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At least 739 records · Page 41

Towards Non-Intrusive Real-Time Monitoring of Behind the Meter Residential Distributed Energy Resources

The growing adoption of residential distributed energy resources (DERs) introduces more uncertain variability in power grid operation. More importantly, the residential DERs operate behind customers’ energy meters, and therefore, the utility cannot “directly” monitor them. Prior approaches to enable visibility into behind-the-meter (BTM) DERs either depend on estimations or require intrusive instrumentation on the customer side. To address the critical need for direct real-time monitoring of BTM DERs, in this paper, we propose a novel approach for utility-side direct real-time monitoring of residential BTM DERs. We utilize high-frequency (> 10kHz) conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) from residential DERs’ grid-tied inverters to monitor their power generation. We discuss the working principle of our approach and present supporting results using three of-the-shelf grid-tied inverters.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Sequential Stress Identifies Processing Defects in Bifacial Photovoltaic Modules That Limit Durability

Here, we use sequential stress to investigate hurdles to bifacial photovoltaic (PV) module durability from lamination defects. We test mini-modules with glass/glass (G/G) and glass/transparent-backsheet (G/TB) constructions using either ethylene vinyl acetate or polyolefin elastomer (POE) based encapsulants under a modified IEC 63209-2 sequential stress. This sequence includes multiple iterations of damp heat (DH200), full spectrum light exposure (A3), thermal cycling (TC50), and humidity/freeze (HF10). We compare indoor stress with outdoor exposure. Results show similar relative trends in degradation after a year outdoors compared to our first stress cycle. Subsequent stress cycles impart more severe damage than outdoor exposure for the short outdoor duration used here. Edge-pinch lamination defects in G/G mini-modules limit durability causing delamination and cell cracks. Conversely, we observe greater degradation in G/TB mini-modules compared to G/G in the later stages of the stress sequence when the backsheets are directly exposed to UV-containing light. Our results highlight: 1) the utility of sequential stress testing to uncover degradation modes in bifacial PV, 2) implications of using mini-modules for testing PV quality, and 3) the importance of lamination defects that must be avoided to ensure durability as the industry adopts G/G or G/TB packaging.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Updating PV and Battery Bill Savings Calculations for Net Billing: New Best Practices for Input Data and Uncertainty

Jurisdictions are increasingly adopting compensation structures for distributed PV and PV-battery systems that price exported energy lower than energy consumed onsite (net billing rates). Standard methods for calculating the bill savings from PV and PV-battery systems were developed for net metering structures, and applying these same methods to net billing structures (such as using Typical Meteorological Year weather with actual year load) introduces bias errors that underestimate PV-battery system bill savings by between 1.5\% and 9\%, depending on the utility rate. We assess the magnitude of these errors and compare them to other sources of uncertainty when estimating the bill savings from PV and PV-battery systems under more complex utility rates.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Near-Net-Shape HIP Manufacturing for sCO2 Turbomachinery Cost Reduction

sCO2 turbomachinery that operates above 650°C requires the use of γ' strengthened Ni-based superalloys, leading to high cost and barrier of market adoption. Near-net-shape (NNS) HIP manufacturing with 282® alloy powder is being developed for sCO2 turbine components, with a significant estimated cost reduction. Tensile, creep, low cycle fatigue properties of argon gas atomized and plasma atomized powders were evaluated and compared to sand cast HAYNES® 282®. While tensile strength and fatigue life outperformed sand cast material, a 10~25% debit in the creep stress capability was observed due to the fine grain size and presence of prior particle boundaries (PPBs). Finite element model calibrated by powder rheological properties accurately predicted the nonuniform shrinkage during HIP, providing HIP tooling design to achieve the target dimension. A 20 lbs. turbine nozzle ring was successfully demonstrated within 0.01 inch dimensional tolerance at the vanes. A 1700lbs. turbine casing with complex internal struts and manifolds was also demonstrated being close to the target dimension.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

U.S. State Renewables Portfolio & Clean Electricity Standards: 2024 Status Update [Slides]

This report provides an overview and status update on U.S. state renewables portfolio standards (RPS) and has been expanded from previous editions to also cover 100% clean electricity standards (CES) adopted by a growing number of states. The report, published in slide-deck form along with accompanying data files, describes recent legislative revisions, key policy design features, compliance with interim targets, past and projected impacts on clean electricity development, and compliance costs. The 2023 edition presents historical data through year-end 2023 and projections out to 2050. Key trends from this edition of the report include the following: -Evolution of state RPS and CES programs: States continue to refine and revise their RPS policies, often by adopting higher targets and/or broader CES policies. Among the 29 states plus DC with an RPS, 16 have RPS targets of at least 50% of retail sales, and 4 states have a 100% RPS. An additional 16 states have adopted a broader 100% CES. -Historical impacts on renewables development: Almost half of all growth in U.S. renewable electricity (RE) generation and capacity since 2000 is nominally associated with state RPS requirements. That percentage has declined over time to 35% of all U.S. RE capacity additions in 2023, though in certain regions RPS policies continue to play a dominant role in driving RE growth. -Future RPS and CES demand and incremental needs: The combined demand for clean electricity from RPS and CES policies will grow from roughly 500 TWh today to 1700 TWh by 2050. Accounting for current supplies—including existing nuclear and hydroelectric generation eligible for CES targets—RPS and CES policies will require 900 TWh of new clean electricity by 2050, equivalent to roughly 3x the historical rate of RPS-buildout. -RPS target achievement to-date: States have generally met their interim RPS targets in recent years, with only a few exceptions reflecting unique, state-specific issues. Most CES targets are not yet in force, and so little compliance experience to-date. -REC pricing trends: Prices for NEPOOL Class I RECs remained at roughly $\$40$/MWh over the past year, just below ACP rates in the larger state markets, while PJM Tier I REC prices continued to rise, reaching $\$35$/MWh by year-end 2023 and surpassing ACP levels in some states. Prices for solar RECs remained relatively stable, and continue to exhibit wide variation across states, with the highest prices ($200-450/MWh) in NJ, MA, and DC. -RPS compliance costs: RPS compliance costs average roughly 4% of retail electricity bills across RPS states, though vary widely from state to state, with the highest costs (11-12% of retail bills) in states with solar carve-outs and high SREC prices.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Surface Conversion of Single-Crystal Bi 2 Se 3 to β-In 2 Se 3

In this work, we demonstrate that the surface layers of single-crystal layered-2D Bi 2 Se 3 can be converted to layered-2D rhombohedral ß-In 2 Se 3 by annealing under a trimethylindium (TMIn) flux. Samples were prepared in a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) chamber, then transferred under vacuum to a surface analysis chamber for analysis with low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy. Additional ex situ characterization included x-ray diffraction, transmission-electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) elemental mapping, and Raman spectroscopy. The resulting single-crystal ß-In 2 Se 3 adopts the rhombohedral crystal structure (space group R-3m) and orientation of the underlying Bi 2 Se 3 , and the excess Bi atoms generated by this process create an underlying region of Bi-rich Bi x Se y . Due to the difference in bandgap between Bi 2 Se 3 and In 2 Se 3 , this conversion reaction presents a pathway to lateral heterojunctions if only selected regions are converted by masking the surface to spatially define the TMIn exposure. The conversion may also have implications for heteroepitaxy, because the in-plane lattice constants of Bi 2 Se 3 and In 2 Se 3 (0001) surfaces match those of InP and GaAs (111), respectively, and the natural cleavage planes of a layered-2D crystal facilitate substrate removal and reuse.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Three-Dimensional Grid Visualization for Planning Activities: A Dubai Case Study

National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), in collaboration with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Infra-X, has undertaken the Energy Visualization Analysis Project. The aim of this project is to enhance analytical and 3D visualization capabilities for distribution network planning and renewable energy integration. As modern grid continues to evolve with large-scale solar PV deployment and emerging distributed energy resources (DERs), the ability to effectively analyze, visualize, and communicate complex grid behaviors has become increasingly critical. The project focuses on developing empirical use cases based on real distribution feeder data and engineering workflows, ensuring the outcomes are directly aligned with operational environment. Through time-series power flow simulations and nodal hosting capacity analysis, the study quantifies the impacts of high PV penetration on voltage and thermal limits within representative 11 kV feeders. These analyses identify specific nodes and conditions where DER integration challenges arise. Furthermore, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) optimization algorithm was applied to determine the optimal size and placement of storage systems that can mitigate network constraints and enhance hosting capacity. The comparative results between base-case and BESS-augmented scenarios clearly demonstrate improvements in network stability and load management efficiency. In parallel, the NLR team developed an immersive 3D visualization framework, enabling interactive exploration of grid simulations using commodity head-mounted display (HMD) systems. This framework transforms conventional 2D simulation data into spatially intuitive visual environments - allowing engineers to analyze feeder conditions, PV hosting potential, and BESS effects in real time. This report represents the first foundational phase in establishing a visualization-driven analytical ecosystem. It provides a methodological foundation for data integration, visualization architecture, and simulation-based decision support, paving the way for large-scale adoption of immersive visualization across DEWA's Smart Grid Initiative, R&D activities, and future network resilience studies.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Next Steps in Planetary Protection for Human Spaceflight

Planetary protection is defined as: a) the prevention of contamination of extraterrestrial bodies by terrestrial microorganisms, and b) biohazard containment of returned samples from bodies in the Solar System that could harbor life.1 While the majority of interplanetary missions to date have involved robotic exploration, future missions will include human explorers. Current planetary protection requirements do not address the unique challenges associated with human exploration. The purpose of this abstract is to review planetary protection efforts for crewed missions and provide a forward plan for implementing them at the systems level. Article IX of the UN Outer Space Treaty of 1967 provides the definition of planetary protection, outlined above.1 COSPAR holds the international standard in line with this treaty2, while NASA's Planetary Protection Policy (NPD 8020.7G) outlines the U.S. implementation of the COSPAR standard. 3;4 NPI 8020.7 groups future human spaceflight planetary protection studies as follows: 1) microbial monitoring, 2) contamination mitigation and control, and 3) environmental effects. Additionally, a NPI 8020.7 outlines a five-step plan for forward work: 1) a literature review, 2) community inputs, 3) completion of recommended studies, 4) developing a draft NPR, and 5) implementation with NASA teams. The literature review was published in 2016.5 Inputs from the community were gathered at the Planetary Protection Knowledge Gaps for Human Extraterrestrial Missions, held in 2015.6 Johnson and Race (2016) outlined notional requirements and prioritized studies needed before final requirements can be produced. This prior work sets the stage for completing the necessary studies and finalizing planetary protection requirements for human spaceflight. We propose a continuation of the systems engineering approach adopted thus far. The challenges associated with the implementation of notional requirements will be quantified in detailed discussions with internal stakeholders. The status and results of high-priority studies that have been completed since 2016 or are ongoing will be incorporated into discussions with stakeholders. In this way, we plan to bridge the gap between the science behind planetary protection and the engineering development that will implement it, allowing finalized planetary protection requirements to be developed for future human space missions.

Mitchell, Julie↗

CIGS photovoltaics: reviewing an evolving paradigm

Copper indium selenide chalcopyrite-structure alloys with gallium (CIGS) are unique among the highest performing photovoltaic (PV) semiconductor technologies. They are structurally disordered, nonstoichiometric materials that have been engineered to achieve remarkably low bulk nonradiative recombination levels. Nevertheless, their performance can be further improved. This review adopts a fundamental thermodynamic perspective to comparatively assess the root causes of present limitations on CIGS PV performance. The topics of selectivity and passivation of contacts to CIGS and its multinary alloys are covered, highlighting pathways to maximizing the electrochemical potential between those contacts under illumination. Further, an overview of absorber growth methods and resulting properties is also provided. We recommend that CIGS researchers consider strategies that have been successfully implemented in the more mature wafer-based GaAs and Si PV device technologies, based on the paradigm of an idealized PV device design using an isotropic absorber with minimal nonradiative recombination, maximal light trapping, and both electron-selective and hole-selective passivated contacts. We foresee that CIGS technology will reach the 25% efficiency level within the next few years through enhanced collection and reduced recombination. To significantly impact power-generation applications, cost-effective, manufacturable solutions are also essential.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Project ECHO: Electronic Communications from Halo Orbit

The design of a communications relay to provide constant access between the Earth and the far side of the Moon is presented. Placement of the relay in a halo orbit about the L2 Earth-Moon Lagrange point allows the satellite to maintain constant simultaneous communication between Earth and scientific payloads on the far side of the Moon. The requirements of NASA's Discovery-class missions adopted and modified for this design are: total project cost should not exceed $150 million excluding launch costs, launch must be provided by Delta-class vehicle, and the satellite should maintain an operational lifetime of 10 to 15 years. The spacecraft will follow a transfer trajectory to the L2 point, after launch by a Delta II 7925 vehicle in 1999. Low-level thrust is used for injection into a stationkeeping-free halo orbit once the spacecraft reaches the L2 point. The shape of this halo orbit is highly elliptical with the maximum excursion from the L2 point being 35000 km. A spun section and despun section connected through a bearing and power transfer assembly (BAPTA) compose the structure of the spacecraft. Communications equipment is placed on the despun section to provide for a stationary dual parabolic offset-feed array antenna system. The dual system is necessary to provide communications coverage during portions of maximum excursion on the halo orbit. Transmissions to the NASA Deep Space Network 34 m antenna include six channels (color video, two voice, scientific data from lunar payloads, satellite housekeeping and telemetry and uplinked commands) using the S- and X-bands. Four radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG's) provide a total of 1360 W to power onboard systems and any two of the four Hughes 13 cm ion thrusters at once. Output of the ion thrusters is approximately 17.8 mN each with xenon as the propellant. Presence of torques generated by solar pressure on the antenna dish require the addition of a 'skirt' extending from the spun section of the satellite for balance. Total mass of the satellite is approximately 900 kg at a cost of $130 million FY99.

Borrelli, Jason↗

Design Power Control Strategies of Grid-Forming Inverters for Microgrid Application

This paper develops and compares two control schemes in the application control layer of a non-phase-locked loop (non-PLL) grid-forming (GFM) inverter to gain insight and understanding into how the two schemes affect the dynamic responses of GFM inverters and the transition operation of microgrids. The first scheme adopts power tracking based on an outer current loop in grid-connected mode and droop control in islanded mode, and the second uses droop control in both grid-connected and islanded modes. Analytical study is developed to compare the performance of these two strategies from various aspects, including fundamental differences, transition operation, power tracking, and P-Q capability with low point-of-common-coupling (PCC) voltages. Extensive simulation testing is carried out to validate the control performance of these two control strategies, and the simulation testing confirms the findings of the analytic study. Finally, the second strategy is recommended because of its superior control performance and ease of implementation. The analysis and results are useful in developing reliable control schemes for non-PLL GFM inverters because increasing numbers of inverters will work as non-PLL grid-forming sources in future grids because of their improved stability and reliability.

grid-forming↗

U.S. State Renewables Portfolio & Clean Electricity Standards: 2023 Status Update [Slides]

This report provides an overview and status update on U.S. state renewables portfolio standards (RPS) and has been expanded from previous editions to also cover 100% clean electricity standards (CES) adopted by a growing number of states. The report, published in slide-deck form along with accompanying data files, describes recent legislative revisions, key policy design features, compliance with interim targets, past and projected impacts on clean electricity development, and compliance costs. The 2023 edition presents historical data through year-end 2022 and projections out to 2050. Key trends from this edition of the report include the following: -Evolution of state RPS and CES programs: States continue to refine and revise their RPS policies, often by adopting higher targets and/or broader CES policies. Among the 29 states plus DC with an RPS, 16 states have RPS targets of at least 50% of retail sales, and 17 states have a 100% CES or RPS target. -Historical impacts on renewables development: Roughly half of all growth in U.S. renewable electricity (RE) generation and capacity since 2000 is associated with state RPS requirements, though that percentage has declined in recent years, representing 30% of all U.S. RE capacity additions in 2022. Within some regions, particularly the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, RPS policies play a more central role in motivating RE growth. -Future RPS and CES demand and incremental needs: RPS and CES policies will require roughly 300 terawatt-hours (TWh) of additional clean electricity supply by 2030 and 800 TWh by 2050, requiring total U.S. non-hydro RE generation to reach 28% of electricity sales by 2050 (compared to 17% today). This amounts to roughly one-quarter of EIA’s projected RE growth through 2050. -RPS target achievement to-date: States have generally met their interim RPS targets in recent years, with only a few exceptions reflecting unique, state-specific issues. Most CES targets are not yet in force. -Renewable energy certificate (REC) pricing trends: Prices for NEPOOL Class I RECs remained at roughly $\$40$ /MWh over the past year, just below alternative compliance payment (ACP) rates in the larger state markets, while PJM Tier I REC prices continued to rise, reaching $\$30$ /MWh by year-end. Prices for solar RECs (or SRECs) remained relatively stable, and continue to exhibit wide variation across states, with the highest prices ($\$200-450$ /MWh) in NJ, MA, and DC. -RPS compliance costs: RPS compliance costs average roughly 3.5% of retail electricity bills across RPS states, though vary widely from state to state, with the highest costs (8-12% of retail bills) in states with solar carve-outs and high SREC prices.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Searching for Lyman alpha emission from a possible Zel'dovich pancake

The detection of 2 x 10(exp 14) solar mass of neutral hydrogen at a redshift of 3.397 has been reported. Top-down theories of structure formation predict such a mass of hydrogen collapsing to form a protocluster of galaxies. We sought to observe this object in Lyman-alpha, which could be produced through ionization by the metagalactic ionizing radiation field or through internal ionization processes. On 29 Apr. 1992, the region of the reported HI emission for 1800 seconds with the 1.3 meter McGraw-Hill reflector at Michigan-Dartmouth-M.I.T. Observatory was observed. Because the H1 emission reported has a transverse scale of 300 sec, a 1/3.06 reducing camera and a Thomson CCD were used to obtain a field of view of about 600 sec by 840 sec. A filter 88 A wide, centered at 5354 A was used; Lyman-alpha emission at z = 3.4 is redshifted to 5347 A. In order to avoid saturating the CCD with a bright star in the field, nine 200 second exposures were taken. The combination of these images shows no obvious extended Lyman-alpha emission at a level of about 28 magnitudes per square arcsecond. The field observed also shows a distant cluster of galaxies. In order to determine if the cluster could in any way be associated with the cloud of neutral hydrogen at z = 3.4, we sought to estimate its redshift from the size and magnitude of the galaxies and of the cluster as a whole. Omega = 1 and H(sub O) = 50 km s(sup -1) Mpc(sup -1) were adopted; our redshift estimates range from z = 0.2 to z = 0.6. The cluster is clearly not associated with the HI cloud at z = 3.4.

Cox, Caroline↗

Developing a Reduced 240-Bus WECC Dynamic Model for Frequency Response Study of High Renewable Integration

The ongoing changes in the generation resource mix, driven by the rapid adoption of inverter-based resources (IBR) as well as the early retirement of synchronous generators, are bringing new challenges to the planning and operation of bulk electric power systems. Consequently, there is an increasing need to understand, design, and quantify the reliability service provision from IBRs by performing integrated scheduling and dynamic simulations. However, test systems that have consistent scheduling and dynamic models rarely exist largely because of the decoupled nature of the two simulations on a synchronous generator-dominated system. This paper develops the dynamic model of a reduced Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system. In conjunction with the existing scheduling model, it is suitable for integrating scheduling and dynamic simulations. The reduced 240-bus WECC model reflects the generation resource mix of the Western Interconnection as of 2018. Moreover, the developed dynamic model is validated against field frequency events measured by FNET/GridEye and preserves the dominant inter-area oscillation mode in WECC.

dynamic simulation↗

Leveraging chiral induced spin selectivity to improve the efficiency and selectivity of electrocatalytic reduction

Energy production is a fundamental pillar of modern society, but it remains heavily reliant on fossil fuel combustion, which leads to environmental degradation and resource depletion. Electrocatalytic reduction reactions (ERRs) offer a cleaner alternative by functioning under mild conditions, eliminating the need for high temperatures or pressures. However, their widespread adoption is hindered by challenges such as low efficiency, inadequate selectivity, and sluggish kinetics. Here, the introduction of chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) offers a promising strategy to address these limitations by reducing energy barriers in reactions involving spin-sensitive intermediates or transition states. By leveraging CISS, ERR pathways can be manipulated to favor desired reactions, enhance product yield, and suppress unwanted byproducts, improving selectivity. Beyond reducing the impact of competing side reactions, CISS also enhances the kinetics of ERRs by accelerating reaction rates and lowering the energy barriers associated with multi-electron transfer steps. Thanks to its straightforward and versatile application, CISS shows significant potential in optimizing well-studied ERRs, such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR), facilitating the future transition of these technologies from research laboratories to commercial energy plants worldwide.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Preliminary Results of the 3D-shape Round-Robin

In the framework of SFERA-III WP10 Task3, ENEA has organized the 3D-shape round-robin (RR); the purpose is to compare the main geometrical parameters of 3D shape measurement of parabolic-trough (PT) reflective panels evaluated with the instruments adopted by each participant among: ENEA, DLR, F-ISE, NREL, and SANDIA. The last two institutions are outside of the EU, but benefited from the Transnational Access institute to visit several European laboratories, including the ENEA Casaccia research center where they accomplished some measurements with a portable experimental set-up. RR is based on the inter-laboratory circulation of 3 inner plus 3 outer PT panels. The start of the RR was delayed by the covid pandemic, then the circulation of the specimen-set and their measurement took more than one year. At the time of drafting this deliverable at the end of SFERA-III project, NREL has not yet completed the analysis of the measurements, making available only the deviations of the slopes. Therefore here will be reported only the preliminary results. The full comparison will be published as soon as possible, maybe in the open access venue Open Research Europe.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Reliability and Power Degradation Rates of PERC Modules Using Differentiated Packaging Strategies and Characterization Tools

The reliability, durability and lifetime performance of passivated emitter, rear cell (PERC) modules used in real-world PV power plants is a critical challenge underlying the rapid adoption and bankability of these PERC cells, whose high efficiency help reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). We propose a degradation-science study of PERC module degradation pathways, benchmarking them relative to known degradation mechanisms and pathways of the incumbent aluminum back surface field (Al-BSF) modules exposed to real-world and accelerated exposure conditions.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Why Perovskite Thermal Stress is Unaffected by Thin Contact Layers

Metal halide perovskite photovoltaics have emerged as a high efficiency, low-cost alternative that can potentially rival or enhance conventional silicon technology. Despite exceptional initial power conversion efficiencies, achieving compliance with international standards and widespread adoption requires further enhancements to their operational stability. Notably, addressing mechanical strain and stress in brittle perovskites has emerged as a pivotal approach to mitigate chemical degradation and improve reliability during thermal cycling. Here, in this study, a popularized strain engineering strategy is investigated in which a high coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) hole transport layer (i.e., PDCBT) is cast onto inorganic perovskite (CsPbI 2 Br) at 100 °C. Contrary to previously published results, the X-ray diffraction (XRD):Sin 2 ψ and substrate curvature measurement techniques show that the hole transport layer has no discernible impact on perovskite strain. The accuracy of the XRD:Sin 2 ψ method for measuring strain is highlighted in contrast to an analysis based on shifts of single XRD peaks which can be influenced by multiple artifacts. The findings in this study are in accordance with mechanics theory: thin layers are unable to induce significant strain changes in perovskite thin films as the force they apply is negligible compared to that applied by a thick and stiff substrate.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗