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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 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Life cycle energy and environmental impacts of hydroprocessed renewable jet fuel production from pennycress

There is a growing interest in making the overall aviation industry more environmentally-friendly by developing advanced biofuels. In this context, the main driver is establishing feedstocks with lower environmental loads and higher energy use efficiency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the energy requirement and environmental impacts of hydroprocessed renewable jet fuel (HRJ) production from pennycress. The system boundary included pennycress production, logistics, oil extraction and conversion to HRJ, wastewater treatment, and electricity and steam generation. Energy allocation method was used for the analysis. The functional unit was considered to be one GJ of HRJ, and the biorefinery size was considered to be 18.9 million l/yr (5 million gal/yr) HRJ. Energy use efficiency of pennycress-based HRJ production was estimated to be 3.9–5.5 (90% central range), which was higher than that of HRJ from other oilseeds, such as canola. Global warming potential of pennycress-based HRJ (35–49 kgCO 2 eq/GJ of HRJ (90% central range)) was also lower than those of HRJ from similar oilseeds and the commercial jet fuel baseline. Pennycress production was the main contributor to the total energy use and environmental impacts of HRJ production, mainly due to the use of nitrogen fertilizer for production, and fuel combustion for farm operations. Pennycress yield was identified as the most sensitive parameter affecting the energy use efficiency and environmental impacts of HRJ production. Furthermore, the outcomes of this study are useful for identifying the performance targets towards improving energy use efficiency and environmental performance of pennycress-based HRJ production at the commercial scale.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Making a Water Data System Responsive to Information Needs of Decision Makers

Evidence-based environmental management requires data that are sufficient, accessible, useful and used. A mismatch between data, data systems, and data needs for decision making can result in inefficient and inequitable capital investments, resource allocations, environmental protection, hazard mitigation, and quality of life. In this paper, we examine the relationship between data and decision making in environmental management, with a focus on water management. We focus on the concept of decision-driven data systems —data systems that incorporate an assessment of decision-makers' data needs into their design. The aim of the research was to examine the process of translating data into effective decision making by engaging stakeholders in the development of a water data system. Using California's legislative mandate for state agencies to integrate existing water and other environmental data as a case study, we developed and applied a participatory approach to inform data-system design and identify unmet data needs. Using workshops and focused stakeholder meetings, we developed 20 diverse use cases to assess data sources, availability, characteristics, gaps, and other attributes of data used for representative decisions. Federal and state agencies made up about 90% of the data sources, and could readily adapt to a federated data system, our recommended model for the state. The remaining 10% of more-specialized data, central to important decisions across multiple use cases, would require additional investment or incentives to achieve data consistency, interoperability, and compatibility with a federated system. Based on this assessment, we propose a typology of different types of data limitations and gaps described by stakeholders. We also propose technical, governance, and stakeholder engagement evaluation criteria to guide planning and building environmental data systems. Data-system governance involving both producers and users of data was seen as essential to achieving workable standards, stable funding, convenient data availability, resilience to institutional change, and long-term buy-in by stakeholders. Our work provides a replicable lesson for using decision-maker and stakeholder engagement to shape the design of an environmental data system, and inform a technical design that addresses both user and producer needs.

Cantor, Alida↗
DOE OSTI2025

Net-Zero Ethylene: On the Sustainability, Economics, and Scalability of Synthetic and Fossil Production Pathways

The ethylene industry has contributed over 260 million tons of CO 2 annually, warranting a more sustainable approach. The conversion of CO 2 and H 2 O into ethylene is an appealing technology capable of decoupling chemical production from fossil fuels. However, the large energy demand from this process can potentially lead to adverse environmental impacts. Here, in this article, we critically analyze the economic viability, environmental impact, and scalability of the conversion of CO 2 to ethylene via electrochemical reduction (CO 2 R) and compare this with those of CO 2 -neutral fossil routes utilizing carbon capture and direct air capture. Ethylene derived from CO 2 may be economically competitive under optimistic conditions; however, its large energy requirements pose environmental and scalability challenges. Meeting forecast 2050 ethylene demand using CO 2 R would require half of all electricity produced globally today, and, if powered by solar PV, may have greater CO 2 emissions than current petrochemical ethylene production, negating the purpose of this technology. Using Carbon Capture and Storage and Direct Air Capture to decarbonize petrochemical pathways would require roughly an order of magnitude less energy but would have disproportionate health and climate impacts. Lastly, the analysis highlights the importance of low-carbon energy sources to ensure sustainable CO 2 R ethylene production.

CO2R↗
DOE OSTI2022

Minimizing Ecological Impacts of Marine Energy Lighting

Marine energy is poised to become an important renewable energy contributor for the U.S., but widespread deployment of the technology hinges on its benefits outweighing the potential ecological impacts. One stressor marine energy installations introduce is light, which is known to cause varying responses among wildlife and has not yet been addressed as an environmental concern. This review discusses requirements and regulations for similar structures and how lighting design choices can be made to meet these requirements while minimizing environmental consequences. More practical guidance on implementing lighting for marine energy is needed, as well as updated guidelines to reflect technological and research advances. Known responses of wildlife to light are introduced in addition to how the responses of individuals may lead to ecosystem-level changes. The impact of light associated with marine energy installations can be reduced by following basic guidance provided herein, such as removing excess lighting, using lights with high directionality, and employing controls to reduce light levels. Continued research on animal responses to light, such as findings on minimum light levels for animal responses, alongside the development of highly-sensitivity spectral characterization capabilities can further inform lighting guidelines for deploying future open ocean marine energy devices.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Hydro-battery Hybrids – A Case for Holistic Assessment of Hybrid Energy Systems

With increasing penetration of renewable energy resources like solar and wind, the flexibility offered by the hydropower generation facilities would be instrumental in providing grid reliability. However, hydropower’s capabilities are often constrained to meet asset management targets and environmental flow requirements. To meet these necessary requisites while simultaneously being able to utilize hydropower’s full potential, hydro plus battery hybrids offer a logical solution. However it is often challenging to make the case for economic feasibility of hydro-battery hybrids at the required scale of battery storage. To that end, this paper proposes a multi-objective optimization framework to maximize advantages of hydro-battery hybrid systems from three different avenues: new market opportunities, environmental benefits and machine wear and fatigue. Using an illustrative case study of a peaking plant, we simulate hydropower operations for with and without 120 MWh of battery storage for four different simulated flow patterns ranging from peaking operations to run-of-the-river operations and two intermediate flow patterns in between. The results demonstrate that hybridizing the hydropower plant can potentially generate additional revenue while simultaneously enable more environmental friendly operations and reduce the overall machine wear and tear.

Chalishazar, Vishvas H.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Annual Site Environmental Report: Pantex Plant

The 2022 Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes Pantex’s status, data, and efforts for the environmental compliance, protection, and restoration programs. It has been prepared in accordance with DOE O 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE O 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. These orders outline the requirements for environmental protection programs at DOE facilities to ensure that programs fully comply with applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations, executive orders, and DOE policies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Annual Site Environmental Report for Pantex Plant, Calendar Year 2023

The 2023 Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes Pantex’s status, data, and efforts for the environmental compliance, protection, and restoration programs. It has been prepared in accordance with DOE O 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE O 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. These orders outline the requirements for environmental protection programs at DOE facilities to ensure that programs fully comply with applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations, executive orders, and DOE policies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Pantex Plant Calendar Year 2021 (Annual Site Environmental Report)

The 2021 Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes the Pantex Plant’s status, data, and efforts for the environmental compliance, protection, and restoration programs. It has been prepared in accordance with DOE Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting (DOEa), and DOE Order 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment (DOEb). These orders outline the requirements for environmental protection programs at DOE facilities to ensure that programs fully comply with applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations, executive orders, and DOE policies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Annual Site Environmental Report Pantex Plant Calendar Year 2024

The 2024 Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes Pantex’s status, data, and efforts for the environmental compliance, protection, and restoration programs. It has been prepared in accordance with DOE Order (DOE O) 231.1B, Environment, Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE O 458.1, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. These orders outline the requirements for environmental protection programs at DOE facilities to ensure that programs fully comply with applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations, executive orders, and DOE policies.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Lessons Learned from Ecosystem-Scale Experimental Field Studies (Workshop Report)

Efforts to understand and predict ecosystem responses to environmental change require long-term, large-scale, spatially representative experiments and observations that capture natural variability, test predictive models, and generate transferable knowledge. Such studies are indispensable for unraveling the complexities of terrestrial ecosystems and their responses to disturbances and evolving environmental conditions, while generating the data necessary for developing mechanistic models and predictive tools that inform decision-making processes. Having a rich history of designing and executing large-scale ecosystem experiments, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Environmental System Science program convened a workshop in January 2025 that brought together leaders in the field to distill critical lessons from decades of experience in large-scale experiments. The workshop aimed to (1) provide an ecosystem experiment primer for best practices, thus ensuring a high scientific return on investment for funding agencies, and (2) offer a robust framework for the design and management of future research initiatives. This report synthesizes insights and experiences from workshop participants and is structured to capture the entire research life cycle, from goal setting and design to operations, adaptive management, team dynamics, collaborations, and the often overlooked aspect of decommissioning. By synthesizing decision-making and lessons learned across diverse research approaches, the report aims to provide a template of essential factors to consider when designing successful long-term, large-scale ecosystem experiments.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

The influence of exploration activities of a potential lithium mine to the environment in Western Serbia

The proposed exploitation of the Jadar Valley lithium/borate deposit in Serbia, by the Rio Tinto Corporation, indicates that it would become large-scale processing of boron- and lithium-containing ore. It would be one of the world’s very first lithium mines in populated and agricultural area. The company claims that the envisioned mining will be in accordance with environmental protection requirements. The Jadar Valley deposits have been claimed to cover 90% of Europe’s current lithium needs. Yet, local opposition to the mining has arisen due to potential devastating impacts on groundwater, soil, water usage, biodiversity loss, and waste accumulation. Research drilling by the mining company has already produced environmental damage, with mine water containing high levels of boron leaking from exploratory wells and causing crops to dry out. Furthermore, our investigations reveal substantially elevated downstream concentrations of boron, arsenic, and lithium in nearby rivers as compared to upstream regions. Additionally, here we show that soil samples exhibit repeated breaches of remediation limit values with environmental consequences on both surface and underground waters. With the opening of the mine, problems will be multiplied by the tailings pond, mine wastewater, noise, air pollution, and light pollution, endangering the lives of numerous local communities and destroying their freshwater sources, agricultural land, livestock, and assets.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Release Timing and Duration Control the Fate of Photolytic Compounds in Stream-Hyporheic Systems

Predicting environmental fate requires an understanding of the underlying, spatiotemporally variable interaction of transport and transformation processes. Photolytic compounds, for example, interact with both time-variable photolysis and the perennially dark hyporheic zone, generating potentially unexpected dynamics that arise from time-variable reactivity. This interaction has been found to significantly impact environmental fate but is commonly oversimplified in predictive models. Our primary objective was to explore how time-variable photolysis and hyporheic storage interact across a range of photolysis rates to control the fate and transport of photolytic solutes in stream-hyporheic systems. In this study, we released a photolytic compound in a natural system at different times of day and simulated variable release timing and durations of photolytic compounds spanning half-lives ranging from about 2 min to 900 hr. To contextualize these results, we simulated five photolytic compounds with varied half-lives to systematically study the interaction between release timing, duration, and reactivity. We found that the environmental fate and transport of photolytic compounds are highly variable as a function of release timing, which controls when, where, and for how long solute is stored in the hyporheic zone or exposed to in-channel photolysis. Finally, this knowledge can be used to improve predictions for photolytic compounds or assess potential impacts for an anticipated discharge or treatment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

An Open-Cell Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy Technique for In Situ Characterization of Samples in Aqueous Liquid Solutions

The desire to image specimens in liquids has led to the development of open-cell and closed-cell techniques in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The closed-cell approach is currently more common in TEM and has yielded new insights into a number of biological and materials processes in liquid environments. The open-cell approach, which requires an environmental TEM (ETEM), is technically challenging but may be advantageous in certain circumstances due to fewer restrictions on specimen and detector geometry. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach to open-cell liquid TEM, in which we use salt particles to facilitate the in situ formation of droplets of aqueous solution that envelope specimen particles coloaded with the salt. This is achieved by controlling sample temperature between 1 and 10°C and introducing water vapor to the ETEM chamber above the critical pressure for the formation of liquid water on the salt particles. Our use of in situ hydration enables specimens to be loaded into a microscope in a dry state using standard 3 mm TEM grids, allowing specimens to be prepared using trivial sample preparation techniques. Furthermore, our future aim will be to combine this technique with an in situ light source to study photocorrosion in aqueous environments.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2020

Environmental Permitting and Compliance Cost Reduction Strategies for the MHK Industry: Lessons Learned from Other Industries

The marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) industry plays a vital role in the U.S. clean energy strategy by providing a renewable, domestic energy source that may offset the need for traditional energy sources. The first MHK deployments in the U.S. have incurred very high permitting costs and long timelines for deploying projects, which increases project risk and discourages investment. A key challenge to advancing an economically competitive U.S. MHK industry is reducing the time and cost required for environmental permitting and compliance with government regulations. Other industries such as offshore oil and gas, offshore wind energy, subsea power and data cables, onshore wind energy, and solar energy facilities have all developed more robust permitting and compliance pathways that provide lessons for the MHK industry in the U.S. and may help inform the global consenting process. Based on in-depth review and research into each of the other industries, we describe the environmental permitting pathways, the main environmental concerns and types of monitoring typically associated with them, and factors that appear to have eased environmental permitting and compliance issues.

other industries↗
DOE OSTI2026

Magnetic Mapping of MAGIS-100 Tubes to Guide Experimental Redesign

The MAGIS-100 atom interferometer requires an exceptionally uniform, low-magnetic-field environment along its 100-meter baseline. While characterization of the raw structural tubes established a clean baseline, the original surrounding experimental design proved overly complex, ultimately introducing complications that degraded data precision. To resolve these systemic issues, a comprehensive redesign of the surrounding apparatus is underway. This poster details our magnetometry data collection efforts on the baseline tubes and highlights how these measurements are being used to guide a streamlined external design. By leveraging this background data, the new configuration aims to eliminate the complexities of the initial setup and ensure the environmental stability required for high-precision quantum sensing.

Savoia Cooley, Patricia [North Central Coll.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scintillation properties of diamond powders and feasibility of using them in thermal neutron detectors

Diamond offers unique properties for radiation detection, including high radiation hardness, very low gamma sensitivity, and fast response. Conventional diamond detectors rely on charge collection, but this approach requires ultra-pure single crystals and suffers from radiation-induced degradation. Here, in this work, we demonstrate an alternative approach using diamonds as scintillators for detection of charged particles and thermal neutrons. Prototypes were fabricated from commercially available diamond powders bonded to glass substrates and coupled with 6 LiF converters and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and conventional PMTs. We characterized their scintillation properties under alpha particle excitation, x-ray photoluminescence, and thermal neutrons. The tryout detectors exhibit strong scintillation light signals, nanosecond-scale response times, and neutron detection efficiencies up to approximately 14 %, evaluated by comparison to conventional 3 He detector with known efficiency. These results demonstrate the feasibility of cost-effective, lightweight and robust diamond scintillation detectors for applications in space and planetary science, nuclear security, safeguards and environmental monitoring requiring efficient, robust, gamma-blind neutron detectors.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Los Alamos National Laboratory Floodplain Assessment for Fire Risk Mitigations at the Lower Slobbovia Testing Site in (TA-36)

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is proposing to take fire pre-suppression actions at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Technical Area (TA) 36. Constructing a fire break and a fuel break surrounding the Lower Slobbovia explosives testing site in addition to the current vegetation mowing practices would establish a safety perimeter to help prevent fires from spreading away from the firing point. NNSA has prepared this floodplain assessment in accordance with 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1022 Compliance with Floodplain and Wetland Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR 1022), which was promulgated to implement DOE requirements under Executive Order 11988 Floodplain Management (EO 1977). A floodplain is defined in 10 CFR 1022 as “the lowlands adjoining inland and coastal waters and relatively flat areas and flood prone areas of offshore islands,” and a base floodplain as “the 100-year floodplain, that is, a floodplain with a 1.0 percent chance of flooding in any given year (CFR 2003).” This floodplain assessment evaluates potential impacts to floodplain values and functions from implementation of the proposed action, identifies alternatives to the Proposed Action, and allows for meaningful public comment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Los Alamos National Laboratory Wetland Assessment for the Replacement Water Lines from Technical Area 48 to Technical Area 55 Project

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is proposing to take action at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) near a wetland at Technical Area (TA) 48 and under a wetland at TA-55. The project proposes to install two 12-inch water lines along an alignment from TA-48 to Pecos Road on the east side of TA-55 (Figure 1). The proposed water lines will replace aging cast iron pipes that provide water for fire suppression to buildings within TA-55, and potable water to other areas in the Pajarito Corridor. NNSA has prepared this wetland assessment in accordance with 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1022 Compliance with Wetland and Wetland Environmental Review Requirements (10 CFR Part 1022) (CFR 2003) which was promulgated to implement DOE requirements under Executive Order 11988 Wetland Management (EO 1977). A wetland is defined in 10 CFR 1022 as “the lowlands adjoining inland and coastal waters and relatively flat areas and flood prone areas of offshore islands,” and a base wetland as “the 100-year wetland, that is, a wetland with a 1.0 percent chance of flooding in any given year (CFR 2003).” This wetland assessment evaluates potential impacts to wetland values and functions from implementation of the proposed action, identifies alternatives to the Proposed Action, and allows for meaningful public comment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗