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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.

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At least 1,747 records · Page 97
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

High-Fidelity and High-Performance Computational Simulations for Rapid Design Optimization of Sulfur Thermal Energy Storage (CRADA Report)

NREL and Element 16 collaborated on sulfur thermal energy storage modeling using NREL’s high performance computing (HPC) resources to assist its application in industrial processes. Industrial process heat (IPH) accounts for ~70% of US manufacturing energy use and is primarily produced by fossil fuel combustion. Approximately, 1500 TWht (~60% Terawatt hour thermal) of IPH demand is in the temperature range of 100-300°C. Industrial applications in this temperature range include drying, hydrothermal processing, thermal enhanced oil recovery, food and beverage, bioethanol production, etc. Cost-effective thermal energy storage (TES) that increases the utilization of waste and renewable heat (solar, geothermal, etc.) could provide significant energy savings and reliable heat sources, decrease emissions, and increase US manufacturing competitiveness through reductions in fuel consumption. This HPC4EI project facilitated Element 16’s development of low-cost and high-impact molten sulfur TES for dispatchable IPH. The development of a high-fidelity model validated by experimental data and HPC simulations enabled the successful resolution of the complex interplay between fluid dynamics and heat transfer processes during transient operation of sulfur TES, overcoming the numerical challenges posed by the non-linear temperature-dependent physical properties of sulfur. The project helped accelerate Element 16’s molten sulfur TES product design and support its broad applications.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Thermal Energy Grid Storage (TEGS) Using Multi-Junction Photovoltaics (MPV) (Final Technical Report)

The project aimed to develop a thermal energy storage battery that converts electricity to heat and stores heat at ultra-high temperatures (>2000°C) in graphite blocks. The thermal battery discharge uses TPV cells that directly convert thermal energy to electrical energy without any moving parts. All components of this technology were successfully demonstrated at the laboratory scale in this project. Development of extremely low cost (< $20/kWh) grid level energy storage is a crucial necessity to reach high penetrations of renewables. The thermal battery technology developed in this project is expected to meet the cost targets that would enable full renewable penetration. The project focused on four key aspects of this technology: Converting electricity to ultra-high temperature heat: This was done through development of graphite Joule heaters. Major issues related to arcing, heater evaporation and deterioration due to long term oxidation were addressed to ensure lifetime exceeding the service lifetime of the battery. Converting ultra-high temperature heat back to electricity: This was done through development of beyond state-of-the-art TPV cells. We demonstrated energy conversion efficiency of >40% that is a world record and exceeds the average energy conversion efficiency of turbines in the USA. The findings are peer-reviewed and published in Nature, and received a wide media attention globally. Protecting the TPV cells to ensure lifetime: Deposition of volatilized material, such as sublimated material or particles, on the TPV cell could greatly reduce the efficiency and lifetime of the TPV cells by blocking their view to the heat source and causing cell overheating. In this project we developed and demonstrated an approach that reduces the deposition rate, ensuring long > 30 year life. Technoeconomic feasibility and commercialization: In collaboration with the project’s technical advisory board, we developed a technoeconomic model. The model shows that, at large scales (> 1GWh) the thermal battery technology is projected to reach a cost of energy stored below $10/kWh-e, with a cost per unit power < $0.5/W-e and a roundtrip efficiency of 50%. These results, along with the technical achievements in the project led to the creation of a startup company (i.e., Fourth Power) that is pursuing commercialization of the technology.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Durable Low-Cost Pressure Vessels for Bulk Hydrogen Storage

Long-duration energy storage (LDES) in the form of gaseous hydrogen is vital for fossil fuel power plants to reduce frequent shutdowns and rapid start-ups. It's also crucial in renewable energy power plants for grid stabilization. WireTough Cylinders (WTC) has developed a Type II-S pressure vessel that uses steel liners that are hoop-wrapped with multiple layers of high-strength, cost-effective, and readily available steel wires. This design enables the vessel to withstand significantly higher pressures. It addresses hydrogen embrittlement issues and cyclic loading from repeated pressurization and depressurization during service. The WireTough design is cost-efficient, robust, and fatigue-resistant (with a 30-year design life) and is ASME certified for ground storage of hydrogen at a maximum operating pressure (MOP) of 350 bar and a design pressure of 500 bar. The cylinder has a 645 mm outside diameter and a water capacity of 1,715 liters, capable of storing 40.7 KG of hydrogen at MOP. Two prototypes were successfully produced to showcase the manufacturing technologies, with one being certified under ASME Section VIII Division 3 rules. Preliminary design work for a similar Type II-S vessel with a 500 bar MOP was also completed. The 350 bar and 500 bar Type II-S vessels were shown respectively to be 47.5% to 60% more cost-effective and 55% and 62.5% lighter based on per KG of hydrogen stored, when compared with their Type 1 counterparts.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2025

FECM/NETL Offshore CO 2 Saline Storage Cost Model Version 1 – QuickStart Guide

The purpose of this QuickStart is to assist users in operating the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management/National Energy Technology Laboratory (FECM/NETL) Offshore Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Saline Storage Cost Model (CO2_S_COM_Offshore) Version 1. This manual outlines the major outputs, provides an overview of how the outputs are calculated, and provides a more detailed understanding of how a user can edit the inputs to affect outputs for the purpose of evaluating a storage project aimed for conducting operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the Gulf of America (GOA).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low-Cost, Scalable Sorbents with Balanced Capacity-Kinetics-Thermodynamics for H2 Storage

The goal of this project is to utilize cutting-edge materials science, chemistry, and process engineering to demonstrate the feasibility of a new class of scalable sorbents with unprecedented balance of capacity-kinetics-thermodynamics for H 2 storage in fossil fuel power plants . The core fabrication leverages the unique exotic properties (e.g., high H 2 affinity, ultrahigh surface area, and exceptional thermal, mechanical and chemical stability) of the emerging 2D materials i.e. hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) followed by strategic coupling with alkali metals (Li, Na) dopants and optimal interlayer distance to deliver a stable, long-term energy storage for the grid. Figure 1 shows how this technology works.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2026

Analysis of Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage Tank Sizing and Preheating

Molten Salt Thermal energy storage (TES) is essential for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, enhancing their capacity factor and dispatchability to ultimately reduce electricity costs. This technology is becoming more important for other technologies including nuclear power, thermal-electrical storage, and concentrating solar thermal (CST). While molten salt TES tanks have been successfully deployed in lower-temperature parabolic-trough plants, the current state-of-the-art central receiver systems operating at temperatures up to 565 degrees Celsius have experienced costly and frequent failures. These failures are associated with the immaturity of the technology and problems in tank design, fabrication, commissioning and, sometimes, aggressive operation. A primary contributing factor is the absence of a dedicated technical standard for high-temperature molten nitrate TES tanks; designers must currently rely on existing codes like API 650 and ASME Section II, which are insufficient because they fail to account for the unique demands of high temperatures, thermal cycling, and transient conditions.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Addressing the split incentive challenge for rooftop solar PV and battery energy storage in multifamily rental buildings (CRADA 638 Final Report)

This project advances the understanding of how roof solar PV systems and battery energy storage systems (BESS) can be effectively deployed in multifamily residential buildings, a sector that has historically faced barriers due to misaligned incentives between landlords and tenants. By leveraging high-resolution building stock data and simulation tools, the research demonstrates how energy consumption patterns vary across building types, climates, and occupant characteristics, and how these variations influence the optimal sizing and operation of distributed energy resources. A key contribution is the development of a publicly accessible, web-based tool named RESIDE (Residential Energy Systems & Infrastructure Data Evaluation) that allows users to explore building energy use and evaluate solar and battery configurations without requiring specialized expertise. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry for stakeholders such as property owners, utilities, and policymakers. From a technical perspective, the project shows that integrating rooftop solar PV with battery energy storage can substantially reduce electricity costs and peak demand through strategies such as energy arbitrage and peak shaving. The modeling framework incorporates real-world constraints, including time-of-use electricity pricing and battery degradation, providing realistic and actionable insights. Economically, the results indicate that properly sized systems can deliver meaningful cost savings, improving the feasibility of energy investments in multifamily housing. More broadly, the project benefits the public by supporting the transition to affordable and reliable energy, particularly in rental multifamily housing where adoption has traditionally lagged.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Research Requirements to Move the Bar forward Using Aqueous Formate Salts as H 2 Carriers for Energy Storage Applications

In this perspective on hydrogen carriers, we focus on the needs for the development of robust active catalysts for the release of H 2 from aqueous formate solutions, which are non-flammable, non-toxic, thermally stable, and readily available at large scales at reasonable cost. Formate salts can be stockpiled in the solid state or dissolved in water for long term storage and transport using existing infrastructure. Furthermore, formate salts are readily regenerated at moderate pressures using the same catalyst as for the H 2 release. There have been several studies focused on increasing the activity of catalysts to release H 2 at moderate temperatures, i.e., < 80 °C, below the operating temperature of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. One significant challenge to enable the use of aqueous formate salts as hydrogen carriers is the deactivation of the catalyst under operating conditions. In this work we provide a review of the most efficient heterogeneous catalysts that have been described in the literature, their proposed modes of deactivation, and the strategies reported to reactivate them. We discuss potential pathways that may lead to deactivation and strategies to mitigate it in a variety of H 2 carrier applications. We also provide an example of a potential use case employing formate salts solutions using a fixed bed reactor for seasonal storage of energy for a microgrid application.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Development and Validation of a Latent Thermal Energy Storage Model Using Modelica

An abundance of research has been performed to understand the physics of latent thermal energy storage with phase change material. Some analytical and numerical findings have been validated by experiments, but there are few free and open-source models available to the general public for use in systems simulation and analysis. The Modelica programming language is a good avenue to make such models available, because it is object-oriented, equation-based, declarative, and acausal. These characteristics have enabling the creation of component model libraries that can be used to build larger system simulations for design analysis. The authors have previously developed a numerical framework to model phase change thermal storage and have validated model predictions with experiments. The objectives of this paper are to describe the transfer of the numerical framework to an implementation in a Modelica component model and to validate the Modelica model with data from the experiment and the original numerical framework.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Probabilistic Assessment and Uncertainty Analysis of CO2 Storage Capacity of the Morrow B Sandstone—Farnsworth Field Unit

This paper presents probabilistic methods to estimate the quantity of carbon dioxide (CO2) that can be stored in a mature oil reservoir and analyzes the uncertainties associated with the estimation. This work uses data from the Farnsworth Field Unit (FWU), Ochiltree County, Texas, which is currently undergoing a tertiary recovery process. The input parameters are determined from seismic, core, and fluid analyses. The results of the estimation of the CO2 storage capacity of the reservoir are presented with both expectation curve and log probability plot. The expectation curve provides a range of possible outcomes such as the P90, P50, and P10. The deterministic value is calculated as the statistical mean of the storage capacity. The coefficient of variation and the uncertainty index, P10/P90, is used to analyze the overall uncertainty of the estimations. A relative impact plot is developed to analyze the sensitivity of the input parameters towards the total uncertainty and compared with Monte Carlo. In comparison to the Monte Carlo method, the results are practically the same. The probabilistic technique presented in this paper can be applied in different geological settings as well as other engineering applications.

03 NATURAL GAS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Offshore Wind Farm Turbine and Energy Storage Optimization

Abstract This paper evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of repurposing decommissioned offshore oil and gas platforms as electrical substations for offshore wind projects in the U.S. Gulf of America, a region characterized by relatively low and highly variable wind speeds, extensive legacy offshore infrastructure, and exposure to merchant electricity markets. A unified techno-economic framework is developed using the Repurposing Offshore Infrastructure for Continued Energy (ROICE) Economic Model (REM) to integrate Gulfspecific wind resource assessment, commercial wind turbine performance, offshore infrastructure cost modeling, and wholesale electricity market exposure. Gulf wind speed data are vertically extrapolated to turbine hub height and combined with manufacturer power curves to compute annual energy production and capacity factors across a broad portfolio of commercial turbines, enabling identification of turbine designs best suited for low-wind offshore environments. Hourly electricity price data from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) day-ahead market are incorporated to characterize revenue potential, price volatility, and the temporal alignment between wind generation and market conditions. In addition, a conceptual framework for offshore battery energy storage system (BESS) integration is developed to support future investigation of market-responsive energy shifting at repurposed platforms. Results from the turbine evaluation demonstrate that machines with lower cut-in wind speeds and earlier ‘rated-power’ characteristics significantly outperform larger, industry-standard offshore turbines for the same net power under Gulf wind conditions, underscoring the need for region-specific technology selection. Market analysis further reveals substantial price variability and limited intrinsic alignment between wind production and high-price periods, motivating consideration of operational flexibility mechanisms. While storage optimization is not implemented in this study, the REM framework establishes a transparent and replicable foundation for co-evaluating turbine selection, infrastructure constraints, and market exposure, providing a practical pathway for assessing the potential role of repurposed offshore platforms in enabling economically viable offshore wind development in the Gulf of America.

02 PETROLEUM↗
DOE OSTI2026

West Africa Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Capacity Building - Discussion of BESS Tariffs: Payment Structures and Case Studies [Slides]

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are emerging as critical assets for enhancing grid reliability, integrating renewable energy, and enabling system flexibility. Yet, the regulatory and financial frameworks that determine how BESS projects are compensated vary widely across jurisdictions. This presentation explores international case studies - from Honduras, Costa Rica, Chile, South Africa, Mexico, and Brazil - to illustrate how tariff design and payment structures are evolving to support large-scale BESS deployment. The cases highlight a range of ownership and revenue models, including cost-of-service mechanisms, energy and capacity payments, and market-based arbitrage, as well as hybrid approaches under development. The discussion will examine key challenges such as defining remuneration for ancillary services, addressing double charging, and accounting for efficiency losses and degradation over time. By comparing experiences across markets, the presentation identifies emerging best practices for valuing BESS and designing tariffs that align technical performance with economic incentives, providing insights for regulators, utilities, and policymakers pursuing storage integration.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
NASA NTRS2015

Evolution of Archival Storage (from Tape to Memory)

Over the last three decades, there has been a significant evolution in storage technologies supporting archival of remote sensing data. This section provides a brief survey of how these technologies have evolved. Three main technologies are considered - tape, hard disk and solid state disk. Their historical evolution is traced, summarizing how reductions in cost have helped being able to store larger volumes of data on faster media. The cost per GB of media is only one of the considerations in determining the best approach to archival storage. Active archives generally require faster response to user requests for data than permanent archives. The archive costs have to consider facilities and other capital costs, operations costs, software licenses, utilities costs, etc. For meeting requirements in any organization, typically a mix of technologies is needed.

Magnetic Storage; Technology Evolution↗
DOE OSTI2020

Internal Insulation and Corrosion Control of Molten Chloride Storage Tanks

The U.S. Department of Energy Gen3 CSP program aims to develop integrated systems capable of delivering high temperature thermal energy to advanced power cycles [1]. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is leading a multi-national team to validate the potential of a chloride-based molten-salt system that uses a ternary blend of MgCl2/KCl/NaCl to provide higher temperature thermal energy storage capability (Fig. 1a). The economic viability of this concept is dependent on internally insulating the hot and cold storage tanks to enable the use of low-cost steel shells (Fig. 1b).

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Energy Storage Grand Challenge - RFI response

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is operated by Battelle Energy Alliance LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). INL conducts research in energy storage (ES) and ancillary fields for several DOE offices including, EERE, NE, FE, and OE. In addition, INL conducts related research for DOD, DHS, state agencies, utilities, and technology developers. INL has developed significant expertise in ES. In July 2020, DOE released the Energy Storage Grand Challenge (ESGC) Roadmap and in conjunction, a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the content of the roadmap. INL is qualified to provide a response to the RFI.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Where and When Does Solar Plus Storage Make Sense for Commercial Buildings?

As the capital cost of battery energy storage systems (BESS) declines, opportunities for commercial buildings to achieve net savings through peak demand management and energy arbitrage are emerging. National Renewable Energy Laboratory researchers modeled energy storage project economics - with and without accompanying solar photovoltaic systems - using local utility rates, ASHRAE climate zones, and solar intensity data to identify regions where these systems deliver life cycle savings now and in future cost scenarios.

battery energy storage systems↗
DOE OSTI2020

Combined Heat and Power Technology Fact Sheet Series: Thermal Energy Storage

This fact sheet provides an overview of thermal energy storage (TES) technologies, which heat or cool a storage medium and, when needed, deliver the stored thermal energy to meet heating or cooling needs. TES systems are used in commercial buildings, industrial processes, and district energy installations to deliver stored thermal energy during peak demand periods, thereby reducing peak energy use. TES systems are often integrated with electric or absorption chillers to reduce peak electricity costs and, in the case of new construction, to reduce capital costs by optimizing chiller size. TES technologies can support sites that have either renewable or fossil power generation, including combined heat and power (CHP) installations. With CHP, TES can help optimize equipment size by reducing the required peak CHP thermal capacity and increasing annual CHP usage. TES can also provide turbine inlet cooling for gas turbines used in CHP applications, which increases power production in hot ambient conditions.

Combined Heat and Power, CHP, Thermal Energy, Tech↗