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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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DOE OSTI2024

From IMPEL to Impact: Lessons Learned in Accelerating Innovative Building Technologies

The built environment is a complex ecosystem of social institutions and physical infrastructures. Innovation and entrepreneurship in the building industry are critical levers for market transformation toward equitable climate action. However, climate tech innovation for the built environment is not moving fast enough for global needs, and it lacks fundamental diversity, leading to inequitable outcomes. IMPEL (Incubating Market-propelled Entrepreneurial-mindset at the Labs and Beyond) - a U.S. Department of Energy incubator–addresses these critical issues. Over five years, IMPEL has enabled 250 innovators, including 55% women and diverse founders, to accelerate their buildings and clean energy technologies towards market and climate impact. IMPEL provides access to strategic mentoring and coaching, carbon tools training, testbeds, and powerful public-private pipelines, including industry demonstrations, non-dilutive grants, and venture capital networks. The IMPEL innovation ecosystem has accelerated the pace of innovation and market adoption of building decarbonization technologies. In this paper, leverage the IMPEL stakeholder ecosystem - from innovators to investors and product industry to policymakers - to analyze the critical barriers to decarbonization still encountered in the building industry. We study the IMPEL approach and highlight lessons learned that benefit young businesses pursuing innovative building and building-edge energy technologies to develop new ideas and products. Finally, we propose a ‘market forming’ framework to improve the quality and efficiency of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the building industry. This framework could scale vetted technologies and the participation of diverse founders to de-risk the climate tech

Singh, Reshma↗
DOE OSTI2024

Vouchers to Enable Laboratory and Organizational Collaboration for Innovation and Technology Improvements (VELOCITI) Round 6 (Abstract)

For the past several years, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have provided technical assistance to the recipients of Department of Energy (DOE)-funded voucher programs, namely American-Made Challenges (AMC), the Incubator Program, and the Small Business Vouchers Program. Drawing on lessons learned and from first-hand experiences, NREL is leading a new holistic and streamlined voucher program aimed at strengthening ties between American innovators and the national labs. This new program, “Vouchers to Enable Laboratory and Organizational Collaboration for Innovation and Technology Improvements,” or VELOCITI, will leverage the successful elements of past programs, create administrative efficiencies, and enable the buildout of a national program to drive strong relationships between entrepreneurs and the national labs to accelerate the roll-out of new technologies in the US solar sector. This work will develop a comprehensive techno-economic assessment to understand the potential of repurposed batteries to achieve the DOE’s target of 5 cents per kWh Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS), thereby facilitating the more affordable and widespread adoption of solar energy.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2024

CORE-CM in The Greater Green River and Wind River Basins: Transforming and Advancing a National Coal Asset (Final Report)

The following document summarizes project results from “CORE-CM in the Greater Green River and Wind River Basins: Transforming and Advancing a National Coal Asset”. This project is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (“NETL”) Carbon Ore, Rare Earth Elements, and Critical Minerals (CORE-CM) Initiative. This report concludes that the Greater Green River and Wind River Basins (GGRB-WRB) Area-of-Interest (AOI 9) is the ideal region for continued research and development in progressing the broader CORE-CM goals outlined by the DOE. Based upon the extensive analyses of technical, social, and community criteria, this report illustrates that the GGRB-WRB hosts numerous potential CORE-CM feedstocks (both coal- and non-coal based), diverse opportunities for utilizing existing industrial waste streams, ample infrastructure and industry to support new CORE-CM-focused technologies, and a highly motivated, well educated, and adaptable workforce to further develop the regional and national CORE-CM supply chain. Additionally, some potential solutions for technological gaps suggest that the GGRB-WRB's diverse resources can play a significant role in achieving the national goal of critical materials independence. With full community participation, meaningful involvement of regional Tribal Nations, and building upon the stakeholder engagement demonstrated here, the GGRB-WRB region presents a unique opportunity for advancing the CORE-CM Initiative. This project was designed to bring together coal-based communities and stakeholders from across the GGRB-WRB to advance new industries for CORE-CM resources. The University of Wyoming (UWyo) School of Energy Resources (SER) led a project team of experts from the Colorado Geological Survey (CGS), Colorado School of Mines (CSM), Los Alamos National Lab (LANL), and local community colleges. Input from basinal, regional, and national experts bolstered the coalition in order to advance the mission of DOE’s CORE-CM initiative and develop the domestic CORE-CM supply chain. Phase I of this project was designed to address the goal of developing and catalyzing economic growth, job creation, and technology innovation in the GGRB-WRB of Wyoming and Colorado, by increasing the supply of CORE-CM to manufacturers of non-fuel Carbon Based Products (CBP) and products reliant upon CM. The GGRB-WRB CORE-CM project worked toward providing benefit through several avenues of performance and research. • Develop a coalition team to achieve project objectives • Complete detailed assessments, including State-of-the-Art (SOTA) Data acquisition of potential CORE-CM materials across the AOI, and meaningfully contributes to DOE’s CORE-CM goals nationally. • Strategic planning for regional economic growth, job creation, and associated technology innovation around coal materials, including plans to maximize the development of potential CORE-CM resources and technology by creating regional public-private partnerships. • Define regional economic growth potential around existing strengths, energy infrastructure, business and industry, including planning for the leveraging of highly trained workforces, existing and novel coal technologies, and energy infrastructure in development of CORE-CM supply chains. • Develop a preliminary strategic plan for increasing the supply of CORE-CM materials to manufacturers of non-fuel Carbon Based Products (CBP) and products reliant upon CM, focusing on regional strengths that result in an emerging diversified CORE-CM economy. • Assemble a committed network of stakeholders and communities that learn about, accept, and grow new energy technologies within coal regions. Additionally, the project team significantly contributed to the CORE-CM Initiative’s national goals, through cross-regional scoping, collaborating with CORE-CM projects in other AOIs, and including parallel regional project experts. In addition to active inclusion and meaningful engagement and contribution to DOE-led working groups, the project team focused on engaging with regional communities including Tribal Nations, economic development groups, and regional government organizations. The project’s CORE-CM development and commercialization plan identified diverse CORECM feedstocks, potential routes towards integration with existing industries, methods for supply-chain development that leverage existing infrastructure and businesses considering the regional economy, identified entry barriers for incorporating traditional and new technologies in those supply chains, recognized opportunities for public-private partnerships to develop technology innovation centers, identified diverse workforces, and conducted stakeholder outreach and education to build a community of understanding on CORE-CM potential in the GGRB-WRB region. Detailed task descriptions can be found in each chapter.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cyber-Informed Engineering Research and Development Guide

This document provides guidance on incorporating Cyber Informed Engineering (CIE) principles into the research and development (R&D) of operational technology systems and tools, facilitating the creation and adoption of innovative technologies that are secure and resilient by design. As technological innovation and research are becoming pivotal for economic and national security, cybersecurity has emerged as a paramount concern across industries and sectors. The challenge of integrating robust cybersecurity measures is imperative to safeguard critical infrastructure, protect sensitive data, and preserve national security interests.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Harnessing Ocean Thermal Gradients Using Thermoelectric Based Submersibles for Ocean Power Applications

The urgent need for energy solutions in marine environments has accelerated the development of innovative technologies capable of leveraging natural resources for power generation. This study introduces a buoyancy-driven submersible system designed to harness ocean thermal gradients using thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and phase change materials (PCMs). The technology aims to provide autonomous power to offshore aquaculture farms, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), offshore platform illumination, and ocean sensors, significantly reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Ocean thermal gradients, especially prevalent in mid-latitude regions, exhibit temperature differences between surface and deep waters ranging from 7 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius depending on seasonal variations. The proposed submersible technology utilizes TEGs to convert thermal energy from these gradients into electrical power, generating between 0.2 and 0.5 watts, while PCMs are employed to store and regulate this energy, ensuring a stable and continuous power supply. The buoyancy-driven mechanism of the submersible enhances its capability to navigate through varying depths, optimizing its exposure to different thermal gradients and maximizing energy harvesting. The performance of this submersible system is analyzed through detailed thermodynamic assessments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling focused on heat transfer. These analyzes consider real-world ocean temperature profiles and seek to refine the interaction between TEGs and PCMs to optimize energy extraction. The evaluation encompasses several key performance metrics, including power output and energy efficiency. Results confirm the potential of this innovative technology to provide a continuous and reliable power source for marine applications. By demonstrating the feasibility of using ocean thermal gradients for energy generation, this study contributes to the broader efforts of innovation in energy technologies for harsh, remote marine environments. The implementation of such promises is significant advancements in the autonomy of marine operations. The ongoing research will further investigate scalability ensuring that the system can be effectively adapted to various marine settings and operational demands.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2025

Technology & Design Innovations to Maximize the Reduction Effect on DCFC Unit Cost Economics (Max‐REDUCE)

With the high cost and reliability issues of DCFC infrastructure the project specifically addressed the needs of innovating on the AC to DC power conversion. We proved the integration of a new power module into existing charger units, and that theoretical educational work on single stage energy conversion is commercially viable, and a reduced cost compared to existing methods. Our A sample shown 3 PH 480VAC 60hz to 350VDC 8.5kW power transfer, and our software and simulation proved efficiency greater than 97% from 20kW to > 60kW, over the DC output voltage range 200 – 1200V. The project was stopped before we could implement B sample and execute full power testing, validation and integration into a demonstration charger (budget period 3).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2026

Technical Assistance for Bainbridge Island, Washington

The City of Bainbridge Island, Washington, worked with the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) to understand how to improve the reliability of its electric grid and work toward its goal of increasing local energy generation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Technical Assistance for Igiugig, Alaska

Igiugig, Alaska received technical assistance through the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) to implement high-priority strategies detailed in their 2022 Community Energy Plan.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Technical Assistance for Hui o Hau'ula, Hawaii

Hui o Hau'ula in Hawaii worked with the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) to evaluate technologies and systems that could power the planned Ko'olauloa Community Resilience Hub (KCRH).

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Energy 101 Marine Energy [Slides]

The Energy 101: Marine presentation, developed for the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), provides an overview of marine energy. It covers technology fundamental concepts, opportunities, and case studies.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2026

Green Methanol via an Integrated Direct Air Capture, CO 2 Electrolyzer, and Hydrogenation Reactor

This project pioneered a groundbreaking reactor design to produce green methanol by harnessing the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (eCO 2 RR), a cornerstone of power-to-fuels technology. The effort integrated three innovative technologies to achieve carbon-neutral methanol production at a target cost of under $\$$800/ton: 1. Direct Air Capture (DAC): Using a cutting-edge sorbent material developed at Holocene, scalable models were developed to integrate captured atmospheric CO₂ into the reactor system. 2. Intermediate-Temperature CO 2 Electrolyzer: Developed by the University of Tennessee (UTK), this electrolyzer utilizes a cost-effective, proton-conducting solid acid electrolyte (CsH 2 PO 4 , CDP) and a mixed-metal oxide cathode. It achieves high faradaic efficiencies (>98%) by effectively suppressing hydrogen evolution at high current densities, converting CO 2 to CO with remarkable selectivity. 3. Catalysis and Reactor Engineering: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) contributed world-class expertise in heterogeneous catalysis and reactor design. Their advanced ASPEN modeling drove systems integration and supported techno-economic and life cycle analyses. This effort was further bolstered by partnerships with industry leaders Air Company and Plug Power, who provided critical guidance on scaling, systems engineering, and the integration of water electrolyzers into large-scale operations. During Phase 1, the team focused on modeling and validating a lab-scale reactor demonstrating the feasibility of the integrated approach. Key accomplishments include a 52% increase in current density at 0.8 V while maintaining >98% CO faradaic efficiency, successful 10× scale-up of the electrolyzer with performance within 5% of coin-cell results, best-in-class durability (168-hour test at 0.6 V with 0.14 mA/cm 2 -h degradation), validated TEA confirming the $\$$800/ton methanol target, and completed preliminary LCA showing potential for net-negative GHG emissions under renewable energy scenarios.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Our Renewable Energy Future: The Remarkable Story of How Renewable Energy Will Become the Basis for Our Lives

Our Renewable Energy Future delves into the clean energy technology evolution and where our energy system is going. While the book's foundation is technology innovation, it brings a unique perspective that technology alone is not what has brought about the explosive growth of renewable energy and offers fresh insights into how technology, economics, social dynamics, policy, and geopolitics are forces affecting our energy future. This book is a culmination of Dr Arent's lifelong passion for energy, sustainable development, and renewable energy technology. It covers the journey of evolving technology, economics, political economy and geopolitics of clean energy over the last 40 years and provides insights for the coming decades. From a technology perspective, the book traces the arc of recent innovations and synthesizes innovations across multiple interacting perspectives into a description of Our Renewable Energy Future.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Technical Assistance for McGrath, Alaska

McGrath, Alaska, worked with the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) to develop its first community energy plan. The plan provides a roadmap for reducing dependence on expensive imported fuel, improving energy reliability, and setting the stage for new energy integration.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Technical Assistance for Beaver Island, Michigan

Beaver Island, Michigan, worked with the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) to develop a path toward energy security based on local production and storage with minimal dependence on the mainland.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Kotzebue Strategic Energy Plan

The Kotzebue Strategic Energy Plan outlines a community-driven roadmap to reduce reliance on imported diesel, lower energy costs, and build a resilient energy future for Kotzebue, Alaska. Developed in 2024-2025 through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), the plan was led by the Native Village of Kotzebue in collaboration with Kotzebue Electric Association, the City of Kotzebue, the Northwest Arctic Borough, NANA Regional Corporation, and regional partners.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Distributed Energy Resources and Storage [Slides]

This training offers an overview of distributed energy resources and storage, drawing on examples from the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project. Examples of community technical assistance projects included in this training include projects in Guam and Deer Island and Stonington, Maine.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗