SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “wind potential”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,135 records · Page 63

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2024

A Review of the Resuspension of Radioactively Contaminated Particles by Vehicle and Pedestrian Traffic—Current Theory, Practice, Gaps, and Needs

Here, the resuspension of radioactively contaminated particles in a built environment, such as from urban surfaces like foliage, building exteriors, and roadways, is described empirically by current plume and dosimetry models used for hazard assessment and long-term risk purposes. When applying these models to radiological contamination emergencies affecting urban areas, the accuracy of the results for recent contamination deposition is impacted in two main ways. First, the data supporting the underlying resuspension equations was acquired for open, quiescent conditions with no vehicle traffic or human activities, so it is not necessarily representative of the urban environment. Second, mechanical disturbance by winds in urban canyons and during emergency operations caused by vehicle traffic and human activities are not directly considered by the equations. Accordingly, plume and dosimetry models allow the user to input certain compensating values, but the models do not necessarily supply users instructions on what values to use. This manuscript reviews the available literature to comprehensively and consistently pool data for resuspension due to mechanically induced resuspension applicable to urban contamination. Because there are few studies that directly measured radioactive resuspension due to vehicles and pedestrians, this review novelly draws on a range of other studies involving non-radioactive particles, ranging from outdoor air pollution emissions to indoor allergen transport. The results lead to tabulated, recommended values for specific conditions in the emergency phase to help users of plume and dosimetry models maintain the conservativeness needed to properly capture the potential radiation dose posed by mechanically induced resuspension. These values are of benefit to model users until better data are available. The results also suggest the types of data that may result in improved plume and dose modeling.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Technoeconomics of Particle-based CSP Featuring Falling Particle Receivers with and without Active Heliostat Control

This report documents the results and conclusions of a recent project to understand the technoeconomics of utility-scale, particle-based concentrating solar power (CSP) facilities leveraging unique operational strategies. This project included two primary objectives. The first project objective was to build confidence in the modeling approaches applied to falling particle receivers (FPRs) including the effect s of wind. The second project objective was to create the necessary modeling capability to adequately predict and maximize the annual performance of utility-scale, particle-based CSP plants under anticipated conditions with and without active heliostat control. Results of an extensive model validation study provided the strongest evidence to date for the modeling strategies typically applied to FPRs, albeit at smaller receiver scales. This modeling strategy was then applied in a parametric study of candidate utility-scale FPRs, including both free-falling and multistage FPR concepts, to develop reduced order models for predicting the receiver thermal efficiency under anticipated environmental and operating conditions. Multistage FPRs were found to significantly improve receiver performance at utility-scales. These reduced order models were then leveraged in a sophisticated technoeconomic analysis to optimize utility-scale , particle-based CSP plants considering the potential of active heliostat control. In summary, active heliostat control did not show significant performance benefits to future utility-scale CSP systems though some benefit may still be realized in FPR designs with wide acceptance angles and/or with lower concentration ratios. Using the latest FPR technologies available, the levelized-cost of electricity was quantified for particle-based CSP facilities with nominal powers ranging from 5 MW e up to 100 MW e with many viable designs having costs < 0.06 $/kWh and local minimums occurring between ~25–35 MW e .

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Search for High-energy Neutrino Emission from Galactic X-Ray Binaries with IceCube

We present the first comprehensive search for high-energy neutrino emission from high- and low-mass X-ray binaries conducted by IceCube. Galactic X-ray binaries are long-standing candidates for the source of Galactic hadronic cosmic rays and neutrinos. The compact object in these systems can be the site of cosmic-ray acceleration, and neutrinos can be produced by interactions of cosmic rays with radiation or gas, in the jet of a microquasar, in the stellar wind, or in the atmosphere of the companion star. We study X-ray binaries using 7.5 yr of IceCube data with three separate analyses. In the first, we search for periodic neutrino emission from 55 binaries in the Northern Sky with known orbital periods. In the second, the X-ray light curves of 102 binaries across the entire sky are used as templates to search for time-dependent neutrino emission. Finally, we search for time-integrated emission of neutrinos for a list of 4 notable binaries identified as microquasars. In the absence of a significant excess, we place upper limits on the neutrino flux for each hypothesis and compare our results with theoretical predictions for several binaries. In addition, we evaluate the sensitivity of the next generation neutrino telescope at the South Pole, IceCube-Gen2, and demonstrate its power to identify potential neutrino emission from these binary sources in the Galaxy.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Exploring the Meteorological Impacts of Surface and Rooftop Heat Mitigation Strategies Over a Tropical City

Different heat mitigation technologies have been developed to improve the thermal environment in cities. However, the regional impacts of such technologies, especially in the context of a tropical city, remain unclear. The deployment of heat mitigation technologies at city-scale can change the radiation balance, advective flow, and energy balance between urban areas and the overlying atmosphere. We used the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with a physically based single-layer urban canopy model to assess the impacts of five different heat mitigation technologies on surface energy balance, standard surface meteorological fields, and planetary boundary layer (PBL) dynamics for premonsoon typical hot summer days over a tropical coastal city in the month of April in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Results indicate that the regional impacts of cool materials (CMs), super-cool broadband radiative coolers, green roofs (GRs), vegetation fraction change, and a combination of CMs and GRs (i.e., “Cool city (CC)”) on the lower atmosphere are different at diurnal scale. Results showed that super-cool materials have the maximum potential of ambient temperature reduction of 1.6°C during peak hour (14:00 LT) compared to other technologies in the study. During the daytime hours, the PBL height was considerably lower than the reference scenario with no implementation of strategies by 700 m for super-cool materials and 500 m for both CMs and CC cases; however, the green roofing system underwent nominal changes over the urban area. During the nighttime hours, the PBL height increased by CMs and the CC strategies compared to the reference scenario, but minimal changes were evident for super-cool materials. The changes of temperature on the vertical profile of the heat mitigation implemented city reveal a stable PBL over the urban domain and a reduction of the vertical mixing associated with a pollution dome. This would lead to crossover phenomena above the PBL due to the decrease in vertical wind speed. Therefore, assessing the coupled regional impact of urban heat mitigation over the lower atmosphere at city-scale is urgent for sustainable urban planning.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Creation and observation of Hopfions in magnetic multilayer systems

Among topological solitons, magnetic skyrmions are two-dimensional particle-like objects with a continuous winding of the magnetization, and magnetic Hopfions are three-dimensional objects that can be formed from a closed loop of twisted skyrmion strings. Theoretical models suggest that magnetic Hopfions can be stabilized in frustrated or chiral magnetic systems, and target skymions can be transformed into Hopfions by adapting their perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, but their experimental verification has been elusive so far. Here, we present an experimental study of magnetic Hopfions that are created in Ir/Co/Pt multilayers shaped into nanoscale disks, known to host target skyrmions. To characterize three-dimensional spin textures that distinguish Hopfions from target skyrmions magnetic images are recorded with surface-sensitive X-ray photoemission electron microscopy and bulk-sensitive soft X-ray transmission microscopy using element-specific X-ray magnetic circular dichroism effects as magnetic contrast. These results could stimulate further investigations of Hopfions and their potential application in three-dimensional spintronics devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2021

2021 Summer Resource Adequacy in the ERCOT Region

This report is an update to the NETL report on the same topic that examined the potential system performance of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system during the summer of 2020. Anticipated reserve margins in ERCOT have risen year-over-year from the 10.7 percent reported in ERCOT’s Final Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) for Summer 2020 to 15.7 percent for Summer 2021 in ERCOT’s Capacity, Demand and Reserves [CDR] report published in December 2020 and 2021 Summer Preliminary SARA published in March 2021. Using data from ERCOT’s 2021 Summer SARA, CDR, and historical performance data, six economic dispatch scenarios using PROMOD were developed to assess the risk to ERCOT of a load shedding event for Summer 2021. The results suggest that ERCOT could make it through the summer season without a loss of load event, as long as the weather remains normal. However, through a combination of scenarios, including increased demand, increased forced outages, and low wind output, ERCOT is likely to find itself operating in emergency conditions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

DOE OSTI2022

Activating Opportunity Zones for Rapid Solar+Storage Deployment in Low Income Communities (Final Report)

Millions of Texans choose their own power provider, giving them the option to have low-cost and even renewable energy delivered through their retail electric plan. However, Texans with less disposable income often pay more for electricity and have limited access to green energy and emergency backup power even though the costs of solar and wind power are at record lows and continue to decline. The Powered for Good initiative aimed to help deliver clean, affordable, 100% renewable electricity to low-income households in Texas’s Competitive Retail Areas, where households can choose their electricity provider. Objectives: The primary goal of this project was to develop and validate one or more affordable solar+storage products (i.e., priced less than of $0.14/kWh) that Retail Electricity Providers (REP) can offer to LI households. The team achieved three objectives: 1. Investigate how to best reduce electricity costs and increase availability of emergency power for LI customers; 2. Build momentum for, and facilitate an approach to, a Texas-based pilot deployment of such solar+storage products, with a goal of greatly expanding this approach to a large segment of the LI population in Texas; 3. Provide the structural framework, finance model, and roadmap to potentially increase investment of solar+storage projects in LI communities across U.S. states when modified to meet their state-specific laws and regulations. The team evaluated the market of viable solutions for low-income Texans through interviews and focus groups with professionals and residents with lived experience. The team then piloted a low-cost retail electric product. Following the pilot, the team developed educational materials, including fact sheets, a Go Green Save Green interactive guide, and an Electricity Bill Analysis Tool. The team is now working to increase power resilience and reduce energy insecurity with micro solar and storage in partnership with local entities in the Harris County area. Key Findings: Informed by Powered for Good research, including the experiences on Texas residents and electricity system experts, the Powered for Good team developed a pilot that was implemented by Energy Well Texas, a new company formed in late 2020. The pilot featured a combination of a 100% clean residential energy offering delivered through the electrical grid plus a selection of batteries, lights and a solar panel that provided participants with varying levels of backup power. For the 8 customers who submitted previous bills, the Energy Well Texas pilot reduced energy bills by about 30%. In Houston, residents earning less than 30% of Area median Income (AMI) spend an average 13% of their income on energy or about $1,555 per year. Repeating the pilot results for these residents could yield $466 in savings per customer or about 4% of their income. While this will not end energy poverty, it is a big step toward that goal. The Powered for Good and Energy Well Texas teams are currently planning their post-pilot phase of service offerings.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Cybersecurity Considerations for Grid-Connected Batteries with Hardware Demonstrations

The share of renewable and distributed energy resources (DERs), like wind turbines, solar photovoltaics and grid-connected batteries, interconnected to the electric grid is rapidly increasing due to reduced costs, rising efficiency, and regulatory requirements aimed at incentivizing a lower-carbon electricity system. These distributed energy resources differ from traditional generation in many ways including the use of many smaller devices connected primarily (but not exclusively) to the distribution network, rather than few larger devices connected to the transmission network. DERs being installed today often include modern communication hardware like cellular modems and WiFi connectivity and, in addition, the inverters used to connect these resources to the grid are gaining increasingly complex capabilities, like providing voltage and frequency support or supporting microgrids. To perform these new functions safely, communications to the device and more complex controls are required. The distributed nature of DER devices combined with their network connectivity and complex controls interfaces present a larger potential attack surface for adversaries looking to create instability in power systems. To address this area of concern, the steps of a cyberattack on DERs have been studied, including the security of industrial protocols, the misuse of the DER interface, and the physical impacts. These different steps have not previously been tied together in practice and not specifically studied for grid-connected storage devices. In this work, we focus on grid-connected batteries. We explore the potential impacts of a cyberattack on a battery to power system stability, to the battery hardware, and on economics for various stakeholders. We then use real hardware to demonstrate end-to-end attack paths exist when security features are disabled or misconfigured. Our experimental focus is on control interface security and protocol security, with the initial assumption that an adversary has gained access to the network to which the device is connected. We provide real examples of the effectiveness of certain defenses. This work can be used to help utilities and other grid-connected battery owners and operators evaluate the severity of different threats and the effectiveness of defense strategies so they can effectively deploy and protect grid-connected storage devices.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2021

Renewable ammonia for sustainable energy and agriculture: vision and systems engineering opportunities

Synthetic ammonia is essential for agriculture, but its production at present is unsustainable. Ammonia synthesized with hydrogen from renewable-powered electrolysis and nitrogen separated from air has the potential to alleviate these sustainability concerns while also having promise as a low-cost storage medium for intermittent renewable energy. This paper reviews recent research and development on the topic of renewable ammonia production and utilization as fertilizer and as energy storage. We describe our vision for synergistically combining these renewable ammonia applications to improve sustainability. Furthermore, we outline opportunities for systems engineering to play a crucial role in advancing the adoption of renewable ammonia in a manner which is sustainable, economically competitive, and reliable.

10 SYNTHETIC FUELS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Systematic Operating Temperature Differences Between Al-BSF, PERC, and PERT-With-Optimized-Rear-Reflector Solar Mini-Modules Due to Rear Reflectance

Reflecting sub-bandgap light from photovoltaic modules has the potential to improve lifetime energy generation of fielded systems by reducing operating temperature. In this article, the temperature of fielded aluminum back-surface field (Al-BSF) and passivated emitter and rear contact (PERC) mini-modules was monitored every 5 minutes for 75 days along with corresponding meteorological data. Additionally, passivated emitter rear totally diffused (PERT) mini-modules with high-performance sub-bandgap rear reflectors were tested and compared to the state-of-the-art industrial modules. These reflectors consisted of a >300-nm-thick silicon dioxide nanoparticle film with a low refractive index. The impact of reflectance on measured operating temperature was isolated with a previously developed thermal model and quantified as the reflectance-induced median temperature difference between each tested module at representative outdoor conditions (1000 W m -2 , 25 degrees C ambient temperature, and 1.43 m s -1 wind speed). We found that, because of their reflectance differences, PERC modules ran systematically cooler than Al-BSF modules by 1.0 degrees C, whereas the PERT-with-optimized-rear-reflector systematically operated 1.4 degrees C cooler than the Al-BSF module and 0.4 degrees C than the PERC module. We also found that the rear reflector provided the greatest temperature benefit during periods of highest irradiance.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Economic evaluation of variable renewable energy participation in U.S. ancillary services markets

Variable renewable energy (VRE) is not yet meaningfully participating in U.S. ancillary services (AS) markets. VRE participation in AS markets could provide a new source of revenue for VRE resource owners to offset declining energy and capacity values and a new tool for power system operators to address emerging system constraints. This paper uses a price-taker dispatch model and historical prices to estimate the economic value of standalone and hybrid (battery-paired) VRE participation in AS markets, from the resource owner and electricity system perspectives, in each of the seven U.S. independent system operator and regional transmission organization (ISO/RTO) markets where ancillary service prices are set. Across ISO/RTO markets, average (2015–2019) simulated incremental revenues from power regulation market participation were 0.0–2.9 USD/MWh (+0–15% of revenue without participation) for standalone VRE owners and 1–33 USD/MWh (+1–69%) for hybrid VRE owners. However, ISO/RTO reserve markets are relatively thin and have the potential to become saturated by energy storage projects that are currently in ISO/RTO interconnection queues. In most markets, standalone and hybrid VRE could provide power regulation reserves during periods with high power regulation prices, suggesting that VRE participation in AS markets could have high system value. The analysis highlights the relevance of separate upward and downward power regulation products and indicates that ISOs/RTOs might consider initially focusing on enabling hybrid VRE provision of AS.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Intersections of Disadvantaged Communities and Renewable Energy Potential: Analyses to Inform Equitable Investment Prioritization

Renewable energy development can bolster local economies through job creation, local tax revenues, and reduced energy costs; however, communities most in need of economic development and employment opportunities often see lower levels of renewable energy deployment. Megan Day and Liz Ross, along with their co-authors and supported by NREL's Sustainable Communities Catalyzer, identified areas where disadvantaged community indicators intersect with high potential for renewable energy deployment. Through a geospatial intersection of energy burden, environmental hazard, and sociodemographic data with the technical generation potential and levelized cost of energy for multiple renewable energy technologies, we identified trends across disadvantaged community indicators and renewable energy deployment potential. Combining metrics across several tools, including the State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) platform, the Low-Income Energy Affordability (LEAD) tool, and the Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping (EJSCREEN) tool, we compiled a dataset that can be used to inform national- and state-level energy-related assistance programs, economic development efforts, and infrastructure programs seeking to prioritize investments in disadvantage communities.

catalyzer↗

DOE OSTI2020

Using a coupled dispersion model to estimate depletion of a tritium oxide plume by a forest

Tritium processing facilities may release tritium oxide (HTO) to the atmosphere which poses potential health risks to exposed co-located workers and to offsite individuals. Most radiological consequence analyses determine HTO dose by applying Gaussian plume models to simulate the transport of HTO. Within these models, deposition velocity is used to assess the sum of all deposition processes acting on the plume. While this may account for vegetative and soil uptake or respiration processes, it may currently lack inclusion of the complex interactions within heterogeneous forested environments. In this complex morphology, dispersion patterns are significantly altered by changing flow regimes above and below the forest canopy and by the transfer of plume material across the canopy boundary. To determine the effects of a heterogeneous forest canopy on an airborne HTO plume, a Gaussian plume model coupled with an advection-diffusion plume model was applied to estimate transport in the free atmosphere above the forest and within the forest canopy and understory. During 2012, wind speed and wind direction measurements taken at 5 heights, ranging from 2-m to 28-m, on an instrumented meteorological tower located in a loblolly pine forest at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS), near Aiken, SC. From these measurements, model predictions were made over a full spectrum of meteorological conditions. Deposition and resuspension velocities were calculated based on the model-predicted flux of plume material across the top of the forest canopy. Additionally, net deposition velocity of the plume material was calculated as the difference between the deposition and resuspension velocities. The 1st and 5th percentile net deposition velocities were estimated to be 0.7 cm s-1 and 1.2 cm s-1, respectively.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗

DOE OSTI2024

Additive manufacturing of sandwich panels with continuous fiber reinforced high modulus composite facings

Abstract An improved approach consisting of a combination of fiber placement and fused filament fabrication is introduced for the additive manufacture (AM) of structural grade sandwich beams. Here, sandwich beams are additively manufactured using in‐situ deposition and consolidation of continuous fiber unidirectional facings made from a commingled yarn system of e‐glass fiber (~50% vol.) and amorphous PET, and a hexagonal honeycomb core structure made from PETG. Both facings and the sandwich core are manufactured on a single machine, in one sequence (skin‐core‐skin), employing the benefit of matrix compatibility to create autohesion at the interfaces. Flexural and transverse shear rigidity are determined experimentally and compared with analytical predictions and show correlation to within 3%. Flexural strength and core shear strength are also measured. Post‐mortem examinations show that core fracture and core facing debond were the dominant failure mode in flexure. Single cantilever beam tests were performed to evaluate core facing debond toughness. Subsequently, surface preheat using infrared heaters was utilized to increase autohesion between core and facing. The results show debond toughness was increased 4 times using infrared heating. This research effort presents a manufacturing approach that has the potential for the AM of stiff, well bonded, structural grade sandwich beams, in an integrated sequence, employing in‐situ consolidation to the facings, without the need for the use of intermediate adhesives for skin‐to‐core bonding. Highlights An improved additive manufacturing technique for making sandwich panels is developed. Sandwich panel facings have fiber volume fractions of approximately 50%. Surface preheat improves core‐to‐facing debond toughness by a factor of 4. Top and bottom facings are consolidated during manufacture leading to better properties. Experimental results are compared to analytical predictions and show good correlation.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2019

Evaluating the tidal energy resource for smooth power output and grid integration in the United States

In comparison to wind and solar energy, tidal resources are predictable with a high degree of certainty. Although tides are inherently variable, their periodicity and predictability create the possibility of providing smooth power output to the grid. By spatially diversifying tidal devices to capture the tidal wave as it propagates through a system, aggregate power becomes smoother. Tidal energy assessments have indicated that energy extraction is viable in several regions around the world, leading to the development and testing of many devices. However, less attention has been given to the interface between energy production and grid integration, particularly in the United States. We evaluate tidal phases for several regions across the United States to determine if there is enough diversity within relatively close distances of one another. By calculating the cross correlations of estimated tidal current velocity time series between representative locations in defined regions, we show three regions in the United States that have the potential to aggregate power output from geographically diversified turbines to generate a smoother, baseload-like power profile.

Preziuso, Danielle C.↗

DOE OSTI2020

Emission-line Data Cubes of the HH 32 Stellar Jet

We analyze data cubes of over 60 emission lines in the HH 32 stellar jet acquired with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI). The data cover the less explored blue portion of the spectrum between 3586 and 6351 Å and have both high spectral (R ∼ 10,000) and spatial (≲1″) resolution. The study includes all three major ionization states of oxygen, three Balmer lines, multiple lines of Fe ii and Fe iii, and the first data cubes ever acquired for important unblended diagnostic lines such as He ii λ4686, Ca i λ3933, and Mg i] λ4571. The data cubes generally sort according to excitation and have a relatively continuous progression from the highest-excitation ions (He ii, O iii) through the intermediate-excitation ions (O i and H i) to the lowest-excitation ions (Ca ii and Mg i). Merging the KCWI cubes with Hubble Space Telescope images leads to several new insights about the flow, including evidence for bow shocks, partial bow shocks, spur shocks, Mach disks, jet deflection shocks, a wiggling jet, and potential shock precursors. The most surprising result is that one of the velocity components of Fe ii in the Mach disk suddenly increases in flux relative to other lines by a factor of two, implying that the Mach disk vaporizes dust in the jet. Hence, jets must accelerate or entrain dust to speeds of over 300 km s{sup −1} without destroying the grains.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

Economic Analysis of an Electric Thermal Energy Storage System Using Solid Particles for Grid Electricity Storage

As renewable power generation becomes the mainstream new-built energy source, energy storage will become an indispensable need to complement the uncertainty of renewable resources to firm the power supply. When phasing out fossil-fuel power plants to meet the carbon neutral utility target in the midcentury around the world, large capacity of energy storage will be needed to provide reliable grid power. The renewable power integration with storage can support future carbon-free utility and has several significant impacts including increasing the value of renewable generation to the grid, improving the peak-load response, and balancing the electricity supply and demand. Long-duration energy storage (10–100 hours duration) can potentially complement the reduction of fossil-fuel baseload generation that otherwise would risk grid security when a large portion of grid power comes from variable renewable sources. Current energy storage methods based on pumped storage hydropower or batteries have many limitations. Thermal energy storage (TES) has unique advantages in scale and siting flexibility to provide grid-scale storage capacity. A particle-based TES system has promising cost and performance for the future growing energy storage needs. This paper introduces the system and components required for the particle TES to be technically and economically competitive. A technoeconomic analysis based on preliminary component designs and performance shows that the particle TES integrated with an efficient air-Brayton combined cycle power system can provide power for several days by low-cost, high-performance storage cycles. It addresses grid storage needs by enabling large-scale grid integration of intermittent renewables like wind and solar, thereby increasing their grid value. The design specifications and cost estimations of major components in a commercial scale system are presented in this paper. The cost model provides insights for further development and cost comparison with competing technologies.

27 ARPA - Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy↗

DOE OSTI2021

Economic Analysis of a Novel Thermal Energy Storage System Using Solid Particles for Grid Electricity Storage: Preprint

As renewable power generation becomes the mainstream new-built energy source, energy storage will become an indispensable need to complement the uncertainty of renewable resources to firm the power supply. When phasing out fossil-fuel power plants to meet the carbon neutral utility target in the midcentury around the world, large capacity of energy storage will be needed to provide reliable grid power. The integration of renewable power and storage to support future carbon-free utility has several significant and positive impacts including expanding the renewable generation into the grid, improving the peak-load response, and balancing the electricity supply and demand. Long-duration energy storage (10–100 hours duration) can potentially complement the reduction of fossil-fuel baseload generation that otherwise would risk grid security when a large portion of grid power comes from variable renewable sources. Current energy storage methods based on pumped storage hydropower or batteries have many limitations. Thermal energy storage (TES) has unique advantages in scale and siting flexibility to provide grid-scale storage capacity. A particle-based TES system has promising cost and performance for the future growing energy storage needs. This paper introduces the system and components required for the particle TES to be technically and economically competitive. A technoeconomic analysis based on preliminary component designs and performance shows that the particle TES integrated with an efficient air-Brayton combined cycle power system can provide power for several days by low-cost, high-performance storage cycles. It addresses grid storage needs by enabling large-scale grid integration of intermittent renewables like wind and solar, thereby increasing their grid value. The design specifications and cost estimations of major components in a commercial scale system are presented in this paper. The cost model provides insights for further development and cost comparison with competing technologies.

27 ARPA - Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy↗