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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 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Uncovering hidden market opportunities for advanced nuclear reactors

Decarbonizing to meet aggressive climate change mitigation targets requires energy transition within all sectors. In the industrial sector, global emissions will need to decrease by 65–90% by 2050 to avert warming greater than 1.5°C (Pörtner et al., 2022). Recent U.S. laws, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Defense Production Act, Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (or CHIPS), state programs, and other recent laws, have clean energy requirements and provide financial incentives to accelerate the use of clean energy technologies in the industrial sector. These new laws include supporting mechanisms with direct financial support for nuclear power (e.g., advanced reactor development and hydrogen production). However, advanced nuclear could also gain these financial benefits by coupling with low-carbon industrial projects. For example, microreactors could supply low-carbon energy to producers of critical metals that (1) are eligible to receive investment and production tax credits and favorable loans, and (2) the low-carbon product could gain preference in emerging markets for green products.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Production of Rare-Earth Metals via Chloride-Based Molten Salt Electrolysis

Neodymium metal is a critical component of rare earth magnets, essential for electric vehicles and the green energy transition, but its production has severe environmental impacts across its mining, separation, purification, and metal electrowinning steps. Specifically, conventional neodymium electrowinning in oxyfluoride molten salts using a consumable graphite anode generates greenhouse gases, e.g., carbon dioxide and perfluorocarbon (PFC). We propose an alternative chloride-based molten salt electrolysis process utilizing a novel dimensionally stable anode (DSA). Our process lowers the specific electrical energy consumption compared to the state of the art, while producing reusable chlorine gas and eliminating direct CO 2 and PFC emissions. Chloride-based molten salt electrolysis of NdCl 3 (1.65 M) added to a LiCl–KCl eutectic (45:55 wt %), while using a RuO 2 -coated DSA enables high Coulombic efficiency (>80%), low specific energy consumption (2.3 kWh/kg-Nd), and excellent electrowon Nd product purity (>97 wt %). Life cycle analysis, excluding the common input feedstock (Nd 2 O 3 ), shows that the global warming potential for the proposed chloride-based electrolysis approach is 5 kg CO 2 equivalent, compared to 9–16 kg CO 2 equivalent for the conventional process, representing a 44–69% reduction in CO 2 emissions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Alfalfa Virtual Building Service: Software Engineering Best Practices Applied to Runtime Interaction with Building Energy Models

Buildings are active participants in increasingly complex energy systems. Building Energy Modeling (BEM) has a key role to play in planning and de-risking an equitable energy transition, with BEM-backed "virtual buildings" critical path for diverse applications that include workforce training tools, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) experimentation to study equipment performance under a range of conditions, Control-Hardware-in-the-Loop (CHIL) experimentation to de-risk commercial control implementations at equipment through grid orchestration levels, and integration of dynamic load profiles into grid modeling tools for energy system experimentation at the urban scale. Modeling requirements vary across these applications, but many software engineering tasks do not. The Alfalfa Virtual Building Service (AVBS, see https://github.com/NREL/alfalfa/wiki) is an open-source web service that solves these common tasks robustly in one place, providing a foundational platform for power users to bootstrap their own applications. AVBS abstracts the specifics of runtime interaction with OpenStudio, Modelica, and Spawn of EnergyPlus models behind a unified REST API. Additionally, AVBS provides resources for cloud deployment and scaling to 100s of parallel simulations, a growing library of modular Operational Technology (OT) integrations for emulation of real-world interfaces, and scripts to automate the population of communities of virtual buildings from URBANopt, ResStock and ComStock.

building automation↗
DOE OSTI2023

Thermo-Hydrological Modeling of Thermal Energy Storage in a Depleted Oil Reservoir

Thermal energy storage in oil and gas reservoirs leverages the existing surface and subsurface infrastructure, which can pave the way for economic production of geothermal energy. Existing studies on geothermal energy storage are focused mostly on the use of aquifers with more homogeneous rock and fluid properties. Coupling of heat and fluid flow in a multiphase-multicomponent system, such as an oil reservoir, is imperative especially if existing oil field assets need to be repurposed as required for a sustainable energy transition. The objective is to model the subsurface thermo-hydrological processes associated with reservoir performance and operational sustainability. The model evaluates formation pressure and temperature within the reservoir and at the injection/production wells during multiple charge and discharge cycles. Hot water (approximately 200 degrees C) heated by Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) at high pressure is injected into the existing oil reservoir for storage and produced as thermal energy for power generation, which will be accompanied by enhanced oil recovery. To demonstrate the coupled fluid and heat flow during the injection/production cycle in the subsurface reservoir, TOUGH3 (developed by Berkeley Lab) is used to simulate the thermo-hydrological (TH) processes in a multiphase, multicomponent system. Two well geometries are considered within the reservoir grid: 1) a single-well huff-n-puff system (same well is used for injection and production), and 2) an isolated injection-production well doublet. Seasonal charge and discharge cycling are implemented based on the scheduling specified in the model input file. The model reports pressure, temperature, enthalpy, liquid fluxes, heat fluxes, pore velocities, and changes in porosity & permeability due to temperature and pressure variations during the cyclic Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage (RTES) operations. The results from the simulations can be used to optimize the operational parameters (such as well spacing and injection/production rates) and round-trip efficiency for surface power-plants coupled with thermal energy storage over time. They can also serve as important inputs for levelized cost of storage estimations. The research will help to design and integrate surface renewable energy sources, such as concentrating solar power (CSP), with RTES to help balance out power supply and demand on the grid.

CSP↗
DOE OSTI2021

Building Blocks of Electric Vehicle Deployment: A Guide for Developing Countries

Countries can use electric transportation to help fulfill numerous goals, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets, local air quality goals, mobility objectives, energy security, and transportation resiliency. Vehicle electrification is a promising pathway to achieving clean energy transitions in the transport sector at scale. As vehicles electrify, the traditionally siloed electricity and transport sectors increasingly converge to create technical, institutional, and economic opportunities and challenges. To navigate this transition effectively, we propose the following foundational pillars or “building blocks” that undergird effective electric vehicle (EV) deployment. Jurisdictions with experience and mature EV markets offer useful lessons learned that may enable developing countries to leapfrog over common roadblocks. Nonetheless, developing countries face distinct challenges collectively, and individually, from developed countries that require careful consideration. From our work around the world, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have witnessed interest growing in EVs for a variety of reasons. Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), for example, looks toward EVs as a way to use their surplus of hydropower to displace expensive oil. Thailand and Pakistan seek economic development opportunities in EV manufacturing. Cities including Mexico City, Surat, India, and Kingston, Jamaica see the potential of bus electrification to improve local air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Many USAID partner countries in Southeast Asia are trying to understand how to reach ambitious EV deployment targets and implement EV and transportation plans. This pursuit is prompting questions about EV supply equipment (EVSE) standards, tariff design, and business models that affirm the importance of the building blocks outlined in this report.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey

# 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey The 2022 Kauai Ground Transportation Survey was designed to improve understanding of the transportation preferences of residents and visitors of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. For residents of Kauai, the survey focused on mode-choice decisions for commute, leisure, and shopping activities and whether they would consider using alternative modes instead of driving if such options were available. For visitors, the survey focused on whether they would consider alternatives to rental cars if such options were available. Ultimately, survey results will inform the development of sustainable transportation strategies for the island. ## Data Collection Agency NREL and the Kauai Office of Economic Development conducted the study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project. ## Survey Methodology The survey was conducted July—October 2022. Respondents were recruited via direct email invitation, a press release on the Kauai County website and Facebook page, and posters at community outreach events. ## Survey Records, Data, and Documentation Survey records include 1,437 participants.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2024

Grid-Forming Inverters: Project Demonstrations and Pilots

Power system operators around the world are pushing the limits of integrating inverter-based resources (IBRs) to very high levels, approaching 100% instantaneous penetration under certain operating conditions. This often applies to smaller power systems with very little or no ac interconnections to other neighboring regions or sometimes to fringes of large balancing areas, such as Denmark or Portugal, within the mainland European power system. These jurisdictions have identified the potential of grid-forming (GFM) technology as a key enabler to support the energy transition with very few or no synchronous generators online. Until recently, practical applications of GFM inverters were limited to microgrids and isolated grids and in smaller grid applications on the order of a few tens of megawatts (MW).

Australia↗
DOE OSTI2022

The Importance of Modeling Carbon Dioxide Transportation and Geologic Storage in Energy System Planning Tools

Energy system planning tools suggest that the cost and feasibility of climate-stabilizing energy transitions are sensitive to the cost of CO 2 capture and storage processes (CCS), but the representation of CO 2 transportation and geologic storage in these tools is often simple or non-existent. We develop the capability of producing dynamic-reservoir-simulation-based geologic CO 2 storage supply curves with the Sequestration of CO 2 Tool (SCO 2 T) and use it with the ReEDS electric sector planning model to investigate the effects of CO 2 transportation and geologic storage representation on energy system planning tool results. We use a locational case study of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region. Our results suggest that the cost of geologic CO 2 storage may be as low as $3/tCO 2 and that site-level assumptions may affect this cost by several dollars per tonne. At the grid level, the cost of geologic CO 2 storage has generally smaller effects compared to other assumptions (e.g., natural gas price), but small variations in this cost can change results (e.g., capacity deployment decisions) when policy renders CCS marginally competitive. The cost of CO 2 transportation generally affects the location of geologic CO 2 storage investment more than the quantity of CO 2 captured or the location of electricity generation investment. We conclude with a few recommendations for future energy system researchers when modeling CCS. For example, assuming a cost for geologic CO 2 storage (e.g., $5/tCO 2 ) may be less consequential compared to assuming free storage by excluding it from the model.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Inventory of Clean Energy Education and Workforce Programs in Connecticut's I-91 Corridor

This document reports on the findings of an inventory of the educational and workforce development resources in a four-county area on the I-91 corridor in Connecticut. The overarching goal of this exercise is to help the local workforce leaders in Bridgeport, Connecticut to optimize their training programs to support the county's clean energy transition. The inventory generally finds that Fairfield County, where Bridgeport is located, lacks adequate education and training programs compared to other surrounding counties with similar populations. More than half of Fairfield County's programs occur through high school or career technical education programs, suggesting that there are minimal opportunities for workers who are not currently high school students. Much of the existing focus within Fairfield County is on general construction or plumbing and electrical skills. There is room to expand by offering more programs focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy skills. The document outlines some potential next steps and questions for consideration for the local workforce leaders in Bridgeport. Bridgeport is a city located within Fairfield County in southwestern Connecticut. It is the largest city in Connecticut with an estimated population of 150,000. Through the Department of Energy-funded Communities LEAP program, NREL conducted an analysis of existing education and workforce development (EWD) programs located in Fairfield County that align with (or could support) the worker pipeline for occupations related to building energy efficiency (EE), renewable energy (RE), and clean energy manufacturing. The analysis also looked at EWD offerings in other counties in Connecticut as a point of comparison.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗