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At least 343 records · Page 19

SAM™ (System Advisor Model™) [SWR-16-02, SWR-10-13]

See the SAM™ website to build a desktop version of the National Laboratory of the Rockies' (NLR's) System Advisor Model™ (SAM). https://sam.nlr.gov/ The System Advisor Model™ (SAM™) is a free techno-economic software model that facilitates decision-making for people in the renewable energy industry: -Project managers and engineers -Policy analysts -Technology developers -Researchers SAM can model many types of renewable energy systems: -Photovoltaic systems, from small residential rooftop to large utility-scale systems -Battery storage with Lithium ion, lead acid, or flow batteries for front-of-meter or behind-the-meter applications -Concentrating Solar Power systems for electric power generation, including parabolic trough, power tower, and linear Fresnel -Industrial process heat from parabolic trough and linear Fresnel systems -Wind power, from individual turbines to large wind farms -Marine energy wave and tidal systems -Solar water heating -Fuel cells -Geothermal power generation -Biomass combustion for power generation -High concentration photovoltaic systems SAM's financial models are for the following types of projects: -Residential and commercial projects where the renewable energy system is on the customer side of the electric utility meter (behind the meter), and power from the system is used to reduce the customer's electricity bill. -Power purchase agreement (PPA) projects where the system is connected to the grid at an interconnection point, and the project earns revenue through power sales. The project may be owned and operated by a single owner or by a partnership involving a flip or leaseback arrangement. -Third party ownership where the system is installed on the customer's (host) property and owned by a separate entity (developer), and the host is compensated for power generated by the system through either a PPA or lease agreement. For a more detailed description of SAM, see Blair et al. (2018), System Advisor Model (SAM) General Description (Version 2017.9.5), NREL/TP-6A20-70414. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy18osti/70414.pdf

Ryberg, David↗

Triton Field Trials - Changes in Habitats, a Literature Review of Monitoring Technologies

Marine energy devices are installed in highly dynamic environments and have the potential to affect benthic and pelagic habitats around them. Regulatory bodies often require baseline characterization and/or post-installation monitoring to determine whether changes in these habitats are being observed. However, a great diversity of technologies is available for surveying and sampling marine habitats. Selecting the most suitable instrument to identify and measure changes in habitats at marine energy sites can become a daunting task. We conducted a thorough review of journal articles, survey reports, and grey literature to extract information about the technologies used, the data collection and processing methods, and the performance and effectiveness of these instruments. We examined documents related to marine energy development, offshore wind farms, oil and gas offshore sites, and other marine industries around the world over the last 20 years, as well as national and international guidelines for surveying habitats around offshore activities. A total of 120 different technologies were identified across six main habitat categories: seafloor, sediment, infauna, epifauna, pelagic, and biofouling. The technologies were organized into 12 broad technology classes: acoustic, corer, dredge, grab, hook and line, net and trawl, plate, remote sensing, scrape samples, trap, visual, and others. Visual was the most common and the most diverse technology class, with applications across all six habitat categories. Sampling designs varied considerably among the reviewed studies but transect was the predominant design for surveying seafloor, epifauna, and pelagic habitats. The most common data analyses were univariate and multivariate statistical analyses aimed at calculating and comparing biodiversity indices, characterizing faunal assemblages or sediment classes, or modeling the distribution of animals related to abiotic parameters. Technologies and sampling methods adaptable and designed to work efficiently in energetic environments have greater success at marine energy sites. In addition, sampling designs and statistical analyses should be carefully thought through to identify differences in faunal assemblages and spatiotemporal changes in habitats.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

What’s in My Toolkit? A Review of Technologies for Assessing Changes in Habitats Caused by Marine Energy Development

Marine energy devices are installed in highly dynamic environments and have the potential to affect the benthic and pelagic habitats around them. Regulatory bodies often require baseline characterization and/or post-installation monitoring to determine whether changes in these habitats are being observed. However, a great diversity of technologies is available for surveying and sampling marine habitats, and selecting the most suitable instrument to identify and measure changes in habitats at marine energy sites can become a daunting task. We conducted a thorough review of journal articles, survey reports, and grey literature to extract information about the technologies used, the data collection and processing methods, and the performance and effectiveness of these instruments. We examined documents related to marine energy development, offshore wind farms, oil and gas offshore sites, and other marine industries around the world over the last 20 years. A total of 120 different technologies were identified across six main habitat categories: seafloor, sediment, infauna, epifauna, pelagic, and biofouling. The technologies were organized into 12 broad technology classes: acoustic, corer, dredge, grab, hook and line, net and trawl, plate, remote sensing, scrape samples, trap, visual, and others. Visual was the most common and the most diverse technology class, with applications across all six habitat categories. Technologies and sampling methods that are designed for working efficiently in energetic environments have greater success at marine energy sites. In addition, sampling designs and statistical analyses should be carefully thought through to identify differences in faunal assemblages and spatiotemporal changes in habitats.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

High temperature (Al2O3) insulation and light weight conductors

The of an aluminum conductor with an aluminum oxide insulation film was investigated. Aluminum oxide insulated wire or strip (with a melting point of 2050 C) is unique for applications in the electronic, missile, atomic reactor, aerospace, and aircraft industries. The oxide film is highly flexible, suitable for all windings of any size and shape of coil (magnetic). Briefly touched upon are the ultraviolet, proton gamma radiation uses, as well as high vacuum and cryogenic applications. Since the film is inorganic and chemically inert, it does not age or deteriorate in storage and has good dielectric properties (1000 volts per mil).

Walker, H.↗

Screens Would Protect Wind-Tunnel Fan Blades

Butterfly screen installed in wind tunnel between test section and fan blades to prevent debris from reaching fan blades if model structure fails. Protective screens deployed manually or automatically. Concept beneficial anywhere wind tunnels employed. Also useful in areas outside of aerospace industry, such as in airflow design of automobiles and other vehicles.

Farmer, Moses G.↗

Bringing "Scientific Expeditions" Into the Schools

Two new technologies, the FASTexpedition and Remote FAST, have been developed that provide remote, 3D, high resolution, dynamic, interactive viewing of scientific data (such as simulations or measurements of fluid dynamics). The FASTexpedition permits one to access scientific data from the World Wide Web, take guided expeditions through the data, and continue with self controlled expeditions through the data. Remote FAST permits collaborators at remote sites to simultaneously view an analysis of scientific data being controlled by one of the collaborators. Control can be transferred between sites. These technologies are now being used for remote collaboration in joint university, industry, and NASA projects in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel testing. Also, NASA Ames Research Center has initiated a project to make scientific data and guided expeditions through the data available as FASTexpeditions on the World Wide Web for educational purposes. Previously, remote visualiZation of dynamic data was done using video format (transmitting pixel information) such as video conferencing or MPEG movies on the Internet. The concept for this new technology is to send the raw data (e.g., grids, vectors, and scalars) along with viewing scripts over the Internet and have the pixels generated by a visualization tool running on the viewer's local workstation. The visualization tool that is currently used is FAST (Flow Analysis Software Toolkit). The advantages of this new technology over using video format are: 1. The visual is much higher in resolution (1280xl024 pixels with 24 bits of color) than typical video format transmitted over the network. 2. The form of the visualization can be controlled interactively (because the viewer is interactively controlling the visualization tool running on his workstation). 3. A rich variety of guided expeditions through the data can be included easily. 4. A capability is provided for other sites to see a visual analysis of one site as the analysis is interactively performed. Control of the analysis can be passed from site to site. 5. The scenes can be viewed in 3D using stereo vision. 6. The network bandwidth used for the visualization using this new technology is much smaller than when using video format. (The measured peak bandwidth used was 1 Kbit/sec whereas the measured bandwidth for a small video picture was 500 Kbits/sec.)

Watson, Val↗

Flux Calculation Using CARIBIC DOAS Aircraft Measurements: SO2 Emission of Norilsk

Based on a case-study of the nickel smelter in Norilsk (Siberia), the retrieval of trace gas fluxes using airborne remote sensing is discussed. A DOAS system onboard an Airbus 340 detected large amounts of SO2 and NO2 near Norilsk during a regular passenger flight within the CARIBIC project. The remote sensing data were combined with ECMWF wind data to estimate the SO2 output of the Norilsk industrial complex to be around 1 Mt per year, which is in agreement with independent estimates. This value is compared to results using data from satellite remote sensing (GOME, OMI). The validity of the assumptions underlying our estimate is discussed, including the adaptation of this method to other gases and sources like the NO2 emissions of large industries or cities.

Walter, D.↗

Modeling, Validation, and Control of the IEA‐15 MW Reference Wind Turbine and VolturnUS‐S Platform

This paper presents the acausal modeling, validation, and control of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs). The model simulates the IEA‐15 MW reference turbine and the semi‐submersible VolturnUS‐S platform utilizing a Control‐oriented, Reconfigurable, and Acausal Floating Turbine Simulator (CRAFTS), which integrates the key coupled aero‐hydro‐elasto‐servo dynamics and is being developed by authors at the University of Central Florida. Verification and validation are conducted using numerical data from the industry‐standard simulation platform OpenFAST and experimental data from the Floating Offshore‐wind and Controls Advanced Laboratory (FOCAL) project, in which the authors were involved. Numerical results demonstrate the model's ability to qualitatively capture loads and responses across various load cases, highlighting the impact of the control system under different wind and wave conditions and opening new opportunities for optimizing FOWT designs. This paper provides wind turbine researchers with valuable insights into system characteristics, system frequencies, damping effects, and internal reaction forces, serving as a reference for future studies in FOWT modeling and control.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Design Guidelines for Deployable Wind Turbines for Defense and Disaster Response Missions

Access to on-site electrical energy is critical to ensuring a successful military or humanitarian response to conflicts and disasters. These missions typically rely on access to liquid fuel that could be vulnerable to disruption or attack during transport. Generating power on location with wind technology—whether at a contingency base or disaster response coordination point—can reduce this risk and enhance mission reach by diversifying energy sources. Common characteristics of these missions are short planning and execution time horizons and a global scope of potential locations. Compared to conventional wind turbine applications, defense and disaster response applications place a premium on rapid shipping and installation, short-duration operation (days to months), and quick teardown upon mission completion. These design drivers depart from features found in conventional distributed wind turbines, thus necessitating unique design guidance. The supporting information for this guidance comes from available relevant references, technical analyses, and input from industry and military stakeholders. This paper serves as a summary of the full report, Design Guidelines for Deployable Wind Turbines for Military Operational Energy Applications (Sandia report SAND2021-14581 R [1]), which presents the best currently available design guidance for deployable wind turbines to facilitate the effective development and acquisition of technology solutions to support mission success.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

U.S. Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment

As the U.S. offshore wind market prepares for rapid growth, our understanding of specific workforce requirements and pathways to meet those requirements is not keeping pace. Without this deeper understanding, there is a risk that the workforce will not develop as efficiently or robustly as is needed to fully realize the benefits of offshore wind. The "U.S. Offshore Wind Workforce Assessment" provides a more detailed assessment of the workforce demand, supply, and pathways to support key stakeholders including industry, state and local governments, educational organizations, and unions in their efforts to attract, educate, train, and retain a domestic workforce to support this burgeoning industry.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Wind Turbine Generator Reliability Analysis to Reduce Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Costs

Wind turbine major systems (blades, pitch, main bearing, gearbox, and generator) are integrated into a composite system. Specifications for these systems and components are developed to achieve symmetry of operation, avoiding negative interaction. For instance, the main bearing, gearbox, and generator (drivetrain) components are interdependent, functioning in unison for efficient energy production. Hence, wind resource and grid interactions affecting the drivetrain impact the performance and reliability of the turbine generator. This paper discusses generator reliability covering the technology evolution over the last 20 years. EPRI's Wind Network for Enhanced Reliability (WinNER) web-based tool and Shermco Industries databases are presented, and conclusions are drawn regarding failures specific to generator design, manufacturing, and operating conditions. Additionally, this paper compares the life expectancy of stator-fed configurations and doubly fed generator systems.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

A parcel-level evaluation of distributed wind opportunity in the contiguous United States

This study examines the potential for distributed wind (DW) energy across the contiguous United States, leveraging advancements in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's distributed wind model, dWind. The novel modeling approach described here utilizes a high-resolution dataset and analyzes over 150 million parcels, a significant improvement from prior methods that extrapolated results from a smaller random sample. This achievement is enabled through key model performance improvements, such as transitioning to multiprocessing, which reduces runtime by 97 %. This optimized, high-resolution approach allows the inspection of technology deployment potential and impact on a variety of scales tailored to individual properties and regions. The results here align with prior work showing substantial opportunity for energy generation using DW technologies. Key findings reveal a substantial increase from prior results in estimated technical and economic potential for DW. Metrics tuned to highlight economic potential also show increased incentives supporting rural adoption. Results are spatially aggregated for usability and published via the U.S. Department of Energy Wind Data Portal and a custom scenario visualization platform, aiding policymakers, industry, and property owners in assessing DW viability across various scenarios and spatial scales.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

A perspective on lessons learned and future needs for wind energy field campaigns

This perspective paper provides motivation and guidance to the wind energy community for suggested future investments and a long-term strategy for wind-energy-related field campaigns that will provide much-needed observations for improving wind energy science and model validation. We synthesize key lessons learned from past field campaigns, identify critical science gaps that we think should drive future field efforts, and provide a suggested pipeline on how future endeavors should be developed. When considering future grand field campaigns, we stress the need for international cooperation across funding bodies, research institutes, and industry partners to collect observations to overcome current and future grand challenges for wind energy.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Surface meteorology and Solar Energy

The Release 5.1 Surface meteorology and Solar Energy (SSE) data contains parameters formulated for assessing and designing renewable energy systems. Parameters fall under 11 categories including: Solar cooking, solar thermal applications, solar geometry, tilted solar panels, energy storage systems, surplus product storage systems, cloud information, temperature, wind, other meteorological factors, and supporting information. This latest release contains new parameters based on recommendations by the renewable energy industry and it is more accurate than previous releases. On-line plotting capabilities allow quick evaluation of potential renewable energy projects for any region of the world. The SSE data set is formulated from NASA satellite- and reanalysis-derived insolation and meteorological data for the 10-year period July 1983 through June 1993. Results are provided for 1 degree latitude by 1 degree longitude grid cells over the globe. Average daily and monthly measurements for 1195 World Radiation Data Centre ground sites are also available. [Mission Objectives] The SSE project contains insolation and meteorology data intended to aid in the development of renewable energy systems. Collaboration between SSE and technology industries such as the Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewables ( HOMER ) may aid in designing electric power systems that employ some combination of wind turbines, photovoltaic panels, or diesel generators to produce electricity. [Temporal_Coverage: Start_Date=1983-07-01; Stop_Date=1993-06-30] [Spatial_Coverage: Southernmost_Latitude=-90; Northernmost_Latitude=90; Westernmost_Longitude=-180; Easternmost_Longitude=180].

Stackhouse, Paul W.↗

Wind Energy Accomplishments & Midyear Performance Report: Fiscal Year 2022

2022 marks 43 years of innovation through the National Wind Technology Center at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Flatirons Campus. Scientists, engineers, analysts, and researchers continue to build on NREL's legacy of innovation at this world-class hub for wind energy technology research and development. Today, the nation's goals to tackle climate change and revitalize the U.S. economy through increased investment in clean energy - particularly in land-based, offshore, and distributed wind energy - are more ambitious than ever. From advancing wind energy science, technologies, and materials to demonstrating thought leadership on a worldwide scale, NREL's Wind Energy Program played a powerful role in maximizing the impact of wind energy in the first half of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. NREL's technical expertise, research capabilities, and industry understanding continued to support DOE's efforts to champion clean energy, addressing market and deployment barriers and driving down costs with more efficient, reliable, and predictable wind energy systems. This report provides an overview of the achievements NREL made on behalf of DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) and other partners between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022.

accomplishments↗

Transformer Leakage Inductance Design Methodology

The leakage inductance exhibited by a transformer depends on its winding geometry, which generally involves the selection of several key design parameters in addition to the winding structure and the interleaving configuration. With few resources explaining the effects of these design choices on the observed leakage inductance, numerous trial-and-error iterations become necessary to realize the desired leakage inductance. This paper explores more than a hundred winding geometries feasible in a 2-winding transformer comprising the same magnetic core, number of turns, and wire gauge, and finds the leakage inductance for each unique design using 2-D finite element method (FEM) simulations in association with the semi-analytical double- 2-D model. These leakage inductances are plotted and further analyzed to understand the effects of different design parameters on the effective leakage inductance. The results presented herein and the conclusions drawn from this research can serve as a valuable resource for future design practitioners from both industry and academia.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Lead isotopes in trade wind aerosols at Barbados - The influence of European emissions over the North Atlantic

Previous studies have shown that Pb can be used as a transient tracer in the atmosphere and the ocean because of strong time-variability of industrial inputs and because Pb isotopic composition can be used to identify contributions from different sources. Pb isotopic measurements on aerosols collected from the North Atlantic Ocean in the trade wind belt are presented. Aerosols sampled at Barbados during the 1969-1985 period have a Pb isotopic composition different from that observed by previous investigators in Bermuda corals and Sargasso Sea waters. Barbados aerosols appear to contain significant amounts of relatively unradiogenic industrial and automotive Pb that is derived from Europe and carried to Barbados by the trade winds. In contrast, Bermuda corals and Sargasso sea waters are influenced mainly by U.S.-derived emissions, which contain more radiogenic Pb originating from Missouri-type ores. This difference generates a strong latitudinal Europe-U.S.A. isotopic gradient, thus allowing study of trans-Atlantic atmospheric transport and ocean mixing processes.

Hamelin, B.↗