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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 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Grid-forming Control of Single- and Two-Stage Solar PV Systems with Mode Transition

Legacy power systems once dominated by con-ventional synchronous machines are transitioning into systems driven by fast-acting power-electronic converters that integrate renewable resources. The majority of integrated renewables such as PV and wind bring down system inertia and can cause stability issues due to their volatile nature. The state-of-the-art grid-forming (GFM) control is proven to enhance system inertia and stability in low-inertia systems. However, most of the existing GFM inverters are applied for battery systems, which are much more expensive than PV. Motivated by this, in this paper we propose a holistic grid-forming (GFM) control strategy for PV systems without the need of energy storage. The proposed strategy is developed on the secondary level of the grid-forming control that enables the PV inverter to operate smoothly among islanded, synchronization, GFM, and limited grid-forming (LGF) modes. The practical criteria for determining the operation modes are established and implemented based on the grid operation scenarios. Here, the proposed design is successfully validated by case studies with a laboratory prototype using Siemens Software Defined Inverters.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Optimum Operation of Microgrid Systems that Employ PV Solar and Battery Systems

On a global scale, over 1.3 billion lack access to electricity (85% in rural areas), and approximately 2.8 billion people rely on traditional biomass for cooking. The World Health Organization estimates that household air pollution from inefficient stoves causes more premature deaths than malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Increasing demand for energy has led to dramatic increases in emissions. The need for reliable electricity and limiting emissions drives research on Resilient Hybrid Energy Systems (RHESs), which provide cleaner energy by combining wind, solar, and biomass energy with traditional fossil energy, increasing production efficiency and reliability and reducing generating costs and emissions. Microgrids have been shown as an efficient means of implementing RHESs, with some focused mainly on reducing the environmental impact of electric power generation. The technical challenges of designing, implementing, and applying microgrids involve conducting a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to evaluate these systems’ environmental and economic performance under diverse operating conditions to evaluate resiliency. A sample RHES was developed and used to demonstrate the implementation in rural applications, where the system can provide reliable electricity for heating, cooling, lighting, and pumping clean water. The model and findings can be utilized by other regions around the globe facing similar challenges.

Nagapurkar, Prashant↗
DOE OSTI2025

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Module Facts and Trends

Unprecedented growth of solar PV has led to growing concerns about PV module toxicity and potential environmental and human health impacts. This factsheet provides objective, science-based data to help address these concerns and empower communities with the resources they need to make solar PV decisions.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Method for Spatiotemporal Solar Power Profile Estimation for a Proposed U.S.–Caribbean–South America Super Grid under Hurricanes

Solar photovoltaic (PV) generation technology stands out as a scalable and cost-effective solution to enable the transition toward decarbonization. However, PV solar output, beyond the daily solar irradiance variability and unavailability during nights, is very sensitive to weather events like hurricanes. Hurricanes nucleate massive amounts of clouds around their centers, shading hundreds of kilometers in their path, reducing PV power output. This research proposes a spatiotemporal method, implemented in MATLAB R2023b coding, to estimate the shading effect of hurricanes over a wide distribution of PV solar plants connected to a high-voltage power infrastructure called the U.S.–Caribbean–South America super grid. The complete interconnection of the U.S., the Caribbean, and South America results in the lowest power valley levels, i.e., an overall percentual reduction in PV power output caused by hurricane shading. The simulations assess the impact of hurricanes in 10 synthetic trajectories spanning from Texas to Florida. The Caribbean would also experience lower power valleys with expanded interconnectivity schemes. The U.S.–Caribbean–South America super grid reduces Caribbean variability from 37.8% to 8.9% in the case study. The proposed spatiotemporal method for PV power profile estimation is a valuable tool for future solar power generation expansion, transmission planning, and system design considering the impact of hurricanes.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Machine-Learning-Based Mapping and Modeling of Solar Energy with Ultra-High Spatiotemporal Granularity

Despite the rapid growth of solar energy, we still lack a dynamic, high-fidelity database that tracks the spatiotemporal variations of solar PVs and their associated infrastructures across different places at a spatially resolved scale. The absence of such data presents a barrier to various applications such as solar PV growth projection, solar energy integration, solar incentive design, and climate risk assessment. In this project, we aim to bridge this gap by developing AI-based algorithms to extract granular information about solar PV installations and their associated infrastructures (i.e., distribution grids) from widely available unstructured data like remote sensing images and street views. As a result, we have built the Solar Energy Atlas, a fine-grained, large-scale geospatial overlay of distributed solar PVs and distribution grids. On top of it, we have advanced the understanding of solar adoption and distribution grid vulnerability to climate-induced extremes. Our major contributions can be summarized as follow: (1) By developing new AI algorithms, we have built the most comprehensive solar PV spatiotemporal database covering the entire US. This is the first time we obtained the exact GPS locations, size, subtype, and installation year information for rooftop solar PVs across the US. This database can be used for solar PV growth projection, solar energy integration, solar energy policy analysis and design, and spatially-resolved climate risk assessment. (2) Leveraging this database, we have uncovered the socioeconomic driving factors that are correlated with earlier onset of solar adoption and higher saturated adoption levels. We have identified the heterogeneity in the effects of different types of financial incentives on solar adoption and provided implications for tailoring incentive design based on local income levels to promote equitable solar adoption. (3) We have developed a distribution grid GIS mapping algorithm which can obtain granular geospatial and topology information about distribution grids using multi-modal open data, reducing the dependency on hard-to-obtain smart meter data of conventional approaches. It shows effectiveness in both the U.S. and Sub-Saharan Africa. Using this algorithm, we have uncovered the non-uniform vulnerability of distribution grids to wildfires in California in the aspects of undergrounding protection and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) preparedness. This has provided important implications for improving the affordability and equity of grid adaptation approaches. (3) We have made our produced database publicly available and provided user-friendly interface to enable various stakeholders and the general public to interact with the data. We have also integrated the produced data into the Data Commons platform to enable the public to access the data and correlate it with other location-specific characteristics simply using natural language as queries. The impact of our project is three-fold: (1) New algorithms for mapping solar PVs and distribution grids across space and time, which are open source to facilitate researchers and industry; (2) New databases of solar PVs and distribution grids that have been made publicly available for engineering, social, and policy applications; (3) New understandings and actionable insights on the potential approaches to promoting solar adoption and reducing energy infrastructure vulnerabilities. In this report, we start by discussing the project background and motivation (section 5), followed by the overview of project objectives (section 6). Results and discussion for each task are presented in section 7. Significant accomplishments are summarized in section 8. This report will be concluded by discussing the paths forwards (section 9), products (section 10), and team roles (section 11).

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Roadmap for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Cybersecurity: A vision for improving cyber maturity of distributed and utility-scale solar energy installations

As the solar energy sector continues to expand, its integration into the broader energy infrastructure presents both unprecedented opportunities and new risks. The increasing reliance on digital technologies and interconnected systems in solar energy creates an expanded attack surface for motivated cyber adversaries. Cyberattacks have the potential to cause disruptions in energy production, damage to equipment, financial losses, and compromises in national security. Therefore, ensuring robust cybersecurity measures is paramount to protect the integrity, availability, confidentiality, and access control of solar energy systems. However, there are still key gaps and challenges to be addressed in industry and research, which stakeholders must race to address as they combat a growing number of real-world cyber incidents that affect solar energy systems and a growing number of vulnerabilities discovered and disclosed in key types of equipment. This roadmap explore the current state of solar PV cybersecurity and the gaps and challenges still to be addressed.

14 - SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Assessing the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Potential in Puerto Rican Brownfields and Reservoirs: Detailed Results and Methodology Annex [Slides]

This is the technical annex for "Assessing the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Potential in Puerto Rican Brownfields and Reservoirs." This study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) evaluates the potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) development on brownfields and reservoirs in Puerto Rico. Redeveloping these sites offers significant benefits, such as expanding energy infrastructure, supporting environmental remediation, and enhancing community revitalization. The study identifies up to 3.3 gigawatts (GW) of solar PV capacity, including 213 megawatts (MW) on closed landfills, 1-2.5 GW on contaminated sites, 78 MW on decommissioned plants, 21-50 MW on transmission line rights-of-way, and 636 MW on waterbodies for floating PV. This research highlights the strategic importance of investments and regulatory support to achieve Puerto Rico's goal of 100% clean energy by 2050.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Developing a Deep Learning-Computer Vision Framework to Monitor Avian Interactions with Solar Energy Facility Infrastructure (Final Technical Report)

The project addressed an inability to monitor avian interactions with photovoltaic (PV) solar energy facilities necessary for understanding PV solar impacts on birds. In the project, machine-vision technology that continuously monitors avian activities at PV solar facilities was developed. The technology includes four machine-learning (ML) models, each of which accomplishes a specific task in detecting birds and classifying their activities in live or recorded videos—detecting and tracking moving objects, differentiating birds from other objects, detecting bird collisions with solar panels, and classifying non-collision bird activities around PV facilities. Major project outcomes include adoption by two of DOE SETO’s SolWEB projects, providing novel observational data on birds to promote co-location of PV solar development and habitat conservation, known as ecovoltaics.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Knowledge-Based Hazardous Waste Determinations for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Modules: A Foundational Study

This report explores using "generator knowledge" to determine whether a solar photovoltaic (PV) module must be managed as hazardous waste prior to recycling or landfilling. Generator knowledge is a legal term and existing regulatory pathway for making a hazardous waste determination that has been used by other industries but is a relatively unknown option to the PV industry. In the United States, a hazardous waste determination often acts as a pre-requisite to recycle or landfill a PV module. The results of the hazardous waste determination dictate whether the PV module must be managed as hazardous waste or nonhazardous solid waste. Managing a PV module as hazardous waste requires compliance with stringent U.S. federal and state hazardous waste law. In addition to increased management costs, which can be ten times higher, legal liability for PV modules regulated as hazardous waste is also heightened with both civil and criminal penalties for noncompliance which includes making an inaccurate or faulty hazardous waste determination. The most common reason a PV module would be regulated as hazardous is if it contains a regulated metal in an amount that equals or exceeds the toxicity characteristic limits. To determine whether a PV module exhibits a hazardous characteristic, the regulated person/entity must "apply knowledge...in light of the materials and processes used." In the absence of adequate knowledge to determine whether the PV module is hazardous, it must be tested using Test Method 1311 Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) or an equivalent EPA-approved method. Although TCLP is the predominant method used to today to make a hazardous waste determination for PV modules, evidence from this study concludes it is not practical to TCLP test every PV module even in a single utility-scale installation, and a scalable solution is needed. This study finds that knowledge-based hazardous waste determinations may allow a regulated person/entity to make a hazardous waste determination for more than one PV module at one time - making this regulatory pathway a potential scalable solution. Through legal analysis and interviews with 44 experts, the authors explore what it means to make an accurate knowledge-based hazardous determination for PV modules considering sources and forms of information as well as potential limitations. The work aims to provide a foundation for building consensus on whether knowledge-based hazardous determinations are a viable, scalable industry approach for solar.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

REopt Techno-Economic Analyses for Energy Resilience Projects in Bakersfield, California [Slides]

This slide deck presents the REOpt analysis results for three community resilience centers in Bakersfield, California: East Bakersfield, Wasco, and Lamont. The results describes techno-economic considerations and resilience performance of various solar PV and solar plus storage microgrids that the three sites could consider installing. The results also clearly describe assumptions and limitations associated with this analysis and is intended to support the Bakersfield community's organizing efforts around developing community resilience centers that uplift disadvantaged and marginalized community voices.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

South Asia Group for Energy - Bhutan

Bhutan's electricity system is already low-carbon through the use of hydropower. However, generation from hydroelectric plants is reduced during the dry winter months and will be impacted by climate change and other extreme weather events. Bhutan is mitigating these risks by diversifying their energy mix with clean energy resources. Bhutan is exploring photovoltaic (PV) solar energy development to enhance its energy system's overall resilience. To ensure efficient grid planning and solar integration, Bhutan's power generator, Druk Green Power Corporation, and the transmission and distribution utility, Bhutan Power Corporation, are partnering with the South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE) to develop their solar capabilities, integrate solar energy into the grid, and strengthen Bhutan's energy infrastructure and efficiency.

Bhutan↗
DOE OSTI2024

Average and Marginal Capacity Credit Values of Renewable Energy and Battery Storage in the United States Power System

As deployment of renewable resources and storage continue to significantly grow in the coming decades, these technologies will play increasingly important roles in maintaining power systems' resource adequacy. Few analyses so far offer comprehensive comparisons of forward-looking average and marginal capacity credits of variable renewable energy and storage in the U.S. interconnections across a wide range of possible futures. To fill this research gap, we quantify the average and marginal capacity credits of solar PV, onshore and offshore wind, and batteries between 2026 and 2050 across the U.S power systems to examine the temporal trends, spatial patterns, and trade-offs between these two capacity accreditation approaches. Across technologies, capacity credits of solar PV most clearly follow downward trends over time, reflecting the significant rise in solar PV generation share as the grid decarbonizes. While battery storages' generation shares also rise significantly over time, their capacity credits always remain stably high due to their capabilities to be dispatched strategically during critical periods to maintain reliability. On the other hand, capacity credits of wind technologies in general follow slight upward trends as their generation shares level off. There are strong spatial variabilities of both average and marginal capacity credits across technologies, but capacity credits of solar PV displaying the most obvious spatial patterns with high capacity credits concentrating in wind-rich, solar-poor regions in SPP, PJM, and MISO, suggesting potential reliability benefits of interconnection-wide planning for renewable energy deployments. Additionally, except for offshore wind, average capacity credits of all other renewable technologies tend to be higher than their marginal capacity credits, indicating that existing renewable resources tend to be accredited higher than new resources at almost any time.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Lista de Verificacion Antes de la Tormenta: Sistemas Solares Fotovoltaicos (PV) Montados en el Techo

Through funding provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has used subject matter experts to compile a set of checklists to help Puerto Rico and other communities prepare for storms. Renewable energy and distributed energy systems have the potential to provide power to neighborhoods, vulnerable residents, and certain facilities within a community, if those systems are designed to provide power during a grid disruption. The storm-hardening checklists provide storm preparation actions that can increase the chances that solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are available when communities need them most. This resource was translated from English to Spanish for greater accessibility.

distributed solar PV↗
DOE OSTI2022

Lista de Verificacion Antes de la Tormenta: Sistemas Solares Fotovoltaicos (PV) Montados en el Suelo

Through funding provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has used subject matter experts to compile a set of checklists to help Puerto Rico and other communities prepare for storms. Renewable energy and distributed energy systems have the potential to provide power to neighborhoods, vulnerable residents, and certain facilities within a community, if those systems are designed to provide power during a grid disruption. The storm-hardening checklists provide storm preparation actions that can increase the chances that solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are available when communities need them most. This resource was translated from English to Spanish for greater acessibility.

distributed solar PV↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solar and Storage Integration in the Southeastern United States: Economics, Reliability, and Operations

Solar energy has the potential to be a core energy resource for the southeastern United States. To better understand the implications of higher levels of solar PV (27%-43% of total generation capacity) and electricity storage (13%-49% of peak load) would affect electricity system reliability, costs, and operations in the U.S. Southeast, this study sought to address two main questions. First, how would higher levels of solar PV and electricity storage impact the costs, reliability, and operations of electricity systems in the Southeast in 2035? Second, at different levels of solar PV and electricity storage, what are the benefits of operational coordination among utilities in the Southeast, through more efficient regional dispatch and sharing operating reserves? To answer these questions, the study used detailed capacity expansion and dispatch modeling to develop and examine 15 scenarios with different levels of solar PV, electricity storage, and operational coordination, focusing on the year 2035. The study also evaluates the benefits of operational coordination among utilities through more efficient regional dispatch and reserve sharing, at different levels of solar and storage. The study focuses on five balancing regions that cover Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and parts of Mississippi and Missouri.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Solar and Storage Integration in the Southeastern United States: Economics, Reliability, and Operations

Solar energy has the potential to be a core energy resource for the southeastern United States. To better understand the implications of higher levels of solar PV (27%-43% of total generation capacity) and electricity storage (13%-49% of peak load) would affect electricity system reliability, costs, and operations in the U.S. Southeast, this study sought to address two main questions. First, how would higher levels of solar PV and electricity storage impact the costs, reliability, and operations of electricity systems in the Southeast in 2035? Second, at different levels of solar PV and electricity storage, what are the benefits of operational coordination among utilities in the Southeast, through more efficient regional dispatch and sharing operating reserves? To answer these questions, the study used detailed capacity expansion and dispatch modeling to develop and examine 15 scenarios with different levels of solar PV, electricity storage, and operational coordination, focusing on the year 2035. The study also evaluates the benefits of operational coordination among utilities through more efficient regional dispatch and reserve sharing, at different levels of solar and storage. The study focuses on five balancing regions that cover Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and parts of Mississippi and Missouri.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗