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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Accelerating Innovative Energy Solutions Using Combustion Simulations

Combustion-based transportation, electricity generation, and industrial heating in manufacturing constitute the three largest sectors of energy demand. Some of the recent technology development in these sectors are: switching to low-carbon fuels for the transportation sector, increasing energy efficiency in the power sector, and capturing carbon emissions from conventional power generators. Several teams at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have been actively advancing research in these areas by leveraging computational modeling of combustion processes across the heavy-duty land based transportation, aviation, and power generation sectors. This article summarizes some of these efforts, demonstrating the potential of advanced computational techniques to generate technological solutions that will transform the global energy system.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Net Zero World Initiative’s Preliminary Analysis of Decarbonization Pathways for Five Countries. Executive Summary

Under the Net Zero World Initiative, the United States is marshalling the forces of nine U.S. government agencies, led by the U.S. Department of Energy, to partner with philanthropies and multiple countries to cocreate and implement tailored technical and investment pathways to accelerate the decarbonization of global energy systems. In addition, 10 of the DOE national laboratories have built a consortium housed in the Net Zero World Action Center to implement this vision by providing the deep analysis and modeling required to carry out the vision.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Fossil Fuel Transitions Framework: Case studies of the decision-making process for energy and economic development pathways

The Net Zero World Initiative leverages expertise across U.S. government agencies and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) national laboratories, in partnership with other governments and philanthropies, to accelerate the decarbonization of global energy systems. This whole-of-government approach supports countries committed to raising their climate ambitions by co-creating and implementing highly tailored, actionable technical and investment strategies that put just and sustainable net-zero solutions within reach. The Net Zero World Initiative enables country partners to harness the convening power and technical expertise of U.S. and international industry, think tanks, and technical institutions.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Modeling Small Modular Reactors in GCAM

This study uses the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM) to examine the critical role and future of nuclear energy in the global energy system, with a focus on the United States. We also analyzed the U.S. government’s new strategic vision for the nuclear energy sector.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS2015

A Framework for the Cross-Sectoral Integration of Multi-Model Impact Projections: Land Use Decisions Under Climate Impacts Uncertainties

Climate change and its impacts already pose considerable challenges for societies that will further increase with global warming (IPCC, 2014a, b). Uncertainties of the climatic response to greenhouse gas emissions include the potential passing of large-scale tipping points (e.g. Lenton et al., 2008; Levermann et al., 2012; Schellnhuber, 2010) and changes in extreme meteorological events (Field et al., 2012) with complex impacts on societies (Hallegatte et al., 2013). Thus climate change mitigation is considered a necessary societal response for avoiding uncontrollable impacts (Conference of the Parties, 2010). On the other hand, large-scale climate change mitigation itself implies fundamental changes in, for example, the global energy system. The associated challenges come on top of others that derive from equally important ethical imperatives like the fulfilment of increasing food demand that may draw on the same resources. For example, ensuring food security for a growing population may require an expansion of cropland, thereby reducing natural carbon sinks or the area available for bio-energy production. So far, available studies addressing this problem have relied on individual impact models, ignoring uncertainty in crop model and biome model projections. Here, we propose a probabilistic decision framework that allows for an evaluation of agricultural management and mitigation options in a multi-impactmodel setting. Based on simulations generated within the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP), we outline how cross-sectorally consistent multi-model impact simulations could be used to generate the information required for robust decision making. Using an illustrative future land use pattern, we discuss the trade-off between potential gains in crop production and associated losses in natural carbon sinks in the new multiple crop- and biome-model setting. In addition, crop and water model simulations are combined to explore irrigation increases as one possible measure of agricultural intensification that could limit the expansion of cropland required in response to climate change and growing food demand. This example shows that current impact model uncertainties pose an important challenge to long-term mitigation planning and must not be ignored in long-term strategic decision making

farmlands↗
NASA NTRS1990

Surface radiation budget in the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) effort and in the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment (GEWEX)

The surface radiation budget (SRB) and the atmospheric radiative flux divergence (ARD) are vital components of the weather and climate system. The importance of radiation in a complex international scientific endeavor, the GEWEX of the World Climate Research Programme is explained. The radiative transfer techniques and satellite instrumentation that will be used to retrieve the SRB and ARD later in this decade with the CERES are discussed; CERES is a component of the Earth Observing System satellite program. Examples of consistent SRB and ARD retrievals made with Nimbus-7 and International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project data from July 1983 are presented.

Charlock, Thomas P.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Summary of INL Integrated Energy Systems Research for the Global National Laboratories Consortium on IES

The DOE Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) program on Integrated Energy Systems (IES) is led by researchers at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and work is conducted in partnership with an array of other DOE laboratories, industry, and academia. IES research and development activities are additionally complimented by the DOE-NE Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program, where work under the Flexible Plant Operations & Generation pathway supports analysis of opportunities for non-electric applications of current fleet nuclear plants and collaborates with multiple plants on near-term hydrogen production demonstration opportunities. The DOE-NE programs additionally partner with the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office under the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to jointly fund the development of analysis tools, technologies, and nuclear-integrated hydrogen demonstration projects. This document provides a brief, high-level summary of IES work as contribution to the annual report for the Global National Laboratories Consortium on IES.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Resource Adequacy in Decarbonizing Power Systems

Decarbonization of the power sector is instrumental to reducing emissions worldwide. Following the 13th Clean Energy Ministerial conference (CEM13) in 2022, several governments signaled their intention to develop power sector decarbonization action plans. The 21st Century Power Partnership (21CPP), in coordination with all Clean Energy Ministerial power workstreams and collaborators, is providing technical support on critical focus areas as these countries prepare their action plans. Countries will present the action plans at the upcoming CEM14 in India. Brought to you by the Clean Energy Solutions Center and 21CPP, this webinar will focus on resource adequacy and grid flexibility, key themes in the CEM14 action plans and critical topics for integrating variable renewable energy into the grid while ensuring system reliability. Global energy experts will discuss how grid planners can ensure stable supply while rapidly decarbonizing the power system and how various policies can increase the power grid's flexibility.

emissions↗
DOE OSTI2022

Global wave energy resource classification system for regional energy planning and project development

Efforts to streamline and codify wave energy resource characterization and assessment for regional energy planning and wave energy converter (WEC) project development have motivated the recent development of resource classification systems. Given the unique interplay between WEC absorption and resource attributes, viz, available wave power frequency, directionality, and seasonality, various consensus resource classification metrics have been introduced. However, the main international standards body for the wave energy industry has not reached consensus on a wave energy resource classification system designed with clear goals to facilitate resource assessment, regional energy planning, project site selection, project feasibility studies, and selection of WEC concepts or archetypes that are most suitable for a given wave energy climate. In this work, a primary consideration of wave energy generation is the available energy that can be captured by WECs with different resonant frequency and directional bandwidths. Therefore, the proposed classification system considers combinations of three different wave power classifications: the total wave power, the frequency-constrained wave power, and the frequency-directionally constrained wave power. The dominant wave period bands containing the most wave power are sub-classification parameters that provide useful information for designing frequency and directionally constrained WECs. The bulk of the global wave energy resource is divided into just 22 resource classes representing distinct wave energy climates that could serve as a common language and reference framework for wave energy resource assessment if codified within international standards.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗
DOE OSTI2021

Building and grid system benefits of demand flexibility and energy efficiency

The global electricity system is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Technology advancements in clean energy generation (e.g., solar photovoltaics and wind) and electrified demand (e.g., transportation and building heating) are providing a cost-competitive pathway to mitigate the urgent and severe consequences associated with a changing climate. In addition, as extreme events continue to increase in frequency and magnitude, solutions are needed for adapting to the current climate. Through energy efficiency and demand flexibility, buildings play a prominent role in meeting these challenges; recently in Joule, a paper by Langevin et al. provides clear insight into the magnitude of buildings’ technical potential.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

GCAM-USA v5.3_water_dispatch: integrated modeling of subnational US energy, water, and land systems within a global framework

Abstract. This paper describes GCAM-USA v5.3_water_dispatch, an open-source model that represents key interactions across economic, energy, water, and land systems in a consistent global framework with subnational detail in the United States. GCAM-USA divides the world into 31 geopolitical regions outside the United States (US) and represents the US economy and energy systems in 51 state-level regions (50 states plus the District of Columbia). The model also includes 235 water basins and 384 land use regions, and 23 of each fall at least partially within the United States. GCAM-USA offers a level of process and temporal resolution rare for models of its class and scope, including detailed subnational representation of US water demands and supplies and sub-annual operations (day and night for each month) in the US electric power sector. GCAM-USA can be used to explore how changes in socioeconomic drivers, technological progress, or policy impact demands for (and production of) energy, water, and crops at a subnational level in the United States while maintaining consistency with broader national and international conditions. This paper describes GCAM-USA's structure, inputs, and outputs, with emphasis on new model features. Four illustrative scenarios encompassing varying socioeconomic and energy system futures are used to explore subnational changes in energy, water, and land use outcomes. We conclude with information about how public users can access the model.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

COP28 Outcomes Report: Executive Summary

Net Zero World, launched at COP26, is a flagship U.S. effort to partner with countries in accelerating transitions to clean energy systems. This initiative brings together world-class experts and resources from 10 U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories and nine U.S. government agencies. Collaboratively, they work with technical and government representatives from Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and Ukraine to advance decarbonization in these economies.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Long-term basin-scale hydropower expansion under alternative scenarios in a global multisector model

Abstract Hydropower is an important source of renewable, low-carbon energy. Global and regional energy systems, including hydropower, may evolve in a variety of ways under different scenarios. Representation of hydropower in global multisector models is often simplified at the country or regional level. Some models assume a fixed hydropower supply, which is not affected by economic drivers or competition with other electricity generation sources. Here, we implement an endogenous model of hydropower expansion in the Global Change Analysis Model, including a representation of hydropower potential at the river basin level to project future hydropower production across river basins and explore hydropower’s role in evolving energy systems both regionally and globally, under alternative scenarios. Each scenario utilizes the new endogenous hydropower implementation but makes different assumptions about future low-carbon transitions, technology costs, and energy demand. Our study suggests there is ample potential for hydropower to expand in the future to help meet growing demand for electricity driven by socioeconomic growth, electrification of end-use sectors, or other factors. However, hydropower expansion will be constrained by resource availability, resource location, and cost in ways that limit its growth relative to other technologies. As a result, all scenarios show a generally decreasing share of hydroelectricity over total electricity generation at the global level. Hydropower expansion varies across regions, and across basins within regions, due to differences in resource potential, cost, current utilization, and other factors. In sum, our scenarios entail hydropower generation growth between 36% and 119% in 2050, compared to 2015, globally.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Net Zero World Initiative: Net Zero World COP28 Program Highlights

The Net Zero World initiative, a U.S. flagship program launched at COP26, is designed to support countries in accelerating transitions to clean energy systems. Combining expertise from 10 U.S. Department of Energy laboratories and 9 U.S. government agencies, Net Zero World collaborates with governments in Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria, Singapore, Thailand, and Ukraine to fortify net-zero pathways, advance implementation of priority actions, and mobilize significant investment in clean energy projects and infrastructure, targeting $10 billion by 2025. This fact sheet highlights program impacts to be presented at COP28.

decarbonization↗
NASA NTRS1985

Global energy regulation in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system

Some basic concepts which are essential in the understanding of global energy regulation in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system are introduced. The importance of line-tying concept is particularly emphasized in connection with the solar wind energy, energy release in the magnetosphere and energy dissipation in the ionosphere.

Sato, T.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Summer Aerosol and Trace Gas Observations in Houston, Texas Using an Adaptable Mobile Facility

An aerosol container featuring a shared inlet system was deployed to Houston, Texas in July 2022, enabling direct, high-time-resolution in situ measurements of aerosols and trace gases. The internal rack system and floorplan was designed for adaptable modularity to elucidate aerosol physicochemical processes at fine scales. The design allowed for the deployment of a core instrument suite and additional customized research grade instruments. A heterogeneous mixture of aerosols was observed during three regimes: (1) intermittent black carbon (BC) and diurnal variations in aerosol chemical composition, (2) observed particle growth associated with SO 2 , (3) transported supermicron dust. The high variability of observed particles and gases in high time resolution indicated a complex urban area with multiple local and regional sources and processes. Particle growth rates of 7–16 nm/hr were observed for submicron particles during periods when SO 2 was >0.5 ppbv. Two periods of multi-day long-range transport events of dust from the African Sahara were observed in the supermicron and submicron particle modes with total mass concentrations up to 30 μg m −3 . Aerosol scattering angstrom exponents and extinction coefficients (B ext ) increased with humidity as a function of particle composition. The measurements demonstrate collaborative capabilities that can be used to increase observations of aerosol processing, microphysical and optical properties, internal mixing state, and supermicron aerosol that are not parameterized or missing in global Earth energy system models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tierra del Fuego Case Study Capacity Expansion Analysis

This case study, developed by Net Zero World Initiative and the Government of Argentina, examines least-cost decarbonization pathways for Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, utilizing renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen, and other decarbonization technologies. Being the second largest natural gas producing province in Argentina, Tierra del Fuego has historically relied on natural gas for their energy sector needs. As they look at possible decarbonization pathways, they face challenges due to extreme weather conditions, isolation from the mainland, and low population density. The study utilizes the Engage web application for capacity expansion modeling, addressing both business-as-usual (BAU) and accelerated decarbonization scenarios, with varying degrees of electrification and carbon emission constraints. Key findings reveal that an interconnection with the mainland, high contribution of wind energy development on Tierra del Fuego, energy storage, and hydrogen, coupled with energy-efficient electrification technologies (such as heat pumps and electric vehicles), emerge as the most cost-effective solutions to decarbonize, significantly reducing carbon emissions and total system energy costs. The study explores self-generation and interconnection alternatives, demonstrating the economic advantage of an interconnection of Tierra del Fuego with the mainland, as an alternative to 100% local generation. Sensitivity analyses on wind data sources and temporal resolutions, as well as projected natural gas prices, highlight the influence of external factors on the feasibility of decarbonization pathways. Challenges identified include the practicality of phasing out natural gas, economic uncertainty, cost implications of long-term storage technologies as wind energy increases, and geographical limitations for wind generation. The case study concludes that while substantial emissions reductions can be achieved by 2050, and be competitive with conventional pathways, achieving a full 100% decarbonization by 2050 would entail higher costs, particularly due to the significant reliance on storage solutions with higher contribution of wind energy. The analysis offers valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in Argentina's energy sector, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, investment in renewable energy and storage technologies, and careful consideration of local conditions in the transition towards Net Zero targets.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Scalable Upcycling of Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Anodic Graphite to Electronic-Grade Graphene

Recycling processes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are imperative to support the sustainable growth of global energy storage systems. This study introduces a scalable method for the upcycling of spent graphite anodes from LIBs to produce electronic-grade graphene nanoplatelets. In addition to comprehensive materials characterization, the electronic quality of the upcycled graphene is demonstrated by formulating it into a screen printing ink that achieves high-resolution patterning and thin-film electrical conductivity exceeding 104 S m−1. This screen printing ink is also used to print planar micro-supercapacitors with exceptional areal capacitance (1.78 mF cm−2), areal energy density (0.247 µWh cm−2), and cycling stability (> 10 000 cycles). Life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) highlight the environmental benefits and cost reductions attainable through upcycling of graphite from LIBs. By capturing economic value from spent LIBs, this work fosters a sustainable battery supply chain and provides an abundant and geographically distributed raw material for electronic-grade graphene.

energy storage↗