Results for “energy system analysis” — Page 60

DOE OSTI2020

Energy Flow in Thin Shell Implosions and Explosions

Energy flow and balance in convergent systems beyond petapascal energy densities controls the fate of late-stage stars and the potential for controlling thermonuclear inertial fusion ignition. Time-resolved x-ray self-emission imaging combined with a Bayesian inference analysis is used to describe the energy flow and the potential information stored in the rebounding spherical shock at 0.22 PPa (2.2 Gbar or billions of atmospheres pressure). This analysis, together with a simple mechanical model, describes the trajectory of the shell and the time history of the pressure at the fuel-shell interface, ablation pressure, and energy partitioning including kinetic energy of the shell and internal energy of the fuel. Here, the techniques used here provide a fully self-consistent uncertainty analysis of integrated implosion data, a thermodynamic-path independent measurement of pressure in the petapascal range, and can be used to deduce the energy ow in a wide variety of implosion systems to petapascal energy densities.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Test of a Novel, Commercial-Scale Wave Energy Direct-Drive Rotary Power Take-Off at the NREL National Wind Technology Center (CRADA CRD-14-571 Final Report)

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will work with Columbia Power Technologies [C-Power] to support work under US DOE DE-EE-0006399, “Build and Test of a Novel, Commercial-Scale Wave Energy Direct-Drive Rotary Power Take-Off Under Realistic Open-Ocean Conditions.” Work will include a review of their design for a novel wave energy direct drive generator. After review, the system will be prototyped and tested in the NREL National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) 5MW dynamometer and data will be recorded and analyzed. Conclusions from data analysis will be used to improve the design prior to completing a version of the system for ocean deployment. Additionally, NREL will work with Columbia Power Technologies [C-Power] to quantify the system levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and analyze the system in agreement with US DOE System Performance Advancement (SPA) goals 1 and 2.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

DOE OSTI2024

A Digital Twin Framework for Liquid-cooled Supercomputers as Demonstrated at Exascale

We present ExaDigiT, an open-source framework for developing comprehensive digital twins of liquid-cooled supercomputers. It integrates three main modules: (1) a resource allocator and power simulator, (2) a transient thermo-fluidic cooling model, and (3) an augmented reality model of the supercomputer and central energy plant. The framework enables the study of "what-if" scenarios, system optimizations, and virtual prototyping of future systems. Using Frontier as a case study, we demonstrate the framework's capabilities by replaying six months of system telemetry for systematic verification and validation. Such a comprehensive analysis of a liquid-cooled exascale supercomputer is the first of its kind. ExaDigiT elucidates complex transient cooling system dynamics, runs synthetic or real workloads, and predicts energy losses due to rectification and voltage conversion. Throughout our paper, we present lessons learned to benefit HPC practitioners developing similar digital twins. We envision the digital twin will be a key enabler for sustainable, energy-efficient supercomputing.

Brewer, Wes↗

DOE OSTI2024

Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study

The Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study (AOSWTS) is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to understand and facilitate the transmission of electricity from wind in the Atlantic Ocean. It was informed by the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Literature Review and Gaps Analysis (Bothwell et al. 2021) and the convening workshops hosted in 2022-2023 by DOE and the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The study results help to inform An Action Plan for Offshore Wind Transmission Development in the U.S. Atlantic Region (Baker et al. 2023). DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office funded AOSWTS. The AOSWTS identifies and evaluates pathways to enable offshore wind energy deployment in the Atlantic Ocean through coordinated offshore transmission solutions in the near term (by 2030) and long term (by 2050). The study fills gaps in prior analyses by providing a multiregional planning perspective that evaluates offshore wind generation development with transmission planning. It incorporates environmental, ocean co-use, and other siting considerations into defining potential offshore transmission routes. The study also compares different multiregional offshore transmission topologies and their associated costs (using potential cable routes) and benefits (in terms of production cost savings and enhanced resource adequacy). In addition, the AOSWTS analyzes reliability impacts from a multiregional perspective. The study provides guidance for policymakers and transmission stakeholders on possible outcomes resulting from a proactive, coordinated, and interregional approach to transmission planning for offshore wind energy development in the Atlantic. While this study presents possibilities, additional work following system operator methods and procedures can help build on this analysis.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study: Executive Summary

The Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study (AOSWTS) is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to understand and facilitate the transmission of electricity from wind in the Atlantic Ocean. It was informed by the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Literature Review and Gaps Analysis (Bothwell et al. 2021) and the convening workshops hosted in 2022-2023 by DOE and the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The study results help to inform An Action Plan for Offshore Wind Transmission Development in the U.S. Atlantic Region (Baker et al. 2023). DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office funded AOSWTS. The AOSWTS identifies and evaluates pathways to enable offshore wind energy deployment in the Atlantic Ocean through coordinated offshore transmission solutions in the near term (by 2030) and long term (by 2050). The study fills gaps in prior analyses by providing a multiregional planning perspective that evaluates offshore wind generation development with transmission planning. It incorporates environmental, ocean co-use, and other siting considerations into defining potential offshore transmission routes. The study also compares different multiregional offshore transmission topologies and their associated costs (using potential cable routes) and benefits (in terms of production cost savings and enhanced resource adequacy). In addition, the AOSWTS analyzes reliability impacts from a multiregional perspective. The study provides guidance for policymakers and transmission stakeholders on possible outcomes resulting from a proactive, coordinated, and interregional approach to transmission planning for offshore wind energy development in the Atlantic. While this study presents possibilities, additional work following system operator methods and procedures can help build on this analysis.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

The ABCs of On-Demand Transit (ODT)

On-demand mobility - also referred to as on-demand transit (ODT) - is a form of public mobility that is flexible with respect to where and when service is provided, and ODT deployments have increased significantly in recent years. Transit agencies are becoming increasingly interested in ODT, and due to differing definitions and various service design and business model options, it can be difficult to learn about the emerging industry. This work provides an overview of the definitions of ODT, recent trends internationally and in the U.S., ODT's benefits and challenges (particularly compared to fixed-route transit), three primary service design options, system costs and funding considerations, and a metrics framework for evaluating ODT systems to ensure continued successful performance. Identified benefits include increased service areas, short ride and wait times, increased user flexibility, potential to reduce energy consumption and emissions through shared trips and smaller, right-sized vehicles, increased safety and comfort through door-to-door service, and rich data streams including granular spatio-temporal data that can be analyzed to continuously improve the service. Challenges include scaling ODT service up as small increases in ridership require additional supply to keep service quality high, serving peak times including keeping low wait times, the lack of fixed schedule being challenging for commuters, integrating ODT services with nearby transit systems, and equity for riders without smartphones who cannot track the vehicle in a mobile app. Finally, an overview of seven ODT case studies (in Texas, Missouri, New York, and Ontario, Canada) performed by NREL and related analysis of travel time, energy and emissions, costs, and equity are presented. Initial key findings include: ODT can be cost- and energy-effective compared to fixed-route transit, ODT serves more people than other transit options, and ODT system deployments can be followed by rapid growth.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Multiscale modeling of metal-hydride interphases—quantification of decoupled chemo-mechanical energies

Abstract The quantification of interphase properties between metals and their corresponding hydrides is crucial for modeling the thermodynamics and kinetics of the hydrogenation processes in solid-state hydrogen storage materials. In particular, interphase boundary energies assume a pivotal role in determining the kinetics of nucleation, growth, and coarsening of hydrides, alongside accompanying morphological evolution during hydrogenation. The total interphase energy arises from both chemical bonding and mechanical strains in these solid-state systems. Since these contributions are usually coupled, it is challenging to distinguish via conventional computational approaches. Here, a comprehensive atomistic modeling methodology is developed to decouple chemical and mechanical energy contributions using first-principles calculations, of which feasibility is demonstrated by quantifying chemical and elastic strain energies of key interfaces within the FeTi metal-hydride system. Derived materials parameters are then employed for mesoscopic micromechanical analysis, predicting crystallographic orientations in line with experimental observations. The multiscale approach outlined verifies the importance of the chemo-mechanical interplay in the morphological evolution of growing hydride phases, and can be generalized to investigate other systems. In addition, it can streamline the design of atomistic models for the quantitative evaluation of interphase properties between dissimilar phases and allow for efficient predictions of their preferred phase boundary orientations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2026

3D Play Fairway Analysis for Examining of Superhot Reservoir Production Scenarios

The DEEPEN (DE-risking Exploration for geothermal Plays in magmatic ENvironments) project was a multi-laboratory, international effort to reduce uncertainty and improve resource characterization in superhot geothermal systems. Building on this foundation, this work advances open-source tools designed to lower the exploration risk and cost of superhot geothermal projects while promoting transparency, reproducibility, and efficiency in exploration workflows. These tools are being tested at two key sites: (1) the Nesjavellir Geothermal Area in Iceland, where the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) will drill its third well, and (2) Newberry Volcano in Oregon, USA, where Mazama Energy will pilot the first superhot enhanced geothermal system (EGS). A major outcome is the creation of a modular, open-source Python framework for play fairway analysis (PFA) in 2D and 3D, called geoPFA. The PFA workflow has been expanded to produce pseudo conceptual models, and will soon be refined to assess reservoir components through integration with the thermo-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical (THMC) simulator TReactMech, to enable iterative coupling between PFA and THMC models, improving characterization of superhot systems. All three of the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project's production scenarios were analyzed via this framework: (1) a superhot deep injection well paired with conventional production wells at Nesjavellir, (2) a superhot deep production well at Nesjavellir, and (3) superhot enhanced geothermal system at Newberry Volcano. This analysis provides useful insights around conceptual modeling of these production scenarios, helping to inform decisions around which scenario is best suited for which types of environments.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Solar Steam on Demand

INTRODUCTION: This Report summarizes the research and development project performed by Sunvapor and the subrecipient National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) during the period of 10/01/2018-9/30/2021. The work was aimed at the economic integration of solar steam with an industrial process, and in particular, the advantages that a novel type of thermal energy storage and collector design could bring to the system. The completed work includes experimental research on the storage material, design of the collector, engineering of a complete solar steam plant, and economic analysis. The plant was, in the end, not constructed, due to COVID-19 impacts to the project host. PURPOSE: The purpose of the project was to test the hypothesis that a levelized cost of heat (LCOH) of 2¢/kWh delivered to a steam-consuming process, including energy discharged from storage, could be feasibly achieved. PROJECT OBJECTIVES: For Budget Period 1 our objectives were to engineer a prototype industrial solar steam generation system, and design and test a Latent Heat Energy Storage (LHES) lab-scale system. For Budget Period 2 our objectives were to construct and test the solar steam prototype plant, and to build and factory-test a full LHES module. For Budget Period 3 our objective was to integrate the storage module with the solar steam generator, show successful long duration energy tests of the combined system, and use the results to project the LCOH of delivered steam to a second-generation plant. PROJECT OUTCOMES: Various phase change materials (PCMs) for the LHES were tested for compatibility with industrial steam uses as measured by phase change temperature, stability of latent heat of fusion, and their corrosive effects on steel (the heat exchanger material). Two of these materials (sodium formate and sodium/ potassium) showed potential to meet the technical criteria. The estimated cost of a complete LHES module with these materials did not meet economic targets. The developmental collector design builds from previous work to exploit the potential cost advantages of a spaceframe of lumber construction. Design improvements were achieved in assembly efficiency and structural performance. A complete engineering package was completed for the solar steam system without storage that included the developmental as well as commercial arrays. The plant was permitted for construction. The storage CAPEX for a reference plant was estimate to be greater than $\$ 57$/kWh. The LCOH of the system without storage and with developmental collectors of lumber construction was projected to be 2¢/kWh, assuming a FCR of 8.2% over thirty years. PROJECT MILESTONES: The Milestones fully achieved in the first Budget Period includes obtaining a Letter of Intent from an industrial steam-consuming project host, issuance of a construction permit, and corrosion resistance. The Milestone that was partly achieved was the degradation in the latent heat of fusion. Milestones associated with Budget Periods 2 and 3, related to the construction and operation of the plant were not achieved as a result of the host shutting down the plant due to COVID-19 impacts. CONCLUSIONS: Sunvapor was able to secure an agreement with a host to build a fully engineered and permitted solar steam plant that met the host’s economic goals. As a basis for comparison, the solar field design was comprised of eight commercial collector arrays and one developmental Green Parabolic Trough Collector (GPTC) array. The projected LCOH with a solar field entirely populated with a second generation GPTC met the goal of 2¢/kWh. The experimental program concerning the PCM indicated the feasibility of meeting their technical requirements for industrial steam uses. The cost of the complete LHES exceeded its $\$ 14$/kWh target, and therefore the inclusion of LHES could not be economically justified. Due to COVID-19 impacts on the host, the solar steam plant was not constructed.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2020

Solar Potential Analysis for the MISO Region

As part of the Minnesota Solar Pathways project, funded in part by the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office, Clean Power Research completed a scenario-based analysis that estimates and optimizes the levelized cost of capacity for high renewables penetrations across the entirety of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region. The analysis concludes that it can be cheaper to overbuild solar + wind and curtail surplus than to store all generation. The analysis described in this report was preceded by an analysis completed in 2018 that used the same modeling framework to optimize generation resources located only in Minnesota.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

3D Play Fairway Analysis for Examining of Superhot Drilling Production Scenarios: Preprint

The DEEPEN (DE-risking Exploration for geothermal Plays in magmatic ENvironments) project was a multi-laboratory, international effort to reduce uncertainty and improve resource characterization in superhot geothermal systems. Building on this foundation, this work advances open-source tools designed to lower the exploration risk and cost of superhot geothermal projects while promoting transparency, reproducibility, and efficiency in exploration workflows. These tools are being tested at two key sites: (1) the Nesjavellir Geothermal Area in Iceland, where the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) will drill its third well, and (2) Newberry Volcano in Oregon, USA, where Mazama Energy will pilot the first superhot enhanced geothermal system (EGS). A major outcome is the creation of a modular, open-source Python framework for play fairway analysis (PFA) in 2D and 3D, called geoPFA. The PFA workflow has been expanded to produce pseudo conceptual models, and will soon be refined to assess reservoir components through integration with the thermo-hydraulic-mechanical-chemical (THMC) simulator TReactMech, to enable iterative coupling between PFA and THMC models, improving characterization of superhot systems. All three of the Icelandic Deep Drilling Project's production scenarios were analyzed via this framework: (1) a superhot deep injection well paired with conventional production wells at Nesjavellir, (2) a superhot deep production well at Nesjavellir, and (3) superhot enhanced geothermal system at Newberry Volcano. This analysis provides useful insights around conceptual modeling of these production scenarios, helping to inform decisions around which scenario is best suited for which types of environments.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Many-Body Effects in Aqueous Systems: Synergies Between Interaction Analysis Techniques and Force Field Development

Interaction analysis techniques, including the many-body expansion (MBE), symmetry-adapted perturbation theory, and energy decomposition analysis, allow for an intuitive understanding of complex molecular interactions. We review these methods by first providing a historical context for the study of many-body interactions and discussing how nonadditivities emerge from Hamiltonians containing strictly pairwise-additive interactions. We then elaborate on the synergy between these interaction analysis techniques and the development of advanced force fields aimed at accurately reproducing the Born–Oppenheimer potential energy surface. In particular, we focus on ab initio–based force fields that aim to explicitly reproduce many-body terms and are fitted to high-level electronic structure results. These force fields generally incorporate many-body effects through ( a) parameterization of distributed multipoles, ( b) explicit fitting of the MBE, ( c) inclusion of many-atom features in a neural network, and ( d) coarse-graining of many-body terms into an effective two-body term. We also discuss the emerging use of the MBE to improve the accuracy and speed of ab initio molecular dynamics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2022

An analysis of the hybrid internal mass modeling approach in EnergyPlus

Accurate simulation of building system dynamics is particularly important for understanding building energy flexibility. Among all dynamics in a building, a zone temperature’s variation is especially important, as it significantly affects a building’s electricity load profile when its heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is controlled with on/off cycles or setpoint reset strategies. To accurately simulate a zone temperature’s dynamics, internal mass needs to be modeled carefully. In this paper, we compare the two internal mass modeling approaches provided by EnergyPlus, i.e., internal mass object and zone air capacitance multiplier, to better understand their impacts on zone temperature simulation. Real building zone temperature dynamic data from small- and medium-sized office buildings are analyzed and compared with simulated data. In particular, we illustrate the effectiveness of a hybrid method of the two EnergyPlus modeling approaches, which yields more realistic zone temperature dynamics, especially when the zone is conditioned with heat pump systems with on/off cycling.

Chen, Zhelun↗

DOE OSTI2021

Assessment of the Impact of the Single Stream Recycling on Paper Contamination in Recovery Facilities and Paper Mills

Contaminated recyclables pose one of the largest roadblocks to an effective implementation of a circular economy system. Current knowledge surrounding the effects of various recycling methods on contamination rates is limited, thus preventing effective quantification of contamination effects. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by assessing the impact of single stream recycling on paper contamination in MRFs and their end-products based on different composition studies conducted by facilities nationwide. This project expects to provide the foundational knowledge that could catalyze significant cost savings and energy consumption at MRFs and paper mills by understanding the levels of inbound and outbound contamination rates in SSR systems. Statistical analysis conducted in this project utilizes the available nationwide inbound and outbound samples collected as part of material composition and audit studies to identify and measure the significance of various factors on the resultant contamination levels. The research results provide benefits to both the recycling industry and its customers by addressing the causes and impact of contamination in recycled products, particularly with the wide applicability of single stream recycling within the United States.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2024

EverGREEN 2045: An Energy Mix to Decarbonize Washington State

Washington State’s future resource mix is likely to be comprised of intermittent renewables and carbon-free generation including hydropower by 2045. Generation will likely be comprised of wind, solar photovoltaic (PV), batteries, pumped storage hydropower (PSH), existing nuclear power plants, and potentially enhanced geothermal systems and advanced nuclear reactor technologies. To assess the cost and stability of the future resource mix, we partner with X-energy (advanced reactor design) and AltaRock Energy (enhanced geothermal system) for proprietary cost data. After estimating the costs of these two new technologies, we design plausible future resource mix scenarios to meet Washington State’s Clean Energy Transformation Act which transitions the state to carbon-free generation by 2045. We assess the cost and stability of the future resource mix with power system analysis tools, finding revenues are sufficient to cover variable operating and maintenance costs for most technologies providing power in 2030 and 2045, but capacity payments or power purchase agreements will likely be necessary for flexible resources, including enhanced geothermal systems and advanced nuclear reactors, to participate in the future resource mix.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2023

The evolution of grain boundary energy in textured and untextured Ca–doped alumina during grain growth

The role of anisotropic grain boundary energy in grain growth is investigated using textured microstructures that contain a high proportion of special grain boundaries. Textured and untextured Ca–doped alumina was prepared by slip casting inside and outside a high magnetic field, respectively. At 1600°C, the textured microstructure exhibits faster growth than the untextured microstructure and its population of low–angle boundaries increases. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is employed to measure the geometry of thermal grooves to assess the relative grain boundary energy of these systems before and after growth. In the textured microstructure, the grain boundary energy distribution narrows and shifts to a lower average energy. Conversely, the energy distribution broadens for the untextured microstructure as it grows and exhibits abnormal grain growth. Further analysis of the boundary networks neighboring abnormal grains reveals an energy incentive that facilitates their growth. These results suggest that coarsening is not the only dominant grain growth mechanism and that the system can lower its energy effectively by replacing high energy boundaries with those of low energy. The faster growth of lower energy boundaries suggests that isotropic simulations do not adequately account for anisotropic grain growth mechanisms or anisotropic mobility.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Grid-Supportive Loads for Fast Frequency Response

Flexibility in inverter-based loads could be used to support the converter-dominated power grid by offering a rapid, autonomous, and adjustable power reserve during system transients to help maintain system stability. Based on technical potential, ancillary service (AS) value, and implementation costs, this study illustrates the cost-benefit analysis of grid-supportive loads (GSLs) for the supply of fast frequency response (FFR). The net benefit for each GSL is demonstrated using a case study and relevant data sources. The findings suggest that implementation costs for enabling GSL features are low compared to the value that grid operators get from the acquisition of responsive reserve services. The authors believe that, given the rising popularity of renewable energy sources, GSLs can be a useful tool for grid stability in low-inertia systems.

cost-benefit analysis↗

DOE OSTI2020

Energy Storage Analysis

This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic characterization of energy storage and exible low carbon power generation technologies that can shift energy across days, weeks, or months to balance daily, weekly, and seasonal disparities in supply and demand. Energy storage technologies evaluated here include pumped hydropower storage (PHS), adiabatic and diabatic compressed air energy storage (CAES), vanadium redox flow batteries (VRBs), pumped thermal energy storage (P-TES), and renewably produced hydrogen stored in either geologic formations or underground pipes with re-electrification via combustion turbines in combined cycles, stationary proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, or the novel use of PEM fuel cells designed for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) which are expected to have shorter lives but also lower capital costs. We also evaluate flexible low-carbon power generation systems, including ethanol combustion in gas turbines and natural gas combustion with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). We estimate current costs with literature data, use learning rates to characterize future costs, and develop capacity factors calibrated to an 85% renewables grid to calculate the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of each technology. Results illustrate that at the 12-hour storage duration, PHS and CAES have the lowest LCOE with current costs, and VRBs become competitive if future costs are achieved. At the 120-hour storage duration, hydrogen systems with geologic storage and natural gas with CCS achieve the lowest LCOE in both current and future capital cost scenarios. In particular, the new configuration of HDV-PEM fuel cells with hydrogen storage in geologic formations evaluated here could lower the LCOE by 22-27% compared to stationary fuel cell systems typically evaluated and might help enable very high (>80%) renewable energy electric power systems. P-TES and hydrogen stored in underground pipes are the least-cost options at the 120-hour storage duration rating that do not require some form of geologic storage. Sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo analysis illustrate that the general trends seen in this study are valid for a wide range of capacity factors and future cost scenarios. The study also illustrates that coproducing and selling hydrogen to other markets could reduce the LCOE of hydrogen systems by up to 39%.

carbon capture and sequestration↗