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A Privacy First Path Analysis using Clickstream Data

In the modern digital economy, data-driven decision making is crucial for effectively meeting the ever-evolving demands of consumer engagement and satisfaction. Clickstream data has become invaluable for understanding customer behavior, yet concerns over privacy and security persist, especially with some internet service providers profiting from its sale. This article introduces an innovative methodology that blends experiential learning with advanced cryptographic techniques, including differential privacy and graph analytics. The core objective of this methodology is to estimate Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) by analyzing clickstream data, achieving an average prediction accuracy of 92.4% in user engagement levels while ensuring user anonymity through Recency, Frequency, and Monetary (RFM) analysis. Our study introduces the concept of a “data depositor” and a privacy manager, employing the composition theorem to merge non-adaptive queries effectively. Privacy budgets (? = 1.0, d = 10-5), sensitivity-specific techniques, and data partitioning were applied. Randomization and noise addition protect data integrity, with special handling for categorical values. This approach, differing from prior studies, offers a 12.6% improvement in privacy-preserving targeting accuracy while maintaining strict confidentiality, presenting a novel path forward in data-driven decision-making.

Frequency and Monetary (RFM) analysis↗

Global lessons: a comparative analysis of nuclear gamification's impact in American and British students

The global nuclear skills shortage demands urgent educational investment, particularly for students aged 11–18. To help address this, we have introduced RAD Ratings, an interactive card game designed to improve the teaching of nuclear concepts to students, which includes subjects such as half-lives, types of radiation, and radionuclide applications. RAD Ratings has already been successfully piloted in the United Kingdom and in this paper, we present a comparison in selected American schools for the first time. Snapshot survey results show RAD Ratings improve interest in nuclear science and careers, offering insights into gamification’s potential to improve engagement across different geographic locations.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗

A research agenda for the science of actionable knowledge: Drawing from a review of the most misguided to the most enlightened claims in the science-policy interface literature

Linking science with action affords a prime opportunity to leverage greater societal impact from research and increase the use of evidence in decision-making. Success in these areas depends critically upon processes of producing and mobilizing knowledge, as well as supporting and making decisions. For decades, scholars have idealized and described these social processes in different ways, resulting in numerous assumptions that now variously guide engagements at the interface of science and society. We systematically catalog these assumptions based on prior research on the science-policy interface, and further distill them into a set of 26 claims. We then elicit expert perspectives (n = 16) about these claims to assess the extent to which they are accurate or merit further examination. Out of this process, we construct a research agenda to motivate future scientific research on actionable knowledge, prioritizing areas that experts identified as critical gaps in understanding of the science-society interface. The resulting agenda focuses on how to define success, support intermediaries, build trust, and evaluate the importance of consensus and its alternatives – all in the diverse contexts of science-society-decision-making interactions. We further raise questions about the centrality of knowledge in these interactions, discussing how a governance lens might be generative of efforts to support more equitable processes and outcomes. We offer these suggestions with hopes of furthering the science of actionable knowledge as a transdisciplinary area of inquiry.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

The geographies, typologies, and trends of community-based organizations for solar energy in the United States

Community-based organizations (CBOs)1 play an important role in developing solar energy in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. This article shares the perspectives of CBO leaders in LMI communities, identifies and addresses solar information gaps, and provides recommendations State Energy Agencies and other government leaders can use to better involve CBOs in solar program initiatives. Using semi-structured interviews and focus groups with CBOs from across the United States (US) we develop typologies of CBO structure and function, and determine the primary motivations, challenges, opportunities, and communication barriers CBOs face. We explore the correlation between key typologies such as tenure, staff capacity, population served, organizational structure, and region with the organizational activities performed by solar-related CBOs. CBOs operate in disparate regional political and economic ecologies. Our findings suggest strategies for states to support their engagement in solar-related endeavors, particularly with respect to the dissemination of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and the EPA Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Solar for All. Developing policies that encourage CBOs to enter the solar training and installation domains, alongside targeted grants and capacity-building initiatives can help maximize community benefits. Furthermore, states can additionally contribute to the positive trajectory and collaboration between state agencies and CBOs in advancing solar energy adoption by fostering a supportive environment.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Ethical, legal and social implications of human genome studies in radiation research: a workshop report for studies on atomic bomb survivors at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation

The Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) is the primary organization in Japan dedicated to studying the health consequences of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings in World War II. In December 2020, RERF held a virtual international workshop on the ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of genome studies. In this workshop, the ELSI considerations of future human genome studies on radiation research including atomic bomb survivors and their families were discussed. Since genome sequencing (GS) is now practical and affordable, RERF now plans GS of parents/child trios to examine genetic effects of atomic bomb radiation. As such studies may engender some novel risks and benefits, ethics review and engagement with families (including consent) need to be considered. These include protection of individual privacy, use of samples from deceased prior participants, return of results to the participants, public sharing of genome data and advance science and social welfare. Specifically with regard to social welfare, the results of such studies may have implications for public and government decision-making regarding social benefits of victims and other important questions. Based on these broad-ranging discussions we have developed the following concepts to guide this work: “trust,” “compromise” and “relationship building,” inclusive of the concerned stakeholders, scientific aims and Japanese society at large. We conclude that in order to realize, establish and maintain these concepts, it is essential to put procedures into place to ensure the successful, consensus-based implementation of the RERF studies.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗

Maximizing Distributed Energy Resource Value for All Stakeholders

To fully understand the potential value of distributed energy resources (DER) in supporting a power system transformation, it requires engagement with diverse stakeholders. In May 2019, NREL brought together people across the DER community to collaborate and identify questions, needs, and an action plan to integrate DER and maximize their value for the entire energy community. This paper reflects the process and dialogue that took place and can be used as a framework for maximizing DER value for all stakeholders.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

LA100 Equity Strategies. Chapter 1: Justice as Recognition

The LA100 Equity Strategies project synthesizes community guidance with robust research, modeling, and analysis to identify strategy options that can increase equitable outcomes in Los Angeles' clean energy transition. Grounded in the analysis of past and ongoing energy inequities and engagement with underserved communities, the project presents community-guided and community-tailored strategies that aim to operationalize recognition and procedural justice. This chapter focuses on recognition justice, identifying and analyzing past and present social, cultural, and institutional barriers to affordable and clean energy for LA communities, as well as disparities in the distribution of energy system burdens and benefits. Acknowledging historical and structural factors behind current energy inequities is a first step in developing energy equity strategies for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to achieve distributional justice - the just and equitable distribution of energy benefits and burdens in LA's energy transition. Recognition, procedural, and distributional justice are the three tenets of energy justice around which the LA100 Equity Strategies project is organized. In the United States, theory and practice around justice have historically focused on unequal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. The historical siting of hazardous infrastructure such as power plants and transportation corridors in communities of color and low-income communities has disproportionately concentrated negative environmental impacts in their neighborhoods. Those inequities are reproduced via programs, policies, and other efforts (e.g., zoning and regulations, rebates and incentives, lending, investment, and financing) that directly affect people's lives and livelihoods. In recent decades, energy justice scholars and activists broadened their analysis to examine how environmental inequities intersect with other forms of social difference in the distribution of energy benefits and burdens. This approach investigates how differences in class, race, gender, age, and abilities, among others, intersect to understand the social, cultural, and institutional processes that create and perpetuate energy inequities. The LA100 Equity Strategies project embraces this approach to developing a more just clean energy future for LA. Because recognizing and understanding past and existing inequities is vital to addressing them in ways that ensure an equitable energy transition for all Angelenos, this chapter focuses on identifying and analyzing the challenges and inequities of LA's past and existing energy system, including LADWP programs.

community↗

Expanding the Baseline: Community Perspectives on Equity in Land-Based Wind Energy Development and Operations

This report covers the fourth and final phase of the Wind Energy Equity Engagement Series (WEEES), a series of community listening sessions on the topic of wind energy equity. In the summer and fall of 2023, a research team at NREL partnered with community-based organizations in three different cities across the U.S. to co-design and co-host the listening sessions. These gatherings were an opportunity for community members to share their past experiences with wind energy development and envision what an equitable wind energy future could look like where they live. The NREL team qualitatively analyzed notes taken during the listening sessions to build an understanding of participants' thoughts and experiences regarding wind energy equity. The team organized the analysis according to key themes that emerged during the first three phases of WEEES, each of which has three or four relevant subthemes.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Pathways Toward Electric Mobility: Communities LEAP in Hennepin County, Minnesota

This report presents the findings from a comprehensive community engagement initiative focused on advancing equitable transportation electrification in Hennepin County. This initiative responds to the critical need for inclusive and sustainable mobility solutions in the face of rising environmental and financial challenges in the transportation sector. This project has two goals. First, to learn what each community's priorities are and share them with the city, county, and state government to inform transportation plans and projects. Second, to bridge divides between government and community, building pathways for community-guided decision making on future transportation plans.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Hawai'i Pathways to Decarbonization: Act 238, Session Laws of Hawai'i 2022

Act 238 mandated the Hawaii State Energy Office (HSEO) generate a report analyzing the pathways to achieve state and economy-wide 50% emissions reductions from 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2045. NREL supported HSEO in analyzing the electric sector impacts of these decarbonization pathways by performing a capacity expansion modeling analysis for the Oahu, Hawai'i island, Kaua'i, Maui, Moloka'i, and Lana'i island electric grids. NREL used the Engage capacity expansion modeling tool and PRAS resource adequacy tool to perform these analysis.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Quick Talk: Resilient Communities, Maryland

Groundswell, Inc., in partnership with the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), Ayika Solutions, the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), and the Baltimore Office of Sustainability, is advancing a vision for resilient, community-centered energy systems in Maryland. This effort aligns with Groundswell's commitment to a clean energy economy that equitably benefits all communities, closing gaps in representation, wages, and access to wealth generation, savings, and local jobs within a diverse energy supply chain. Project Vision and Objectives The project emphasizes "energy resilience," defined as a community’s capacity to anticipate, adapt to, and swiftly recover from power disruptions through inclusive planning and technical solutions. The approach centers on Resilience Hubs—designated community facilities equipped to support residents before, during, and after power-related disruptions. These hubs offer emergency resources, coordinate communications, and deliver essential services while reducing carbon emissions, ultimately enhancing residents' quality of life. Additionally, Resilience Hubs foster social connections, support disaster preparedness, and provide spaces for community programming and everyday use. The goals of Resilient Communities Maryland include: Developing a replicable framework for community energy resilience, applicable beyond Maryland. Defining community-led indicators of social impact and resilience. Establishing equitable decision-making processes in project design and implementation. Informing MEA of practical, community-based resilience strategies to shape future state initiatives. Approach Groundswell and its partners prioritize collaborative engagement with local stakeholders, ensuring that solutions are responsive to each community's unique needs. By integrating feedback from residents, local organizations, and government entities, the team has developed a holistic model for resilience that balances immediate benefits, such as improved emergency response, with long-term gains in social equity and environmental sustainability. Key Outcomes This initiative has produced valuable resources and insights, including: A Community Energy Resilience Framework: Designed to guide other communities in establishing energy resilience strategies tailored to their specific needs. Case Studies: Documenting best practices and lessons learned from pilot projects to serve as models for future resilience efforts. Community-Driven Impact Metrics: Highlighting the positive social impacts that resilience initiatives can bring, such as improved social connectedness and local decision-making power. Recommendations for MEA: Offering evidence-based insights to inform policies and funding opportunities that support resilient energy infrastructure in vulnerable communities. Next Steps Groundswell's final report will detail findings, including the potential for scaling resilience hubs across Maryland and other regions, with a focus on equitable access and community-driven outcomes. This project underscores the importance of aligning energy resilience with social equity, reinforcing community agency, and building systems that withstand and recover from future challenges effectively and sustainably.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

The Radiation Detection for Nuclear Security Summer School: Fiscal Year 2024 Report

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) hosts the Radiation Detection for Nuclear Security (RDNS) Summer School. This unique course provides students with an overview of nuclear security missions, the technical foundation of applied radiation detection technology, and interactive demonstrations and exercises to connect theory to practice in an evolving research and development area. Fiscal year 2024, an off-year year for the school, included reviewing course content, and sharing about the school in a student engagement session at the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management Annual Meeting. Planning is underway for the 10 th RDNS summer school is planned for the summer of 2025.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Lessons from Artist in Residence Program Design and Impact

As a national laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) seeks to be on the leading edge of public interest research and deliver innovation, a core value of the institution. Through the support of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office, PNNL has convened a workshop entitled Advancing Energy Futures through Art in Seattle, Washington, on August 19th and 20th, 2024. An explicit focus on Artist in Residence (AiR) programs initiates the discussion, as this is one of the few clear places where public interest research, artistic engagement, and energy futures have aligned. The workshop proposes to hear from program managers of successful AiR programs, scientists, and artists who work in the energy futures space, to discuss AiR program models and successful modalities for art and storytelling. This paper is provided as background context for workshop participants.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

Rooftop Solar in Lawrence, MA: Community Perspectives, Deceptive Practices, and Financing Options

This report was prepared as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Communities Local Energy Action Program (Communities LEAP) pilot competitive technical assistance for the Lawrence Massachusetts Stakeholder Coalition (LSC) composed of The City of Lawrence, All In Energy, MassDevelopment, Mill City Community Investments, BlocPower and Groundwork Lawrence, and led by Browning the Green Space. The LSC identified rooftop solar photovoltaics as a top priority for this technical assistance opportunity. Lawrence faces high energy burden and electricity prices, thus rooftop solar can be a tool to help lower those costs. However, the coalition received feedback that some solar companies were using deceptive and unfair practices when marketing, selling, or financing solar energy, costing residents more money than utility rates and increasing the energy burden. This project sought to address rooftop solar community priorities through two pathways: 1. facilitating community engagement to understand community perspectives and experiences with rooftop solar development; and 2. conducting a financial cash-flow analysis highlighting the varying fiscal outcomes for rooftop solar adopters based off rooftop solar leasing, ownership, or buying electricity from the utility (National Grid).

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Offshore Wind Guide

The WINDExchange Offshore Wind Energy Guide is a foundational resource that introduces the major concepts and topics within offshore wind energy: project anatomy and component characteristics; the project development process; siting of turbines and other infrastructure; state and local involvement in offshore wind energy development; community impacts; public engagement in decision making and planning; Tribal considerations; economic impacts; supply chain, ports, and vessels, and workforce. This guide is intended to provide information and resources that can build a foundation of knowledge and understanding about offshore wind energy and create a launching point for readers to seek out additional information about the topics and issues of interest to them.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Planning for a Sustainable and Resilient Energy Future on Beaver Island, Michigan

Beaver Island formed the Smart Energy Team to identify and seek solutions to existing energy challenges on the island. The Smart Energy Team applied and was selected as one of the communities in the Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. The focus of ETIPP is to provide strategic energy planning for remote and island communities to address local energy and infrastructure challenges and enhance the long-term resilience of their energy systems. Through ETIPP, the community received technical assistance from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). This report is the culmination of the technical assistance provided to Beaver Island which includes understanding how energy is used on the island, exploring opportunities to lower energy demand and potential energy generation avenues for the island, as well as stakeholder engagement with the local community.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

The Future of Energy in Hawai'i: Conversations on Culture, Community, and the Role of Geothermal

Beginning in 2023, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO), began an effort to hear perspectives of Hawaiian communities regarding geothermal energy. These engagement efforts are summarized in this report and were inspired by the GeoVision analysis and the GeoVision Roadmap (Roadmap).

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

Powering Progress: Increasing capacity for State Agency participation in the development of solar guidelines

This project supported State Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SFWAs) in their participation in an industry-led process to develop nationwide utility scale solar energy wildlife guidelines intended to mitigate the impacts of large-scale solar development on wildlife and natural habitats. Led by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), the project focused on documenting and communicating SFWA priorities, providing logistical and technical support for state engagement, and disseminating early outcomes to promote adoption and use.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗