Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “supply chains”

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 883 records · Page 49
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Leverage modern artificial intelligence (AI) enabled systems for waste reduction

Manufacturing industries continue to face challenges in reducing waste, as upstream strategies such as source reduction and product redesign require a deeper understanding of processes compared to conventional recycling methods. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have opened new opportunities to integrate modern computational techniques with traditional waste minimization strategies. This paper explores AI-enabled approaches for product redesign, source reduction, and recycling that can significantly reduce waste generation while improving efficiency and sustainability. AI-driven material substitution and lightweighting in product design enable discovery of novel materials with optimized properties, reducing waste without compromising performance. Reinforcement learning models optimize process parameters, raw material specifications, and machine sequencing to minimize production losses, while Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) systems paired with AI analytics enhance real-time waste tracking, predictive maintenance, and quality inspection. Furthermore, AI-based demand forecasting and production planning reduce overproduction and excess inventory, as demonstrated in industrial applications. In recycling, ML-powered pattern recognition and robotic sorting technologies achieve higher accuracy in waste segregation, directly improving recycling efficiency. Complementary solutions such as smart bins and AI-enabled waste pickup scheduling optimize collection logistics, reducing both costs and emissions. Although implementation requires upfront investment in infrastructure and training, the long-term benefits include higher material efficiency, reduced waste, improved product quality, and stronger sustainability outcomes across the supply chain. By leveraging AI-enabled systems, manufacturers can align waste minimization efforts with circular economy principles, creating scalable solutions for both industry and society.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2025

Informed Critical Mineral Recovery from Fossil Energy Waste Feedstocks

Critical minerals (CM), such as rare earth elements (REE), cobalt, nickel, and lithium, have important uses in modern energy and technologies, yet are vulnerable to potential supply chain disruptions. One potential domestic CM source is fossil energy wastes, such as coal combustion ash, acid mine drainage (AMD) and treatment solids (AMD solids), and Oil and Gas (O&G) drilling wastes (drill cuttings and produced waters). CM recovery from these feedstocks is promising due to their abundant quantity and fast availability as waste products. To develop informed and effective CM recovery, DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have collected and analyzed CM data for aforementioned fossil energy wastes, and utilized advanced geochemical characterization (e.g., synchrotron microprobe, sequential extraction and geochemical modeling) to identify the CM speciation and binding environments. Novel methods that recover multiple CMs while co-producing other valuable byproducts from these feedstocks have been developed. Successful examples include: (1) the discovery of easily mobile REE phases in Ca-rich coal combustion ash resulted in a patented REE recovery process from the ash feedstock while producing zeolite sorbents from the extraction wastes; (2) the successful identification of REE/Co/Ni/Zn hosting phases in acid mine drainage treatment solids (AMD solids) has informed the sequential CM recovery from AMD solids and has inspired lithium sorbent development from the extraction wastes; (3) the recovery potential of Li and other CMs in O&G produced waters and drill cuttings has been explored while the extraction residuals have been demonstrated to support plant growth as soil supplements. The innovations driven by characterization information have the potential to maximize CM recovery revenue, offset the cost of waste management and wastewater treatments while reducing the cost and environmental footprint of CM extraction.

characterization and extraction of rare earth elem↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of Vacuum Pumps for Low-Tritium Applications

As fusion and other applications that require tritium processing capabilities become more prominent worldwide, it begins to strain the supply of tritium compatible pumps. In order to help alleviate the supply chain bottleneck, alternatives need to be identified that can help reduce the required number of tritium compatible pumps to strictly the primary process loop where tritium concentrations are high. This research is aimed at identifying vacuum pumps that can be used in low tritium environments (e.g., glovebox stripper systems, adsorbent regeneration, flush gas/inert line evacuation, etc.)

Angelette, Lucas M. [Savannah River National Labor↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low-cost, portable optical sensors for critical mineral prospecting and process monitoring

A combination of projected demand increases for economically critical minerals and a monopolistic global marketplace for these minerals has caused concern over supply chain vulnerabilities, which would impact energy, national defense, and advanced technology production. Domestic production of critical minerals is hindered by expensive and non-portable methods for analyzing metal concentration, which is vital both for resource prospecting and process monitoring. Here, a suite of luminescent materials along with portable instrumentation is presented for fluorescence-based detection of trace concentrations of critical minerals (cobalt, rare earth elements, and aluminum) as well as common gangue metals that are removed during processing (iron and aluminum). A metal-organic framework comprised of zinc, adenine, and trimesic acid immobilized on a fiber optic tip is capable of sensing part-per-billion concentrations of terbium, europium, dysprosium, and samarium through a sensitization approach, in which individual elements produce characteristic emission bands enabling multiple rare earths to be simultaneously detected and distinguished. A deep-UV light emitting diode is used as the excitation source, while a portable spectrometer is used to detect the emitted light. A similar optical set-up is coupled with two different carbon dot materials, which can detect low part-per-million concentrations of cobalt and iron in acidic environments. Metal-organic framework thin films comprised of copper and 2-aminoterephthalic acid are used in tandem with a portable optical set-up to further detect aluminum, with successful deployment in real fly ash leachates. Taken together, these technologies provide an inexpensive and sensitive path towards characterizing economically critical metals.

characterization and extraction of rare earth elem↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Workforce Readiness Index: A Local and Regional Assessment Tool for Energy Sector Preparedness

Building up a workforce that is properly trained and adequately sized is essential to ensuring that the deployment of energy generation sources in the United States meets future energy demand. Workforce development to support supply chain or large infrastructure investments typically occurs at a local level. However, there is a critical gap in understanding where and to what extent regional workforces are equipped to meet the needs of an energy industry. The Workforce Readiness Index ("the index") was developed to assess and compare energy sector workforce readiness across the United States at the county level to provide granular information to various stakeholders such as industry members, state decision makers, and training program developers. Workforce readiness is defined as the ability to recruit from the general labor market, transition workers with comparable skill sets, and train a workforce using scalable or existing training programs near a specific location. Therefore, the index evaluates readiness levels based on the likelihood that a county possesses the workforce development infrastructure needed to support the occupations required by an energy-related industry or sector. Furthermore, the index offers a standardized yet flexible approach that captures regional variations and highlights local strengths and challenges.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Interpretation of Ion Irradiation and Neutron Irradiation Damage in Additively Manufactured 316 Stainless Steel using Multiscale Modeling

The accelerated adoption of nuclear energy necessitates advanced manufacturing technologies, such as additive manufacturing, to meet heightened supply chain requirements and support innovative reactor technologies. Due to the unique microstructural characteristics of additively manufactured materials under distinct solidification conditions, comprehensive evaluation of their performance in reactor environments is essential. The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies program under the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy focuses on understanding the irradiation performance and damage evolution of laser powder bed fusion 316 stainless steel, with an emphasis on integrating ion and neutron irradiation data to accelerate the development and qualification of materials for advanced nuclear reactor applications. While ion irradiation is a cost- and time-effective method, modeling and simulation are required to interpret the data for the broader range of irradiation conditions encountered in advanced reactors. In fiscal year 2025, integrated multiscale modeling and simulations were conducted to assess irradiation damage in additively manufactured 316 stainless steel. Key outcomes include predictions of chromium enrichment at grain boundaries, nickel enrichment at dislocation cell walls and void surfaces, and heterogeneous void evolution under ion and neutron irradiation conditions. Cluster dynamics simulations revealed the coarsening of voids at high irradiation temperatures and the suppression of void growth by high network dislocation density, while also demonstrating significant growth and coarsening of voids and self-interstitial atom loops at low dose rates. Machine learning-accelerated atomistic simulations highlighted the impact of the local environment and chromium concentration on vacancy diffusivity, providing key insights on the influence of composition on void swelling and radiation-induced segregation. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the presence of defect production bias and a significant effect of carbon content on defect cluster behavior. These combined efforts aim to predict the performance of additively manufactured materials under various reactor conditions, supporting their qualification for nuclear reactor applications by interpreting ion irradiation data. This report underscores the potential of integrated multiscale modeling to analyze ion irradiation data in the effort to accelerate the qualification of additively manufactured materials for nuclear reactor components.

316 stainless steel↗
DOE OSTI2025

Development of the Well-to-Wake Life Cycle Assessment Model for Marine Fuels in R&D GREET 2025

The Marine analysis capabilities in the 2025 Research and Development Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (R&D GREET) have been updated to incorporate the latest findings from the Fourth International Maritime Organization (IMO) GHG Study.1 To support these updates and enhance user flexibility, the former single marine module used in previous R&D GREET versions has been split into two workbook tabs: The Marine_Fuel tab, which covers the fuel-cycle, and the Marine_Trip tab, which covers the trip-cycle. In the Marine_Fuel tab, fuel cycle results for 39 marine fuels are available—assuming a slow speed diesel engine—and can be seen in Appendix A. However, there are options for changing feedstocks for multiple fuels, ability to view results with or without pilot fuels for fuels such as methanol and ammonia, and carbon capture options. All these combinations make the number of total possible pathways over one hundred. For each pathway, life cycle emission results are divided into feedstock, conversion, and combustion categories, along with pilot fuel supply chain emissions for fuels used in dual fuel engines. In the newly created Marine_Trip tab, users can view the life cycle emissions of using these fuels from a trip perspective. Compared to R&D GREET 2024, 16 new types of vessels are added in R&D GREET 2025. Examples of results assuming the default size for each vessel type are available in Appendix A. Additional information categories on vessels are included such as vessel size, main propulsion type, engine power rating, combustion cycle, etc. based on the Fourth IMO GHG Study. Operational mode of the trip, fuel consumption, and load calculation were updated based on the report. The fuel consumption calculation also incorporates low-load adjustment, speed–power correction, weather correction, and fouling correction factors. Furthermore, fuel consumption in boilers or steam turbines is also added for the first time, besides fuel use in main propulsion engines and auxiliary engines. This effort makes the R&D GREET Marine capabilities more robust than before. Users will be able to estimate fuel consumption more accurately for more diverse choices of vessel categories, vessel sizes, and energy converters.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Preliminary Analysis of Nuclear-Powered Data Center Scenarios

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential for nuclear energy to meet the growing energy demands of data centers (DCs). It evaluates the technical, economic, and socio-environmental implications of coupling Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) with DCs, providing initial responses to several key research questions: What is the potential increased energy demand from DCs in the U.S., in the short, medium and long term? The U.S. is experiencing a rapid increase in energy demand from DCs, with projections indicating a total increase of 24-74 GWy(e) by 2028. Meeting this demand with nuclear energy would require 27–85 GWe of installed capacity. While this surge is expected to slow in the long term, the DC industry needs reliable, scalable, and clean energy sources. How much nuclear capacity can be deployed to meet DC demand and in which timeframe? Several pathways for increasing nuclear capacity were identified, including uprates, restarts of recently retired reactors, power purchase agreements with existing fleet, and new construction. Approximately 20‒28 GWe of nuclear capacity could be dedicated to DCs by the early 2030s. How much High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) would be needed to support some nuclear deployment scenarios for DCs? Meeting the deployment targets announced by Google and Amazon for the Kairos Power Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactor or KP-FHR (~500 MWe by 2035) and the Xe-100 (~1 GWe by 2040), respectively, requires ramping up 19.75% enriched HALEU production to ~6 t/yr by 2040. What types of nuclear energy/DC coupling options exist, and what are the different benefits/challenges? Five coupling options were analyzed, ranging from grid-connected configurations to colocated, behind-the-meter setups. Key design considerations include the proximity to high- and/or medium-voltage transmission lines, the desired internal fault tolerance, and the sources of alternative/backup power during outages. Each coupling option offers unique benefits and challenges in terms of reliability, system costs, regulation, timeline, etc. A list of NPP/DC deployment scenarios was developed, considering existing or newly built NPP or DC projects. Colocated DCs with new small modular reactors or large reactors on greenfield and brownfield sites are the focus of this report. What types of reactors, especially what size, may be incentivized by DCs? Reactor sizing optimization revealed that the ideal reactor size and number of units depend on DC demand, coupling configurations defined in this report, and other economic factors. Larger reactors are preferred for high-demand DCs and grid-connected systems, while larger number of smaller reactors are better suited for DC configurations without grid backup. Which sites may be compatible with co-located nuclear-powered DCs? Siting those projects is a complicated evaluation factoring local water resources, grid connection availability and reliability, IT infrastructure, local work force, proximity to population zones, etc. For this effort greenfield and brownfield sites such as retired coal-fired plants were used to evaluate this question. This evaluation is not meant to recommend any particular site but it highlights key siting criteria and demonstrates large-scale site availability. What are the socio-economic impacts of co-located nuclear-powered DCs? Those projects generate substantial economic benefits to the local economy, particularly in urban settings. Hyperscale DCs colocated with nuclear power plants (sized around 1 GW of power) can create nearly 1,700 jobs for annual operations and more than 7,300 jobs among the supply chain and local businesses as a result of increased household spending. Rural projects also provide significant benefits, but at lower magnitudes compared to urban deployments.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Trends and Effects of Changes in Business Cases for Petroleum Refineries

This study investigates trends and effects in business cases for petroleum refineries with a focus on effects for the state of Oregon for finished gasoline. Recently, the Oregon Department of Energy released the 2024 Oregon Energy Security Plan (ESP) which highlighted the reliance on out of state gasoline imports primarily from refineries located in the state of Washington. This study compiled a list of recent refinery closures in the United States and analyzed the drivers and impacts each refinery closure had to its respective region. The study dives into exploring three refinery closure business cases and past events that impacted gasoline prices in Oregon. Lastly, the paper outlines a potential framework of indicators to analyze the risk of future refinery closures based on the findings. This study hopes to inform stakeholders about the vulnerabilities in Oregon’s fuel supply chain and provide information that can guide strategic planning for future energy security.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2025

Application of Raman Spectroscopy to Determine Uranium Content in ADUN Solution

The work presented in this report is part of the ongoing efforts to address the nuclear material control and accounting needs for advanced reactor fuel fabrication facilities. This work was supported by the Materials Protection, Accounting, and Control Technologies (MPACT) program under the US Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy‘s Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain program. The activities and engagements under the MPACT program are designed to support a robust US civilian nuclear energy enterprise. In the work described in this report, we supported MPACT objectives by developing measurement techniques that could be used for material accounting and process monitoring and by working with industry partners to identify existing gaps and areas for improvement. Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been working with commercial tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel fabricators such as Standard Nuclear to develop technology for rapid and cost-effective uranium content assessment. This work has focused on demonstrating advanced measurement techniques (e.g., Raman spectroscopy) that can be used for rapid, reliable, and cost-effective routine measurements of uranium content in feed solutions and liquid waste streams as well as for monitoring in-line process measurements and product streams. Specifically, this report explores techniques for accurately determining uranium content in acid-deficient uranyl nitrate (ADUN) solutions and detecting low uranium concentrations in ammonia solutions. Developing such measurement techniques will benefit TRISO fuel fabrication facilities, facilities involved in other parts of the fuel cycle that require online monitoring of aqueous solutions, and potentially molten salt fuel reactors. This work supports developing Raman spectroscopy procedures to determine uranium concentrations in ADUN solutions, which are used as feedstock in the sol–gel process for creating TRISO fuel. Some additional benefits of using Raman spectroscopy for uranium quantification in fabrication facilities include enabling online monitoring of the chemical process, which would provide near real-time feedback; eliminating the need for sample transfers, preparation, or dilution; providing nondestructive measurements; and user friendliness. In this fiscal year, FY25, we determined the identity of the unknown Raman band at approximately 853 cm−1 that was discovered in ADUN Raman spectra in FY24, created calibration curves and determined uranium concentrations of two ADUN solutions, and compared the Raman results to results obtained from inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and Davies–Gray titration. Furthermore, we have identified focus areas for experimentation in future fiscal years. A key result is that the accuracy of using Raman can provide accuracy comparable to destructive analysist techniques, With a well-developed calibration curve, using standards and a large number of samples (more than five samples), uncertainty on the order of 1%–3% is achievable. Given that the uncertainties achieved by Raman spectroscopy were on the order of the uncertainties achieved using ICP-MS, we conclude that with a well-developed procedure Raman spectroscopy can be used to determine uranium concentrations in ADUN solutions for NMC&A applications. The benefits of such an approach are that the time and effort will be less than that of comparable destructive analysis techniques, with approximately the same level of technical expertise. This will be attractive to operators of fuel fabrication facilities as it will lower costs and improve efficiencies.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

4.3.1.1 TCF: Recovery of Lithium from Geothermal Brine with Lithium-Aluminum Layered Double Hydroxide Chloride Sorbents

Lithium has gained importance as a near-critical element for various energy storage applications, and efforts are ongoing to develop simple and cost-effective methods for lithium recovery. For instance, in a typical 50 MW geothermal power plant in the Salton Sea, United States, approximately 15,000 metric tons of Li 2 CO 3 or LiOH salts can be produced annually by recovering and converting LiCl from geothermal plant waste solutions. Currently, approximately 390 MW of geothermal power is generated in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area, which corresponds to potential Li 2 CO 3 production of approximately 120,000 metric tons per year. This makes lithium recovery from geothermal brines a promising, potentially low-cost source of lithium, contributing significantly to the global supply chain.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Evaluation of IEC 62443 Standard Gaps for Electric Grid Substation Model Use Case

This report presents an evaluation of the IEC 62443 standards in the context of electric grid substations, as part of a collaborative effort among Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The primary objective is to assess the applicability of these standards to enhance cybersecurity measures for industrial automation and control systems (IACS) within the energy sector. The evaluation identifies strengths, such as the scalability of security levels and the structured lifecycle guidance provided by IEC 62443. However, it also highlights significant gaps, including limited integration of physical security, insufficient guidance for legacy systems, and challenges in addressing emerging threats like supply chain vulnerabilities. Recommendations for refining the standards are proposed, including the need for tailored guidance for securing legacy systems, integrating physical security with cybersecurity frameworks, and enhancing interoperability across multi-vendor environments. By addressing these gaps, the IEC 62443 standards can be strengthened to ensure comprehensive cybersecurity for electric grid substations, thereby supporting the resilience and reliability of critical energy infrastructure.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Renewable On-Site Nitrogen Fertilizer Production (CRADA Final Report)

As part of the Cyclotron Road program, the Nitricity Inc. research team sought to investigate the electrification of nitrogen fixation and the corresponding development of fixed nitrogen products. Nitricity’s cofounders had developed a plasma process and related technologies to cost-effectively use air, water, and electricity to convert nitrogen gas into nitrogen fertilizer (and other nitrogen products). This project explored ways to make this process more efficient and robust. Synthetic nitrogen fixation is critical for growing crops and feeding most of the world’s populace. However, the incumbent method to fix nitrogen, the Haber–Bosch process, requires unsustainable fossil fuels and ultra-centralized facilities with a supply-chain network that fails to reach many developing countries. Nitricity envisions that their process when scaled, may provide sustainable fixed nitrogen in many forms to fit the needs of the end user.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Characterization of MC&A for the Molten Salt Fuel Cycle

Advanced reactor developers are exploring diverse reactor designs, including molten salt reactors (MSRs). These advanced reactors are considered for wider applications and a range of deployment locations, including supporting the integration of renewable energy sources in the grid. There are three main types of MSRs: (1) reactors in which the fuel salt freely circulates within the core; (2) reactors with the fuel salt contained within vented fuel tubes; and (3) reactors that use molten salt solely as a coolant, with the fuel in a separate, solid form. In this document, the term MSR refers specifically to the first two types, which use fuel salt—special nuclear material (enriched uranium, plutonium, and 233 U) in chloride or fluoride form mixed with chloride- or fluoride-based carrier salt in a peritectic mixture—as the primary medium for fission. The composition of fuel salt, both at startup and for makeup or refueling, varies depending on the MSR design and the chosen fuel cycle approach, which can be either once-through or closed. For MSRs, a variety of fuel cycle approaches (e.g., U, U–Pu, U–Pu–TRU, U–Th, U–Pu–Th) are being considered. Fuel in MSRs is much different than traditional solid fuel, including its preparation. The uniqueness warrants investigation into characterizing fuel preparation processes, known as fuel salt synthesis . This effort characterized major fuel preparation and synthesis processes, identifying temperature, equipment, and environmental requirements for uranium-, plutonium-, and thorium-based fuel preparation and synthesis. Because MSR fuel salt synthesis facilities handle special nuclear material in loose, bulk form, a material control and accounting plan will be required for licensing from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission or under the US Department of Energy authorization. This effort serves as a foundation to investigate material control and accounting approaches for synthesis facilities, including determining measurement points and techniques. Because several MSR developers are planning demonstration facilities in the coming years, this effort will support stakeholders with preparing or reviewing material control and accounting plans for providing assurance that all special nuclear material is accounted for at fuel salt synthesis facilities. This report was produced for Materials Protection, Accounting, and Control Technologies (MPACT) program under the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Supply Chain.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Refinery Integration Analysis: Pathways, Challenges, and Opportunities

Integrating biomass-derived intermediates into traditional petroleum refineries presents unique challenges and opportunities, requiring innovative analysis approaches that account for biofuel producers and refiners. Consequently, teams within the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed a comprehensive refinery integration analysis framework that combines experimental data, detailed techno-economic analyses of bio-conversion pathways, and economic projections within refinery linear programming (LP) optimization models. These models enable the identification of promising bio-integration strategies tailored to specific refinery configurations, economic conditions, and production goals. They also capture upstream and downstream impacts, highlighting critical bottlenecks and research opportunities for increasing the share of biogenic feedstocks in traditional refining operations. Refinery models are also packaged into a broader bio-economy optimization framework which enables biofuel supply chain optimization with standalone biofuel production and refinery co-processing/repurposing options. This presentation discusses promising refinery bio-integration strategies along with key challenges and opportunities identified using NREL's refinery and bio-economy optimization frameworks.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Development of Industrial Scale Rare Earth Master Alloys from Their Native Oxides for Magnet Production

The objective of the project is to develop an energy-efficient, reduced cost, and single-step critical metal oxide reduction and alloying methodology for the production of NdFeB and SmCo magnets to facilitate the establishment of a sustainable domestic critical materials supply chain. The method consists of an immiscible molten salt flux layer and a higher density molten metal alloy pool (FeB or Co). The rare earth (RE) oxide and a reductant are added to the molten salt layer, where the reductant first strips the oxygen from the rare earth oxide. Subsequently, the separated RE metal diffuses into the molten metal pool below, creating a RE-saturated master alloy. Towards this end, thermodynamic calculations of the reactions between RE oxides, metallic reducing agent, and molten salt bath chemistry have been performed, and the ideal feeds and conditions for extraction and diffusion to produce master alloys were established. Small-scale and scaled experimentation was performed to validate and optimize the feasibility of viable reactions, temperatures, and process conditions with regards to yield, composition, and process efficiency. Finally, full-scale experiments for the production of NdFeB and SmCo magnets were performed, and their performance characteristics were established.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

PowerAmerica (Final Technical Report)

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (predecessor to AMMTO) established PowerAmerica in December 2014 to develop and accelerate the adoption of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor chips and power electronics in manufacturing. The objective was to spark early commercialization of energy efficient products; educate and train the workforce; create high-tech jobs; and nurture the growth of the U.S. WBG semiconductor manufacturing industry. PowerAmerica isled by North Carolina State University by way of a five-year, $140M cooperative agreement with DoE. This private-public partnership with DoE includes member companies ranging from startups and small-medium enterprises to large system integrators, world-class universities, and national labs. The WBG power electronic ecosystem formed by our diverse membership is focused on using advanced manufacturing to 1) lower the cost of silicon carbide and gallium nitride semiconductor devices to be comparable to silicon devices; 2) demonstrate the system benefits and energy efficiency advantages of WBG semiconductor power electronics through system demonstrations that validate their effectiveness; and 3) build an education pipeline for a skilled workforce to meet the future demand for emerging WBG semiconductor markets — and enhance U.S. economic competitiveness globally. PowerAmerica was initially funded in six budget periods, each lasting 12 to 18 months. By the end of Budget Period 6 (August 2023), PowerAmerica had achieved its major objectives in technology development, semiconductor device cost reduction, ecosystem growth and engagement, and education and workforce development. Through strategic foundry investments, we helped to establish the first U.S. SiC foundry (X-FAB) and supported a lab (Microchip) to start SiC volume production. We’ve helped bring together companies from different parts of the supply chain, resulting in several successful new partnerships and business relationships. Through projects with some of the largest manufacturers of energy-intensive equipment in the U.S. — John Deere, GE, United Technologies, Raytheon, Carrier, Toshiba, and others — we have successfully demonstrated the energy and system benefits of WBG technology. We have also harnessed the unique capabilities and facilities of national labs — the Naval Research Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory — to help solve challenging technical problems for industry. Thanks to our many webinars, tutorials, annual events, and presence at major energy and electronics conferences around the world, the PowerAmerica name has become synonymous with WBG technology advancement. The commercial interest in WBG technology is higher than ever; companies and governments around the world have announced hundreds of millions of dollarsin future investment to build capacity — and compete with silicon in many markets and applications. We have trained hundreds of engineering students, from universities across the U.S., through hands-on projects and WBG coursework. Working professionals have also benefited through the years from our many targeted short courses, tutorials, and technical webinars. In short, PowerAmerica has made great strides in each of our key objectives, and the organization has been operating without government or NC State

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

STARFIRE – Science and Technology Accelerated Research for Fusion Innovation and Reactor Engineering progress report

The STARFIRE hub leverages foundational science and technology (S&T) research and integrated plant modeling tools to advance Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE). S&T breakthroughs achieved in each thrust are incorporated into an integrated modeling tool to assess and prioritize remaining gaps to bridge for IFE to become viable. Scientific highlights span high-gain target design, diode-pumped solid-state lasers, and innovative target manufacturing. Key highlights include the investigation of shock propagation through various foam structures among other limiting factors of compression of IFE target, exploration of novel 3D printing techniques such as light-sheet additive manufacturing for 2-photon polymerization foams, and diode-pumped solid-state laser architectures required for several IFE approaches. In addition, the STARFIRE team has established two public-private working groups to address laser diode supply chain issues and test advanced laser diode configurations. Finally, a lite version of the integrated modeling tool has been developed to facilitate outreach and engage with private companies. STARFIRE’s management structure has been designed to ensure agile resource allocation, robust performance assessment, and alignment with the broader fusion energy mission. STARFIRE’s breakthroughs are disseminated to the community via reports, presentations, and publications, while agreements with private companies are set in place to protect proprietary information.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗