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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 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Application Guide for the Cyber-Resilient Design Framework for Hybrid Systems

As the energy landscape evolves, hybrid power plants—integrating multiple renewable energy sources (e.g., solar, wind, and battery storage) with the bulk power electric system—play a crucial role in meeting growing energy demands. However, with a hybrid power plant’s increased number of components, complex network connectivity and digitization of controls, these systems face growing cybersecurity risks. To help mitigate these risks, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) presents this application guide specifically designed for operators and systems engineers to evaluate the cybersecurity resilience of their hybrid power plant’s design.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hourly dynamic line ratings for existing transmission across the contiguous United States (preliminary results) [Slides]

The thermal rating of a transmission line depends on the rate at which heat generated by current flow through the line can be dissipated into the environment by convective and radiative cooling, keeping the conductor below a maximum operating temperature. Static or seasonal line ratings assume nearly-worst-case weather conditions (high ambient air temperature, high solar irradiance, and low wind speed), resulting in a low risk of "overrating" a line (i.e., allowing more current to flow than the line is designed for) but a high fraction of time when the line is "underrated" (i.e., able to flow more current while staying below the maximum temperature). Dynamic transmission line ratings (DLR) use real-time measurements of weather conditions, line sag, or line temperature to determine the thermal rating of transmission lines at hourly or higher time resolution, allowing for increased ratings during some (cold, windy, and/or dark) periods and correcting for overrating during other (hot, calm, and/or sunny) periods. Many studies have explored the benefits of DLR, but typically for small collections of transmission lines under a limited sample of weather conditions, leaving open the question of how widely applicable the benefits of DLR might be over diverse geographies and weather conditions. Here, we combine geospatial data on tens of thousands of transmission line routes across the contiguous United States with high-resolution hourly historical weather data for 2007-2013 to estimate the impact of DLR and other weather-adjusted rating systems. We compare static and dynamic line ratings to intermediate ratings adjusted by ambient temperature, day/night irradiance, clear-sky irradiance, and/or measured irradiance, illustrating the benefits of incorporating progressively more detailed weather data into the calculated line ratings. Moving from nighttime-adjusted ratings to clear-sky-adjusted ratings provides more benefit than moving from clear-sky-adjusted ratings to measured-irradiance-adjusted ratings. Depending on the assumed static windspeed for irradiance-adjusted-ratings, DLR either corrects for overrated hours or provides substantially increased ratings in the majority of hours on the majority of lines.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Community-Centric Microgrid Feasibility Analysis Framework to Accelerate Resilience of Island Communities

Marine energy offers a reliable energy solution for island and coastal communities, which often lack traditional local generation, to support their transition to energy independence and reduce reliance on externally imported fuels. Successful deployment of new technologies in these isolated locations requires community acceptance and approval from the outset, as these communities typically lack the financial and technical resources to operate and maintain new systems. This report presents a community-centric microgrid planning framework for remote coastal and island communities. Community engagement is integrated as the first step in the planning process, incorporating community profiles and visions into energy development scenarios. A case study was conducted in St. George, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, which relies entirely on diesel yet has significant wind and wave energy potential. Community engagement revealed a unique history and current economic status, with an interest in adopting advanced energy technologies despite past failures. Various microgrid configurations were optimized, considering different technologies to meet current and future energy needs while balancing cost and energy resilience. Wave energy converters (WECs) were a key component, integrated with other energy sources using the Xendee optimization tool. The Marine Energy Microgrid Toolkit, developed as part of this work, uses commercial power system analysis tools to optimize and analyze microgrid scenarios. The developed framework and toolkit can be applied to island and coastal communities to enhance resilience and support microgrid deployments. Future enhancements will include incorporating new marine resources, developing dynamic models, and automating the integration of Xendee and PowerFactory simulations.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2023

West Coast Offshore Wind Transmission Literature Review and Gaps Analysis

This review of the state of west coast OSW transmission research organizes the body of literature to date and describes the most impactful grid integration analysis and convening opportunities. It is intended as a scan of the landscape to ground impactful investments, which will guide state and federal entities and private developers to maximize net value of west coast OSW to the Nation.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Forecasting Dynamic Line Rating with Spatial Variation Considerations

Dynamic line rating (DLR) is a technology that allows the ampacity of an electrical conductor to be calculated using real-time or forecasted weather conditions. Historically, the ampacity of a conductor has been determined using a static line rating method which assumes conservative weather assumptions. Therefore, not only can DLR give a more accurate measurement of the true ampacity of a conductor, but it can also increase its ampacity during weather conditions with greater thermal mitigations. The two primary cooling factors in the ampacity calculations are wind speed and direction. In complex terrain, wind speed and direction can have large variations over short distances. Therefore, accurately identifying the limiting span of a transmission line requires high spatial resolution of the wind along its path. One solution is to install dense weather stations along their path, though this can become costly over long distances. Therefore, researchers have investigated the use of Computation Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations to accurately compute the wind field along the path of a transmission line and use these results to identify the limiting section of the conductor. This work presents a case study that evaluates the coupling of CFD simulations and forecasted weather simulations using the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model points over a 2-year span within a region in south eastern Idaho. The primary goal of the work is the evaluation of the number of HRRR model points used, i.e., weather stations, along the path of the line and the accuracy of the resulting DLR ampacity. This was done using 4, 10, 17, 26, and 35 HRRR model points along two transmission line paths. The results indicate that as the number of model points are increased, the DLR ampacity of the lines decrease, yet converge as more points are added and demonstrate little change with additional HRRR points. It is expected that these results can help transmission line operators identify the number of weather stations that must be installed when coupled with CFD simulations and DLR ampacity to ensure accurate ratings and safe operations.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Forecasting Dynamic Line Rating with Spatial Variation Considerations

Dynamic line rating (DLR) is a technology that allows the ampacity of an electrical conductor to be calculated using real-time or forecasted weather conditions. Historically, the ampacity of a conductor has been determined using a static line rating method which assumes conservative weather assumptions. Therefore, not only can DLR give a more accurate measurement of the true ampacity of a conductor, but it can also increase its ampacity during weather conditions with greater thermal mitigations. The two primary cooling factors in the ampacity calculations are wind speed and direction. In complex terrain, wind speed and direction can have large variations over short distances. Therefore, accurately identifying the limiting span of a transmission line requires high spatial resolution of the wind along its path. One solution is to install dense weather stations along their path, though this can become costly over long distances. Therefore, researchers have investigated the use of Computation Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations to accurately compute the wind field along the path of a transmission line and use these results to identify the limiting section of the conductor. This work presents a case study that evaluates the coupling of CFD simulations and forecasted weather simulations using the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model points over a 2-year span within a region in south eastern Idaho. The primary goal of the work is the evaluation of the number of HRRR model points used, i.e., weather stations, along the path of the line and the accuracy of the resulting ampacity. This was done using 4, 10, 17, 26, and 35 HRRR model points along two transmission line paths. The results indicate that as the number of model points are increased, the DLR ampacity of the lines decrease, yet converge as more points are added and demonstrate little change with additional HRRR points. It is expected that these results can help transmission line operators identify the number of weather stations that must be installed when coupled with CFD simulations and DLR ampacity to ensure accurate ratings and safe operations.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cybersecurity Considerations for Emerging Energy Technologies

AI, cloud computing, post-quantum cryptography, zero-trust architectures, microgrids, and virtual power plants. What do these things have in common? They are all emerging technologies in the clean energy space that will be a critical part of grid modernization efforts. As we work towards clean energy and decarbonization targets, these technologies, developed to solve real-world problems, will help us reach goals and achieve new efficiencies as the paradigm of grid operation shifts. However, there are growing concerns about the cybersecurity risks associated with these trending topics as they are used in critical infrastructure applications. This talk will cover gaps, challenges, and opportunities for the secure implementation of grid modernization solutions and novel energy applications of state-of-the-art networking and communications. Proactive risk mitigation strategies, including the application of cyber-informed engineering, will be discussed. Practical applications of these techniques will help provide countermeasures to the impact of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure technologies in a new, digitized grid landscape.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Developing a Supply Chain Security Program

Amid growing concerns over foreign manufacturing for components and devices deployed in critical energy infrastructure, this research from the national labs will highlight best practices for developing and maintaining a supply chain security program. Tools for asset inventory, tips for developing and maintaining software- and hardware-bills-of-materials (SBOMs and HBOMs), recommended contractual language for vendor agreements, and identification of responsibilities will be shared. We discuss the one-time requirements to enable a successful supply chain security program and the best ways to operationalize this program for maximum impact, including development of robust practices for vulnerability tracking, patch management, and workarounds, with understanding of the reliability and uptime requirements for utilities. The recommendations shared are based on a cyber-informed engineering approach to identification of high-consequence impacts and the engineering controls related to supply chain management that can best mitigate these impacts. This approach allows for prioritization of resources. Additionally, we highlight relative up-front and ongoing costs associated with recommended controls. Viewers will leave with an understanding what a supply chain security program is, and what steps, prioritized for resource-constrained organizations, can build a robust program.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Impact Analysis of Utility-Scale Energy Storage on the ERCOT Grid in Reducing Renewable Generation Curtailments and Emissions

This paper explores the solutions for minimizing renewable energy (RE) curtailment in the Texas Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid. By utilizing current and future planning data from ERCOT and the System Advisor Model from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, we examine how future renewable energy (RE) initiatives, combined with utility-scale energy storage, can reduce CO2 emissions while reshaping Texas’s energy mix. The study projects the energy landscape from 2023 to 2033, considering the planned phase-out of fossil fuel plants and the integration of new wind/solar projects. By comparing emissions under different load scenarios, with and without storage, we demonstrate storage’s role in optimizing RE utilization. The findings of this paper provide actionable guidance for energy stakeholders, underscoring the need to expand wind and solar projects with strategic storage solutions to maximize Texas's RE capacity and substantially reduce CO2 emissions.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Energy Sector Threat Brief: 2024 Round Up

What major and minor cybersecurity events affected the energy sector in the last year? What trends were observed in the events, disclosure of vulnerabilities, and other headline news? This talk will focus on real-world events put in the context of an evolving geo-political landscape. We will discuss events that had operational impact as well as events affecting third-parties with exploration of how the impact of incidents is changing as more stakeholders are involved in new projects and the complexity of the modern grid. We will focus on lessons learned from the 2024 trends that operators and their partners can apply to stay ahead of the threats in 2025.

14 - SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluating the Impact of Managed EV Charging for Reliable Operation of Bulk Power Systems with High Non-Dispatchable Generation

The growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and variable-generation (VG) sources introduces new challenges for power-system operations. This study introduces a modeling framework and evaluates five EV charging strategies under projected 2040 grid conditions in the Evergy service territory with high non-dispatchable generation. Using realistic EV behavior and generation models, their impacts on system peak demand, ramp rate, and reserve capacity are evaluated. Results show that only the peak-avoidance strategy effectively reduces system peak demand, while decentralized strategies-particularly cost based dynamic charging-can exacerbate peaks due to synchronized user behavior. However, ramp-rate minimization strategy significantly reduce the stress on dispatchable generation achieving the lowest maximum absolute ramp rate (MARR) (56.81 MW) and lowest reserve requirement (2.39 GW). In contrast, unmanaged and TOU random strategies increase the stress on dispatchable generation sources with increased MARR and reserve requirements. These findings highlight the importance of coordinated, system-aware managed charging strategies to ensure reliable and affordable grid operation in the presence of EVs and VG sources.

14 - SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Thermal and electric multidomain dynamic model for integration of power grid distribution with behind-the-meter devices

As renewable energy sources like solar and wind power become more integrated into the grid, coordinated control of behind-the-meter devices is crucial for enhancing grid flexibility and reliability and for meeting cost targets, with standardized models being developed to support this transition. The increasing flexibility and uncertainty of integrated renewable energy grids, along with interactions between various subsystems, make traditional steady-state modeling insufficient to capture transient and dynamic behaviors. Current models (e.g., composite load and battery equivalent models) focus on thermodynamic or electrical characteristics but overlook critical electromechanical interactions. This limits the ability to share performance information for grid services and hampers fast dynamic simulations. In addition, motor stalling is usually triggered by a fault event and attributed to the characteristics of the mechanical torque of the motor, resulting in absorption of a large amount of reactive power during the stalling period. Further, this significant withdrawal of reactive power will deteriorate the dynamic voltage stability of power grids and cause delayed voltage recovery. Therefore, an in-depth modeling of the thermodynamics or mechanical torque is essential to study the impacts of the realistic torque characteristics of those behind-the-meter devices on power system voltage stability. This study developed a dynamic multidomain model for building HVAC systems, such as air-source heat pumps, to simulate their thermal and electrical responses to grid transients. The model can accurately predict power metrics with a mean absolute percentage error of 10%, by validating against with power system computer-aided design performance data. Case studies demonstrate the model capability of capturing the transient response to sudden voltage changes, rapid load fluctuations, and system shutdowns respectively. During a sudden voltage drop (30% for 0.1s), a fully loaded heat pump’s motor speed dropped, continued declining, and shut down after 3.6s, with severe power oscillations and a torque spike. A partially loaded unit experienced temporary oscillations but stabilized. Under higher building loads, compressor speed increased from 64% to 100%, with power and torque rising before stabilizing. In safety-triggered shutdowns, power decreased after minor fluctuations, and torque briefly spiked before dropping to zero.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗