Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “value of resilience”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3

A Hybrid Approach to Estimating the Economic Value of Enhanced Power System Resilience

The costs that power interruptions impose on customers and society have emerged as essential considerations for decision making about power system reliability and resilience. There is well-established literature on the direct costs of localized and relatively short-duration power interruptions. However, far less is known about the costs of widespread and long-duration (WLD) power interruptions, especially the indirect costs and related economy-wide impacts of these events. As a result, utility planning activities generally incorporate these costs incompletely or not at all. This report proposes a new approach to estimating WLD power interruption costs to support utility resilience planning studies. Specifically, the paper describes a hybrid method that integrates: (1) empirical surveys of region- and sector-specific inherent and adaptive customer behaviors during and after power interruptions, and (2) computable general equilibrium (CGE) modeling, which estimates the direct and indirect impacts of WLD power interruptions. The report provides both a rationale for the proposed hybrid approach and a roadmap outlining how it could be implemented.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Valuing Demand Flexibility During a Grid Disturbance: A Granular Approach to Resilience Valuation

As research continues to investigate how demand flexibility can aid in power system resilience so does the need for an approach to determine the value of resilience. This work utilizes visual modeling principles to model the value exchanges that take place within the system. These models can be used in analysis design as the foundation of a valuation analysis for each participant in the system. Utilizing a consistent approach for valuation will allow for different approaches in improving system resilience to be compared against each other in terms of economic outcomes of participants.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

A Multi-objective Microgrid Assessment and Sizing Framework for Economic and Resilience Benefits

This paper presents an innovative multi-objective assessment and sizing framework for battery energy storage system paired with photovoltaics for a cost-effective and resilient microgrid. In the proposed framework, we simultaneously consider i) economic benefits from bundling grid services in grid-connected mode and ii) enhanced resilience by operating the microgrid in island mode upon outages of the main grid. Instead of simply treating resilience as another monetary value stream, this paper models resilience and economic benefits as two separate objectives. Multi-objective optimization is developed to explore different sizing and dispatch options and generate the Pareto front to assist decision-making in system design. Case studies on a real-world microgrid project in Puget Sound Energy system are presented to illustrate the proposed modeling and sizing methods.

Battery energy storage, Microgrid, Optimal Sizingp↗

Resilience Service Framework Using Transactive Systems Valuation Methodology

Recent outage events have spurred national and international interest in improving grid resilience. Actions to make the grid more resilient must be valued against their costs and benefits. This is the goal of this report. We explore a resilience valuation framework, where the services procured by the utility are arranged such that the values associated with them are pinpointed. This is demonstrated by utilizing various diagrams developed in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Transactive System Program, called the Transactive Systems Valuation Methodology (TSVM). We show that TSVM can be utilized to guide traditional valuation methodologies such as integrated resource planning so that resilience considerations can be embedded. This report demonstrates this using a three-step procedure: (1) a use case is developed to define functional requirements, (2) value identification of the utility and the actors with which it interacts (both inside and outside its internal functions), and (3) value tracking of activity performed by actors interacting with the utility while services are procured to enable a resilient grid.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Adapting Existing Energy Planning, Simulation, and Operational Models for Resilience Analysis

Resilience is a topic receiving much attention in relation to energy systems, with particular attention being paid to the supply of electricity. As a result, research communities have proposed a plethora of candidate indicators and metrics for resilience, most of which remain immature at different scales and segments within the energy system. Given the complexity of resilience analyses and mitigation strategies, there is limited value in attempting to identify a single resilience metric, as no one metric can quantify resilience or its associated value for all stakeholders. Instead, a necessary focus of the research community should lie in implementing, testing, and validating resilience metrics and analysis approaches in energy sector models, which will be invaluable for informing resilience planning and investment decisions. Recognizing that implementing, testing, and validating resilience metrics are challenges that need to be addressed, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) dedicated staff and time to researching how to effectively integrate resilience considerations into energy sector models and tools, as part of the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program. The overarching goal of the effort was to evaluate the data needs, methodologies, and outcomes - including consequences and/or changes in investment or operational decisions due to avoided consequences - based on resilience analysis in a range of existing tools. In particular, we selected five models originally built at NREL to explore non-resilience energy research questions to implement and exercise resilience metrics and analysis approaches.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Developing a Framework for Valuation of Grid Services

The electric system is rapidly evolving and growing, raising new questions about how to define and value grid services delivered by a diverse set of resources, including customer-owned assets. This report advances a service–parameter–value framework that links what a grid service does to why it matters, and how its benefits are evidenced. We build upon prior efforts (Bender et al. 2021) and extend them to include value categories (reliability, resilience, cost & access, and security) with primary and secondary tiers, service-specific value streams that explain how benefits materialize, and metrics that make valuation traceable and comparable. We apply the framework to the six core grid services defined in (Kolln et al. 2023): Frequency Response, Regulation, Reserves, Energy, Voltage Management, and Blackstart and demonstrate it on three use cases to highlight the adaptability of these value streams. Further, we outline how the framework integrates with existing tools such as asset optimization, hosting capacity and cost-benefit analysis, and propose a path to portable qualifications and consistent stacking rules for use in tariffs and filings. Finally, we identify future pathways for research and application research needs to support standardization and decision-ready comparisons across services, assets, and architectures.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Looking Beyond Bill Savings to Equity in Renewable Energy Microgrid Deployment

Microgrids powered by renewable energy can provide backup power to critical infrastructure during grid outages. These systems can also play an important role in advancing energy justice by providing economic, environmental, health, and resilience benefits for underserved communities. The value of microgrids is often measured by the economic savings and resilience provided, but there are other energy justice factors that should be considered. This paper describes a methodology for quantifying broader costs and benefits including utility bill savings, value of resilience, social cost of carbon, public health costs, and jobs associated with the construction and operation of microgrids. We evaluate these factors at three case study sites and find that including energy justice values in the cost-benefit analysis of microgrids can change investment decisions. When climate, health, resilience, and job creation are considered, cost-optimal microgrids include more renewable generation, leading to a 52-82% reduction in emissions and diesel fuel use. The net present values of the microgrids grow from negative $626,000-843,000 in the diesel only case to $10-16 million in the hybrid microgrid case and $12-19 million in the renewable microgrid case, indicating potential for greater microgrid deployment if energy justice values are incorporated in decision making. However, we also see large increases in capital expenses, which could limit deployment unless accompanied by innovative financing measures. These findings may be useful to communities as they seek to strengthen resilience to natural disasters while also improving public health, meeting climate goals, and providing economic opportunity for residents.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Characterization of switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.) PvKSL1 as a levopimaradiene/abietadiene‐type diterpene synthase

Abstract The diverse class of plant diterpenoid metabolites serves important functions in mediating growth, chemical defence, and ecological adaptation. In major monocot crops, such as maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa), and barley (Hordeum vulgare), diterpenoids function as core components of biotic and abiotic stress resilience. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a perennial grass valued as a stress‐resilient biofuel model crop. Previously we identified an unusually large diterpene synthase family that produces both common and species‐specific diterpenoids, several of which accumulate in response to abiotic stress. Here, we report discovery and functional characterization of a previously unrecognized monofunctional class I diterpene synthase (PvKSL1) viain vivoco‐expression assays with different copalyl pyrophosphate (CPP) isomers, structural and mutagenesis studies, as well as genomic and transcriptomic analyses. In particular, PvKSL1 convertsent‐CPP intoent‐abietadiene,ent‐palustradiene,ent‐levopimaradiene, andent‐neoabietadiene via a 13‐hydroxy‐8(14)‐ent‐abietene intermediate. Notably, although featuring a distinctent‐stereochemistry, this product profile is near‐identical to bifunctional (+)‐levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthases occurring in conifer trees. PvKSL1 has three of four active site residues previously shown to control (+)‐levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthase catalytic specificity. However, mutagenesis studies suggest a distinct catalytic mechanism in PvKSL1. Genome localization ofPvKSL1distant from other diterpene synthases, and its phylogenetic distinctiveness from known abietane‐forming diterpene synthases, support an independent evolution of PvKSL1 activity. Albeit at low levels,PvKSL1gene expression predominantly in roots suggests a role of diterpenoid formation in belowground tissue. Together, these findings expand the known chemical and functional space of diterpenoid metabolism in monocot crops.

Plant Sciences↗

A Two-Step Time-Series Data Clustering Method for Building-Level Load Profile

Residential and commercial buildings have huge potential to contribute value to improve grid resilience by participating grid services. To reveal the significant value, it is critical to estimate the grid service capability from these buildings. Unlike the large-scale distributed energy resources such as wind and solar farms, those buildings need to participate grid services in aggregation, not by individual. Therefore, it is important to appropriately group buildings for aggregation. The load profiles in the same group will have similar characteristics at the same time step, so grid operators can send the grid service signal to the customer group with a higher chance to respond at that time step. In this paper, we develop a load profile clustering method to classify the building-level load profiles for grid service capability estimation. In our two-step clustering approach, we first calculate the total load consumption for each building, clustering the load profiles based on energy consumption level. Then, we further cluster the load profiles in each energy cluster based on the load shape. The parameter selection for each clustering step is discussed. The proposed method is applied on actual building-level load profiles, and the results have proved the effectiveness of this method.

advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)↗

Commercialization of Distribution System Load Modeling Tool for Improved DER Interconnection Studies

Residential and commercial buildings have huge potential to contribute value to improve grid resilience by participating grid services. To reveal the significant value, it is critical to estimate the grid service capability from these buildings. Unlike the large-scale distributed energy resources such as wind and solar farms, those buildings need to participate grid services in aggregation, not by individual. Therefore, it is important to appropriately group buildings for aggregation. The load profiles in the same group will have similar characteristics at the same time step, so grid operators can send the grid service signal to the customer group with a higher chance to respond at that time step. In this paper, we develop a load profile clustering method to classify the building-level load profiles for grid service capability estimation. In our two-step clustering approach, we first calculate the total load consumption for each building, clustering the load profiles based on energy consumption level. Then, we further cluster the load profiles in each energy cluster based on the load shape. The parameter selection for each clustering step is discussed. The proposed method is applied on actual building-level load profiles, and the results have proved the effectiveness of this method.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

A Two-Step Time-Series Data Clustering Method for Building-Level Load Profile

Residential and commercial buildings have huge potential to contribute value to improve grid resilience by participating grid services. To reveal the significant value, it is critical to estimate the grid service capability from these buildings. Unlike the large-scale distributed energy resources such as wind and solar farms, those buildings need to participate grid services in aggregation, not by individual. Therefore, it is important to appropriately group buildings for aggregation. The load profiles in the same group will have similar characteristics at the same time step, so grid operators can send the grid service signal to the customer group with a higher chance to respond at that time step. In this paper, we develop a load profile clustering method to classify the building-level load profiles for grid service capability estimation and the results have proved the effectiveness of this method.

AMI↗

A Two-Step Time-Series Data Clustering Method for Building-Level Load Profile: Preprint

Residential and commercial buildings have huge potential to contribute value to improve grid resilience by participating grid services. To reveal the significant value, it is critical to estimate the grid service capability from these buildings. Unlike the large-scale distributed energy resources such as wind and solar farms, those buildings need to participate grid services in aggregation, not by individual. Therefore, it is important to appropriately group buildings for aggregation. In this paper, we develop a load profile clustering method to classify the building-level load profiles for grid service capability estimation. In our two-step clustering approach, we first calculate the total load consumption for each building, clustering the load profiles based on energy consumption level. Then, we further cluster the load profiles in each energy cluster based on the load shape. The parameter selection for each clustering step is discussed. The proposed method is applied on actual building-level load profiles, and the results have proved the effectiveness of this method.

advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)↗

West Coast Offshore Wind Transmission Study

As a primary federal investigation of the utility of transmission to support offshore wind emergence in the Western Interconnect, the West Coast Offshore Wind Transmission study evaluates five distinct West Coast-wide transmission scenarios and trades the economic benefits and costs of six development pathways from 2035 to 2050. In this time, 33 GW of OSW generation and supporting transmission are explored within the context of 350 additional GW of generation to support 100% clean electricity. Geospatial analysis informed plausible transmission topologies and cost estimates. All pathways to intraregional or interregional coordination transmission builds showed more than $\$$14 billion in present value cost savings, with a maximum of $\$$25 billion of savings in the interregional case. These savings are primarily driven by fuel costs and increased availability of power flows enabled by new transmission networks. Key considerations of clean, dispatchable generation options, geographic disaggregation of costs, system reliability reinforcements, resilience, and community values are also presented and discussed.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Virtual sensor supervised learning for cyber-attack neutralization

An industrial asset may have monitoring nodes that generate current monitoring node values. A dynamic, resilient estimator may split a temporal monitoring node space into normal and one or more abnormal subspaces associated with different kinds of attack vectors. According to some embodiments, a neutralization model is constructed and trained for each attack vector using supervised learning and the associated abnormal subspace. In other embodiments, a single model is created using out-of-range values for abnormal monitoring nodes. Responsive to an indication of a particular abnormal monitoring node or nodes, the system may automatically invoke the appropriate neutralization model to determine estimated values of the particular abnormal monitoring node or nodes (e.g., by selecting the correct model or using out-of-range values). The series of current monitoring node values from the abnormal monitoring node or nodes may then be replaced with the estimated values.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Resilience Valuation and Planning for Solar and Storage on Critical Infrastructure

This case study report documents the City's project evolution and the entrepreneurial ways through which the City approached the questions of how solar and storage could support their resilience efforts and how to value and pay for solar-plus-storage systems. This report documents how and why the City of Reno came to the specific conclusion to integrate solar and storage into their Public Safety Center retrofit project and apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding. (The City of Reno applied for and was awarded FEMA BRIC funding in January 2021; leveraging work that was underway in this project.) This report provides an overview for other local governments to draw inspiration from when considering how to prioritize community values and pursue multi-stakeholder dialogue around resilient energy solutions. The City of Reno's experience can serve as a starting point for other communities interested in valuing the resilience benefits of solar and storage.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Structure–Transport Properties Governing the Interplay in Humidity-Dependent Mixed Ionic and Electronic Conduction of Conjugated Polyelectrolytes

Polymeric mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs) are of broad interest in the field of energy storage and conversion, opto-electronics, and bioelectronics. A class of polymeric MIECs are conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs), which possess a p-conjugated backbone imparting electronic transport characteristics along with side chains comprised of a pendant ionic group to allow for ionic transport. Here, our study focuses on the humidity-dependent structure-transport properties of poly[3-(potassium-n-alkanoate) thiophene-2,5-diyl] (P3KnT) CPEs with varied side-chain lengths of n = 4, 5, 6, and 7. UV-Vis spectroscopy along with electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy reveal the infiltration of water leads to a hydrated, self-doped state that allows for electronic transport. The resulting humidity-dependent ionic conductivity (σ i ) of the thin films shows a monotonic increase with relative humidity (RH) while electronic conductivity (σ e ) follows a nonmonotonic profile. The values of σ e continue to rise with increasing RH reaching a local maximum after which σ e begins to decrease. P3KnTs with higher n values demonstrate greater resiliency to increasing RH before suffering decrease in σ e . This drop in σ e is attributed to two factors. First, disruption of the locally-ordered π-stacked domains observed through in situ humidity-dependent grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) experiments can account for some of the decrease in σ e . A second and more dominant factor is attributed to the swelling of the amorphous domains where electronic transport pathways connecting ordered domains are impeded. P3K7T is most resilient to swelling (based on ellipsometry and water uptake measurements) where sufficient hydration allows for high σ i (1.0 × 10 -1 S/cm at 95% RH) while not substantially disrupting σ e (1.7 × 10 -2 S/cm at 85% RH and 8.0 × 10 -3 S/cm at 95% RH). Overall, our study highlights the complexity of balancing electronic and ionic transport in hydrated CPEs.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Analyzing Land Characteristics Associated with Historical Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Deployment in the United States

Large-scale solar (LSS) deployment has accelerated rapidly across the United States, yet comprehensive understanding of its siting patterns remains limited. Here, we present a national-scale geospatial assessment of land characteristics converted for LSS development and apply statistical analyses to evaluate whether installations are disproportionately concentrated within specific land types. We find that siting patterns are strongly correlated with high solar irradiance, underscoring the role of resource quality in shaping deployment decisions. LSS projects are disproportionately concentrated on agricultural lands and shrubland. Within agricultural areas, installations predominantly occur on croplands and are strongly associated with irrigated systems. Notably, more than 90% of projects are deployed on agricultural land with Productive, Versatile, and Resilient (PVR) index values of land quality exceeding the national median. These findings highlight the need for strategic siting frameworks that reconcile solar development with the conservation of agriculturally valuable land.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

A Multi-variable, Multi-value Hydrodynamic Modeling Approach to Support Marine Energy and Coastal Resilience Applications

Funded by the Marine Energy Seedling Laboratory Program, the study reported on here aimed to develop a multi-variable, multi-value hydrodynamic modeling approach based on the Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM) to support a wide range of marine renewable energy and coastal resilience applications. We migrated the marine hydrokinetic energy module to simulate tidal energy extraction by tidal turbines under wave-current interactions. We explored the particle tracking module in FVCOM and applied it to Sequim Bay, Washington, to illustrate the surface current field and mimic the pollutant transport near the surface. A tracer-water age module was added to FVCOM to examine water exchange through the entrance. Lastly, a user-specified vertical coordinate option was added to FVCOM to improve simulation of the effect of floating turbines on surface currents and scalar transport. The above-described model development has been tested using a simplified model domain and demonstrated in real-world coastal systems. The outcome of this project will provide a useful modeling code and approach for marine renewable energy and coastal resilience research and applications.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗