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At least 1,711 records · Page 95

Natural Gas Community of the Future (Final Report)

Nicor Gas, a subsidiary of Southern Company Gas and its parent company Southern Company, is developing the concept of the Carbon-neutral, Affordable, Resilient, and Equitable Community ("CARE Community") to address the challenges of accessibility and affordability of grid-interactive efficient buildings in historically disadvantaged communities. The CARE Community is a new construction net-zero energy and carbon neutral residential neighborhood consisting of 50 homes with electricity and natural gas services in South Suburban Chicago, built as low-income affordable housing. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is assisting Southern Company to explore how energy efficiency, renewable technologies, and the reliability and resilience of natural gas can be combined and optimized in an islandable energy system as part of a broader effort to understand the role natural gas plays in future communities integrated with renewable energy and improved energy efficiency. The CARE Community will demonstrate how energy efficiency, distributed energy resources (DERs), and advanced controls can be combined with existing natural gas infrastructure to serve historically disadvantaged communities in a cold climate with low energy cost for affordable housing programs and enhanced resilience to withstand extreme weather. Homes will be a part of an islandable energy system, integrating multiple DER technologies such as solar panels, natural gas fuel cells, reciprocating natural gas engines, and battery storage. The CARE Community will provide a replicable template that affordable housing developers and energy companies can adopt throughout the United States. In this report, we present the design and modeling of the community and potential approaches for integrating DERs. We analyze and discuss annual simulations under normal operating conditions and week-long simulations under electric power grid outage conditions.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Clean Cities: A Model of Collaborative Technology Innovation Built Over 30 Years

The Clean Cities Coalition Network is an example of successful government-sponsored efforts to reduce petroleum use and facilitate collaborative governance across sectors and levels of government within the transportation sector. In 1993, under what is now the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) established Clean Cities in response to a requirement in the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 to implement voluntary alternative fuel deployment activities. VTO's Technology Integration Program is responsible for the Clean Cities Coalition Network and many other activities. DOE created a collaborative governance effort that has translated higher-level policy goals into multiple local collaborative practices for more than 30 years.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Freewheeling: What Six Locations, 61,000 Trips, and 242,000 Miles in Colorado Reveal About How E-Bikes Improve Mobility Options

E-bikes have been quickly growing in popularity in recent years. Access to e-bikes poses an opportunity to improve mobility options as a comparatively inexpensive yet similarly convenient alternative to car ownership. This study focuses on the outcomes of the CanBikeCO program developed by the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) that provided e-bikes to low-income users in sites across Colorado. This is the first large-scale, longitudinal evaluation of how privately-owned e-bikes are used, revealing energy, emissions, and behavior implications. The evaluation indicates that e-bikes primarily replaced driving alone. They were primarily used to access employment opportunities, although their use spanned the spectrum of mobility needs. They were popular among low-income, disadvantaged participants, with the greatest usage in the < $25,000 income bracket and by those who did not have access to a household vehicle. They have similar proportions to driving alone and shared rides for trips under 5 miles, so are a viable alternative for the majority of trips in the United States. Finally, they are competitive with cars in the number of destinations that can be reached in a given time, especially in urban cores and areas with good bicycling infrastructure. Analysis of the CanBikeCO pilot program revealed that e-bikes are a viable alternative to larger motorized modes, particularly for disadvantaged communities who may not have a variety of other mobility options. With supporting land use and infrastructure, their high energy efficiency can support substantial energy and emissions impacts due to mode shift, even in smaller communities. We will expand on these themes in a comprehensive paper to be released later this year.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗

Embodied Carbon Resource Navigator

The Embodied Carbon Resource Navigator is a guide to help architects, engineers, designers, contractors, and those who want to reduce their embodied carbon impact make more informed design decisions for buildings. The guide is a compilation of embodied carbon resources, organized by experience level to direct the user to the necessary resources.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Phase 1: Duke Energy Zero Emission Resource Integration Study (ZERIS); Phase 2: Carbon-Free Resource Integration Study for Duke Energy (Final Report)

Phase 1: This statement of work makes up Phase 1 of a larger effort. During this Phase 1 effort, NREL will work with Duke Energy to analyze the impacts of integrating significant amounts of new solar power into the Duke Energy power system under a variety of different penetrations scenarios, with a maximum of ten (10) full scenarios examined. The existing fleet, particularly the nuclear generation, will be considered in the quantitative assessments and discussions. Duke Energy is looking to quantify how much solar generation its system can handle. NREL will work with Duke Energy to quantify solar potential, identify likely integration challenges and possible opportunities for wind, storage, demand side resources and other technologies. Phase 2: This Statement of Work consists of a follow-up effort (Phase 2) to a recently completed Phase 1 modeling effort. During Phase 2, NREL will work closely with Duke Energy to analyze the impacts of integrating significant amounts of variable generation resources (wind and solar) and storage into Duke Energy's system in the Carolinas. The existing fleet, particularly nuclear generation, will be considered in the quantitative assessment and discussions. This Statement of Work also includes an extension to Phase II of the Carbon-Free Resource Integration Study for Duke Energy. In this extension, NREL will work closely with Duke Energy to extend the production cost analysis developed in Phase II to 2018 weather and load data for Duke Energy's territory. This extension leverages the modeling tools and datasets developed as part of Phase II. The analysis will compare results from Phase II (using 2012 weather and load) with 2018 results to assess system operations with increased penetration of renewables and storage. Simplifying assumptions will be made for modeling Duke Energy's neighbors in the production cost model.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

A Weather Analysis for Xcel Energy's 2030 Colorado Preferred Plan

The Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), a subsidiary of Xcel Energy (Xcel), plans to meet its target of an 80% reduction in CO 2 emissions over 2005 levels by 2030 through its Preferred Plan1,2 that includes increasing the wind and solar energy on its system, reducing coal, and adjusting the operation and dispatch of new and existing thermal generation. The objective of our analysis reported here is to identify how the PSCo generation and transmission of its Preferred Plan might operate in the face of specific weather events. We investigate weather events that currently cause stress to PSCo’s system, such as winter storms and extreme heat. In addition, we explore how the future system responds to scenarios that may be considered normal weather conditions today, but that have a large impact on wind and solar generation potential.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

W-SMART Phase-I Pathway Analysis: Case Study - City of Boston, MA

The purpose of this study is to synthesize stakeholder and research learnings to date by exercising PNNL’s Waste - Sustainability Monitoring of Alternative Reuse Options over Time (W-SMART) sustainability protocol for the Greater Boston region. This report serves as a foundation for future discussion and project work to characterize the costs, risks, impacts, tradeoffs, and highest uses for major waste streams. This analysis differs from previous work by 1) incorporating results of a newly completed detailed resource assessment for the Greater Boston area; (2) providing a head-to-head pathway comparison without any policy supports (e.g., carbon or energy credits); and (3) focusing on locally relevant critical waste streams and reuse strategies, by assessing the cost-effectiveness of two complimentary pathways, including (a) expanded incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) at existing treatment sites to produce baseload electricity, and (b) the conversion of blended municipal wastewater solids (i.e., sludge) and non-residential food waste to produce liquid transportation biofuels at a proposed hydrothermal liquefaction facility in Quincy, MA. The performance of each pathway is also compared to assumed business-as-usual waste management practices as a baseline.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

End-Use Savings Shapes Measure Documentation: Heat Pump Rooftop Units With Exhaust Air Energy Recovery

This technical report documents the Advanced Rooftop Unit Control End Use Savings Shapes (EUSS) measure, including providing a description of the technology, modeling methods, and the energy savings calculated from applying the measure to applicable across the US commercial building stock using ComStock to quantify its potential. This measure replaces gas furnace and electric resistance rooftop units with high-efficiency variable speed heat pump rooftop units (HP-RTU) that include exhaust air heat or energy recovery. The measure uses the same assumptions and technology as the variable speed HP-RTU measure from EUSS 2023 release 1 but adds energy recovery to precondition outdoor ventilation air to reduce HVAC loads. The HP-RTU compressor lockout temperature is modeled as 0 degrees Fahrenheit; below this temperature, the heat pump is set to shut off. The unit is sized based on the design cooling loads, with backup electric resistance heating addressing any remaining loads including heating hours below the compressor lockout temperature when there is no heat pump heating.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Non-Refrigerated Warehouse Design Guide [Slides]

Warehouses typically have a low energy use relative to their floor area. This make warehouses ideal to install solar panels and offset on-site energy use and have a surplus of energy if roof area is maximized. This surplus can be used to provide things like grid services or charge electric vehicle fleets. This document is intended to provide owners and operators of warehouse information on designing efficient/decarbonized warehouses and maximize on-site generation. The information here references outside publications to provide specific guidance, such as the ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides, but tailors the information specifically to warehouses. This guide provides owners a better understanding of warehouse design as well as more specific information for themselves or outside designers to reference.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

An Atlas of Current Customer-Facing Utility Program Designs and Pricing

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Kevala conducted a targeted literature review and leveraged extensive expertise, including team members with four decades of experience in the utility sector, to characterize utility programs and rate designs. This analysis delves into the motivations behind these programs and the various hurdles they face. Through this in-depth study, the team provides critical insights into the operational dynamics of utility programs, identifying key drivers and barriers that influence their effectiveness and implementation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

End-Use Savings Shapes Measure Documentation: Heat Pump Rooftop Units

The heat pump rooftop units (RTUs) measure replaces gas furnace and electric resistance RTUs with high-efficiency heat pump rooftop units (HP-RTUs). The HP-RTUs are intended to be top-of-the line, including high-efficiency fans and heat pump systems. The fans are variable speed, allowing the HP-RTUs to operate as single-zone variable air volume systems. The heat pumps are also variable speed, allowing for high part load performance. All schedules in the existing RTUs are transferred to the new HP-RTUs for consistency. Furthermore, any energy efficiency features in the existing baseline RTUs such as energy recovery or economizers are also transferred to the new HP-RTUs for consistency. This measure is applicable to approximately 45% of the ComStock floor area. The HP-RTU measure demonstrates 10.3% total site energy savings (449 trillion British thermal units [TBtu]) for the U.S. commercial building stock modeled in ComStock.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Technoeconomic Analysis of Kraft Pulp Mill Integration with an Advanced Nuclear Reactor

This study focuses on post-combustion capture and oxy-fuel combustion for the boilers at the mill, as well as steam integration with the nuclear power plant. The primary goal of the research outlined in this report is to design, analyze, and document the integration of industrial-scale HTGR with a reference Kraft Pulp Mill. The purpose is to deliver reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable clean energy alternatives while reducing CO2 emissions. Specifically, this study focuses on 6 different scenarios that include carbon capture equipment and some of them use nuclear power to meet the heat and electricity needs of the reference plant. Also, 2 of these scenarios are created while also producing clean hydrogen through integrated High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis (HTSE). This report offers a detailed techno-economic assessment of different scenarios for a Kraft Pulp Mill, including an analysis of tax credits (section 45V, 45Q, and 48E) provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. The evaluation explores the potential economic benefits and challenges of incorporating different configurations, including nuclear energy, into Kraft Pulp Mill operations, with particular attention to energy efficiency, economic implications, and environmental impact. By assessing both the technical feasibility and economic viability, this analysis aims to identify existing gaps and propose solutions for the successful implementation of nuclear integration. The findings are intended to provide valuable insights for stakeholders considering the adoption of advanced nuclear reactors in the pulp and paper industries.

08 HYDROGEN↗

Industrial Carbon Capture from a Cement Facility Using the Cryocap™ FG Process

The objective of the project was to execute and complete front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for commercial-scale, carbon capture projects that separate 95% of the total CO 2 emissions at an industrial facility, producing at least 100,000 metric tonnes/year of CO 2 for sequestration. The industrial facility selected is the Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve cement manufacturing facility (the largest single kiln line in the world), while the carbon capture system selected is Pressure Swing Adsorption system (PSA) assisted Cryocap™ technology developed by Air Liquide. The industrial host site emits approximately 3 million tonnes CO 2 /year based on plant data from 2020-2022. The captured CO 2 will meet the requirements of transport (Pipeline Grade) and geological storage, and the geological storage facilities within 80 miles of the CO 2 source. The impact of the project on Environmental Justice and the regional economy was also analyzed.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Overview of Building Electrification Technologies and Market Opportunities

This report provides an overview of building electrification drivers and select building electrification technologies and their markets and performance. Covered topics: Building Electrification Drivers and Context; Heat Pumps for Space Conditioning; Heat Pump Market Opportunities; Life Cycle GHG Emissions Impacts of Heat Pump Space Conditioning Technologies; Heat Pump Water Heaters; Electrification of Gas Loads: Commercial and Residential; Residential Panel Capacity; Electric Vehicle Impacts and Connections to Buildings; and Building Envelope Improvements and Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Opportunities.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

I-80 Mid-America Clean Fuels Corridor: Deployment Plan Report

The I-80 Mid-America Clean Fuels Corridor, which spans I-80 from Fort Lee, New Jersey, to Council Bluffs, Iowa, was designated an Alternative Fuels Corridor (AFC) in Round 1 of the Alternative Fuels Corridor program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Originally called the “I-80 Mid-America Alternative Fuels Corridor,” it is now named the “I-80 Mid-America Clean Fuels Corridor.” As of Round 6 AFC designation, parts of the corridor have sufficient direct current fast charging (DCFC) stations to be designated Electric Vehicle (EV)-Ready and sufficient compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations to be designated CNG-Ready. However, much of the corridor’s approximately 1,240 miles (mi) are not yet EV- or CNG-Ready. This includes about 1,130 mi that are designated EV-Pending and 700 mi that are designated CNG-Pending. This report presents a plan to develop EV charging and CNG fueling infrastructure sufficient to convert the entire length of the corridor to EV-Ready and CNG-Ready. Specific sites are not identified for future infrastructure. Rather, priority exits are identified, and information, analysis, and additional steps are recommended to support further refinement of these locations, as well as additional outreach and deployment efforts.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Industrial Carbon Capture from a Cement Facility Using the Cryocap FG Process (FE0032136)

The project's objective was to execute and complete front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for commercial-scale, carbon capture projects that separate 95% of the total CO2 emissions at an industrial facility, producing at least 100,000 metric tonnes/year of CO2 for sequestration. The industrial facility selected is the Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve cement manufacturing facility (the largest single kiln line in the world), while the carbon capture system selected is Pressure Swing Adsorption system (PSA) assisted Cryocap™ technology developed by Air Liquide. The impact of the project on Environmental Justice and the regional economy was also analyzed.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗

Industrial Carbon Capture from a Cement Facility Using the CryocapTM FG Process (2023 FECM/NETL Conference Proceeding)

The project's objective was to execute and complete front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for commercial-scale, carbon capture projects that separate 95% of the total CO2 emissions at an industrial facility, producing at least 100,000 metric tonnes/year of CO2 for sequestration. The industrial facility selected is the Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve cement manufacturing facility (the largest single kiln line in the world), while the carbon capture system selected is Pressure Swing Adsorption system (PSA) assisted Cryocap™ technology developed by Air Liquide. The impact of the project on Environmental Justice and the regional economy was also analyzed.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗