology Evaluation team, the project team has been evaluating the system performance of 5G testbeds in the PNNL 5G Innovation Studio, and has formulated a co-simulation test case of power system transmission, distribution, and communication (T&D&C) networks considering 5G technology and high penetration of distributed energy resources. The methodology developed in the 5G Energy FRAME project can be customized to fit different future grid scenarios to evaluate multiple (dynamic) configurations (computing, sensing, communication, environment) for different stakeholders. In summary, our main technical highlights in project Year 1 are as follows: 1) Technical characterization of 5G standalone architectures, 2) Formulation of co-simulation test case of T&D&C networks embedded with 5G, 3) Initial benefit evaluation of 5G communication platform for grid use cases, and 4) Additional extended discussions on edge computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and high-performance computing and cloud computing adoptions. In addition, a collection of system performance data is shared through the publicly available weblink, https://www.pnnl.gov/projects/5g-energy-frame/publications

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS2002

Space Solar Power Demonstrations: Challenges and Progress

The prospects of using electrical power beamed from space are coming closer to reality with the continued pursuit and improvements in the supporting space solar research and technology. Space Solar Power (SSP) has been explored off and on for approximately three decades as a viable alternative and clean energy source. Results produced through the more recent Space Solar Power Exploratory Research and Technology (SERT) program involving extensive participation by industry, universities, and government has provided a sound technical basis for believing that technology can be improved to the extent that SSP systems can be built, economically feasible, and successfully deployed in space. Considerable advancements have been made in conceptual designs and supporting technologies including solar power generation, wireless power transmission, power management distribution, thermal management and materials, and the integrated systems engineering assessments. Basic technologies have progressed to the point were the next logical step is to formulate and conduct sophisticated demonstrations involving prototype hardware as final proof of concepts and identify high end technology readiness levels in preparation for full scale SSP systems designs. In addition to continued technical development issues, environmental and safety issues must be addressed and appropriate actions taken to reassure the public and prepare them for the future use of this alternative renewable energy resource. Accomplishing these objectives will allow informed future decisions regarding further SSP and related R&D investments by both NASA management and prospective external partners. In particular, accomplishing these objectives will also guide further definition of SSP and related technology roadmaps including performance objectives, resources and schedules; including 'multi-purpose' applications (terrestrial markets, science, commercial development of space, and other government missions).

Howell, Joe T.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low Carbon Intensity Formic Acid Chemical Synthesis from Direct Air Captured CO 2 Utilizing Chemical Plant Waste Heat - Final Technical Report

The primary objective of Low Carbon Intensity Formic Acid Chemical Synthesis from Direct Air Captured CO 2 Utilizing Chemical Plant Waste Heat (ChemFADAC) is to execute and complete a FEED study for an integrated direct air capture (DAC) and carbon conversion system (together, the DACUS system) co-located at a Nutrien nitric acid production facility in Kennewick, WA capable of capturing and converting a minimum of 5,000 MT/year net atmospheric CO 2 to low carbon intensity formic acid (FA) using industrial waste heat and renewable electricity. The goal will be achieved through the completion of four objectives using a collaborative approach with community stakeholders. Objective 1. Conduct a FEED study and Class 3 project cost estimate for the proposed DACUS system that maximizes use of thermal energy from the Nutrien KFO host site to produce low carbon intensity FA from atmospheric CO 2 . Objective 2. Perform a cradle-to-gate life-cycle analysis of the DACUS system to determine the environmental sustainability and carbon intensity (CI) of the proposed project and product from the results of the FEED study. Objective 3. Perform a business case analysis from results of the LCA, FEED study and cost estimate to justify investment to build the DACUS project at the Nutrien KFO site. Objective 4. Quantify how deployment of the proposed technology will promote and prepare a ready workforce for clean energy and manufacturing jobs and coordinate with community stakeholders to perform an environmental justice and a preliminary economic revitalization and job creation outcomes analysis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Extending the Air and Moisture Leakage Calculator to add Residential Buildings and Additional Commercial Buildings

The DOE Windows and Building Envelope Research and Development Roadmap for Emerging Technologies shows that in 2010, infiltration was responsible for 4 quads of space conditioning primary energy use in the residential and commercial sectors. The relative contribution of air leakage in building heating and cooling load is increasing with improvement in the thermal resistance of building envelopes. Advanced air barrier technologies and construction practices have been developed to reduce air leakage in buildings. However, limited information on the impact of air barrier technologies on energy consumption and the durability of buildings has hindered their adoption. In the past Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Air Barrier Association of America (ABBA), and U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center for Building Energy Efficiency (CERC-BEE) collaborated to develop an online calculator that estimates the potential energy and cost savings in major U.S., Canadian and Chinese cities from improvement in air tightness in commercial buildings. In 2018–2019, the calculator was expanded to add moisture transfer calculations given that air leakage through the building envelope can have a significant impact on moisture transfer and associated impacts. In this study, the calculator is expanded further by adding data for two additional commercial buildings (strip mall and primary school) and a residential building. The team investigated the impact of airtightness on energy consumption and moisture transfer of the added buildings. The study includes the analysis of air tightness in 52 major cities in the U.S. and 5 cities in Canada.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2021

Chalkboard 2 - How to Make Clean Hydrogen

Clean hydrogen is a carbon-free energy carrier that can be produced from water and sustainable energy sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear. Therefore, clean hydrogen is one of the best ways to not only decarbonize the energy supply system, but also address the zero-emission challenges specific to large-carbon emitting industries that are difficult to separate from fossil fuels. To help achieve the Biden Administration's goal of a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions by 2050, several tens of millions of metric tons of clean, low-cost hydrogen will be needed annually. The HydroGEN Advanced Water Splitting Materials (AWSM) Consortium was established in 2016 as part of the Energy Materials Network (EMN) under the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office to enhance the performance, improve the durability, and reduce the cost of clean hydrogen production technologies, and it is helping to advance the H2@Scale vision.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2020

Renewable Energy Technologies and Integrated Energy Systems

As renewable energy deployment expands, its integration into broader energy systems becomes an opportunity for providing clean energy across multiple sectors. This presentation will review statistics about the growth of renewable energy and potential future trends, with an additional focus technologies important to Colorado. It will also present options for integration with other low emissions technologies, such as nuclear energy and storage, and how together they could create an integrated energy system for multiple sectors. The presentation will also include an introduction to the mission and research of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA).

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY,ENVIRONMENTAL↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hydrogen: Targeting $1/kg in 1 Decade

The societal energy system is evolving rapidly as the impacts of our existing energy system are better appreciated and technological advances have dramatically decreased the cost of renewable resources. Simultaneously, the importance of energy transfer across timeframes and the difficulty of decarbonizing the industrial loads and transportation demands using electricity are being recognized. At the center of this need is achieving low-cost clean hydrogen. The U.S. Department of Energy launched the Hydrogen Energy EarthShot which seeks to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to $1 per 1 kilogram in one decade. Reaching the $1/kg goal is dependent on the evolution of the electrical energy system to increase renewable energy deployment and low electricity costs; advances in electrolysis technology and manufacturing readiness; and infrastructure build-out and hydrogen market establishment that results in the ability to make, move, store, and use clean hydrogen economically while spurring job creation.

08 HYDROGEN↗