Leveraging electric vehicles as a resiliency solution for residential backup power during outages
Not Available
Liu, Shanshan (ORCID:0000000241737485)↗
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Feasibility and Qualitative Risk Assessment of Fuel Cell Electric Bus Use for Emergency Backup Power for Airport Applications
Airports rely on robust backup power systems to maintain critical operations during emergencies. This paper investigates the feasibility of using hydrogen fuel cell electric buses (FCEBs) as emergency backup power sources, focusing on their technical specifications, operational challenges, and associated risks. Using Portland International Airport as a case study, the analysis evaluates the power output and hydrogen consumption of New Flyer’s 40’ Xcelsior Charge fuel cell buses, to provide power for key airport systems. Additionally, the paper explores the design and layout of how FCEBs can be connected to airport facilities, and addresses safety considerations, hydrogen supply logistics, and electrical compatibility. While FCEBs present significant advantages in terms of sustainability and resilience, their implementation requires careful planning, infrastructure investment, and adherence to safety standards. This research provides actionable insights for airport stakeholders seeking to transition to hydrogen-based backup power system.
08 HYDROGEN↗
Framework for Modeling 3D-Printed Concrete Construction to Assess Energy Efficiency and Backup Power Trade-Offs in a Mixed-Use, New Construction Neighborhood Development
This paper presents a framework that expands the URBANopt(TM) modeling platform to include 3D-printed concrete wall assemblies and assess energy efficiency and backup power trade-offs in new housing developments. Applied to a planned mixed-use neighborhood in Oil City, Pennsylvania, the workflow integrates building energy and distributed energy resource (DER) modeling to evaluate envelope and equipment upgrades alongside DER operations. Results show that advanced 3D-printed envelopes combined with efficient systems and onsite photovoltaics (PV) and storage reduce energy use intensity and sustain critical loads during outages. The framework supports planning for emerging construction technologies by quantifying key trade-offs between energy efficiency and backup power performance.
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
Residential Vehicle-to-Home Backup Power Capabilities: Key Findings from a ComEd Beneficial Electrification R&D Pilot
This report summarizes key findings from a collaborative technical study of residential, non-grid-tied vehicle-to-home (V2H) backup power systems in Commonwealth Edison’s (ComEd’s) service territory. The work integrates (1) a feeder-level technoeconomic analysis (TEA) using historical outage-event data and simulated electric-vehicle (EV) driving/charging profiles to estimate potential reliability and customer interruption-cost impacts under V2H and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) adoption scenarios; (2) controlled laboratory performance testing of a representative V2H backup ecosystem to characterize transfer-to-backup behavior, sustained power delivery, efficiency trends, and repeatable reliability limitations; and (3) a cybersecurity assessment aligned with NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 and ISO/SAE 21434 to evaluate interface-level risk drivers and identify program-relevant mitigations. Results indicate that V2H can provide measurable resilience value, but outcomes are strongly context dependent on outage patterns and the share of events that are “V2H-applicable.” Typical transfer-to-backup behavior clustered on the order of minutes, but rare long-delay edge cases were observed (including an event approaching 30 minutes) and should be treated as a reliability risk. High-power testing showed that peak-rated output is not necessarily continuously deliverable; stable operation may require operation below nameplate ratings and attention to thermal and installation constraints. The cybersecurity assessment highlights a broad attack surface spanning commissioning, home networks, embedded services, and cloud/OTA pathways, motivating minimum controls for secure onboarding, signed updates, patch cadence, and coordinated vulnerability response for any scaled deployment.
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
Backup power or bill savings? How electricity tariffs impact residential solar-plus-storage usage in the United States
Adoption of paired solar-plus-storage systems has accelerated in recent years, driven by both the demand for backup power and a desire to manage utility bills. Tradeoffs between those two uses can arise through the reserve setting on the battery storage system, which serves to maintain a minimum state of charge in case of a power interruption. Our paper applies an economic framework to evaluate this tradeoff in terms of changes in bill savings and customer reliability value across reserve levels, considering how those tradeoffs depend on the underlying electricity rate structure and levels. The analysis is based on a representative set of load profiles, solar profiles, tariff designs, and stochastic power interruption events across ten different regions in the United States. We find that the opportunity cost of holding storage capacity in reserve, in terms of foregone bill reductions, outweighs any gains in reliability value from mitigated power interruptions in the majority of customer situations. Higher storage reserve levels increase total customer value only in specific circumstances, such as for customers with inferior reliability (10x average interruptions), with a very high value of lost load ($50/kWh), and with tariff or interconnection rules that disallow grid charging. However, even this result is dampened when considering tariff designs with higher price differentials that increase the opportunity cost of holding storage in reserve (e.g. import/export or time-of-use rates). Allowing grid charging in tariffs essentially eliminates the necessity to hold any storage in reserve in all sensitivity cases explored.
Electric resilience↗
Technoeconomic analysis of hydrogen storage using 1,4-butanediol (BDO)/γ-butyrolactone (GBL) as a stationary backup power system
Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) are compounds that store and release hydrogen in stable forms at high density. While one-way carriers such as methanol and ammonia have gained attention, their economic advantages are often realized from their use as an export product and direct use as a fuel. Liquid carrier materials that can instead be cycled for energy storage have promise for stationary power applications. In particular, the reversible LOHC system 1,4-butanediol (BDO, H 2 -rich) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL, H 2 -lean) has a lower enthalpy of dehydrogenation compared to conventional cyclic hydrocarbons and can utilize non-precious metal copper-based catalysts. Here, in this study, BDO/GBL system capital and operating expenses are characterized for vapor phase versus liquid phase hydrogenation and dehydrogenation in a 10 MW backup power application corresponding to sizing of Tier 2 datacenters as well as other critical infrastructure such as hospitals. Costs are benchmarked against two incumbent technologies: a well-established methylcyclohexane/toluene carrier system and compressed gas storage. BDO/GBL storage costs are found to differ substantially between operating modes, with liquid phase hydrogenation coupled with liquid phase dehydrogenation leading to the lowest LCOS of $\$$4.58/kg H 2 in the absence of byproduct formation. In this bounding case, LCOS for the BDO/GBL system is lower than for MCH/TOL ($\$$6.97/kg H 2 ) and compressed gas ($\$$8.48/kg H 2 at 170 bara and $\$$12.05/kg H 2 at 350 bara). However, escalating costs of carrier replacement due to byproduct formation (ranging from an added $\$$6–11/kg H 2 ) illustrate the need for highly selective catalysts to ensure BDO/GBL carrier viability.
BDO/GBL↗
Resilience and environmental benefits of electric school buses as backup power for educational functions continuation during outages
Not Available
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Medium Duty Trucks, Rooftop Backup Power, and Advanced Hydrogen Refueling Components
The Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Delivery Van final project report describes the vehicle development, build, and demonstration of 15 hydrogen fuel cell hybrid electric delivery vans (FCHEDVs) sponsored, in part, by the DOE. This report provides background for the project including goals and objectives, project implementation details, technical results and lessons learned, and recommendations for relevant technologies going forward.
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
Solar and battery can reduce energy costs and provide affordable outage backup for US households
Distributed energy resources are promising solutions for household energy affordability and resilience as weather extremes and aging infrastructure intensify grid reliability risks. This study presents a comprehensive nationwide assessment of over 500,000 U.S. households, evaluating economic and backup viability of solar-battery systems. We find that 60% of households could reduce electricity costs with average savings of 15%, while 63% of households could achieve affordable backup power during power outages covering an average of 51% of their essential energy needs. However, these benefits show limited alignment with areas of greatest need, particularly in regions facing high outage risks. We also identify significant disparities in access to solar and battery, with less-populated and disadvantaged communities showing consistently lower viability. Furthermore, these findings demonstrate the need for targeted policy interventions to ensure equitable access to solar-battery benefits, especially as states transition from net energy metering to other electricity tariff policies.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
District-Scale Analysis of Electricity Load and Strategies to Improve Energy Reliability Using Prototype District Models
Projected increases in electricity demand in the U.S. highlight the urgent need for effective load management to ensure grid reliability. As the building sector accounts for approximately 75% of electricity usage, enhancing energy efficiency and flexibility in this sector is crucial. Adopting district-level approaches offers significant advantages over traditional individual building analyses by enabling shared infrastructure and economies of scale. To navigate the data and computational challenges associated with modeling energy at the district level, prototype district models have been proposed as holistic, system-level solutions that capture complex interactions within typical configurations. This study presents these models as a reference tool for analyzing district-scale energy systems across various climate zones in the U.S. Developed with input from stakeholders, these models integrate varied building characteristics, inter-building connections, and energy system interactions. A case study utilizing the Urban Edge prototype district model, implemented on the URBANopt™ platform, evaluates multiple demand scenarios and the impact of distributed energy resources such as fuel-fired backup generators, photovoltaic systems, and batteries. Findings suggest that while new electric systems can significantly reduce annual energy use, they may also elevate peak electricity loads, with a notable 43% increase in heating-dominant climate zone 5B. The optimal backup power solutions vary based on location, influenced by factors such as utility rates and incentives. For example, PV and batteries perform well in high-cost regions like New York City, while diesel backup generators are more suitable for backup needs in climate zone 3A, such as Atlanta. Thus, this research highlights the importance of prototype district models for future district-scale energy planning.
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
SCRES Energy Quest Workshop (Technical Report)
Energy Quest: Sitka’s Path to 2050 is a game based public engagement tool developed as part of the Sitka Community Renewable Energy Strategy and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project Cohort 3. Designed for Sitka’s isolated island microgrid, which is powered primarily by hydropower and depends on imported diesel for backup, the game translated complex long term energy planning questions into an interactive format. In facilitated workshops, residents built energy roadmaps to 2050, explored tradeoffs, and expressed priorities around four themes: affordability, reliability, self sufficiency, and innovation. Across sessions, participants showed strong support for increasing local self sufficiency and resilience, even when this required balancing near term affordability with long term investments. They emphasized reducing dependence on imported diesel, making better use of existing hydropower, and considering new renewable generation such as solar, wind, and additional hydropower. Survey and game responses also highlighted interest in using surplus hydropower to support new industries, expanding electrification of heating and transportation, and exploring emerging technologies and green fuels. The report organizes these findings into four scenario themes to guide Sitka’s 2050 energy planning. Affordability focuses on managing rate impacts, efficiency, and conservation. Reliability addresses diversified generation, backup power, and energy security. Self sufficiency emphasizes distributed generation and reduced reliance on imported fuels. Innovation explores new technologies, marine based energy solutions, and low carbon fuels. By grounding future planning in these community derived themes, Energy Quest shows how a game based approach can make technical energy planning more accessible and inclusive for remote communities. For questions about the game board and piece production email Dr. Sarah Troise (sarah.troise@pnnl.gov)
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
A building performance-based approach to determining energy resilience for grocery stores in the event of a power outage
Evaluating progress toward a built environment that is best equipped to serve communities during a regional power outage will require metrics that capture the energy resilience of the unique buildings and businesses most crucial to the well-being of those nearby. We focused on grocery stores as key buildings for which access, and thus energy resilience, is critical during a disaster when power is unavailable. We evaluated the energy resilience of these buildings by offering and testing building-scale metrics that assess business continuity potential during a power outage. Metrics proposed in this study are calculated based on the unique power loads characteristic to grocery stores, primarily refrigeration and maintaining safe indoor environmental conditions. Building simulations based on varying levels of backup power were carried out against occupant safety and comfort parameters to apply these metrics, with additional criteria imposed on grocery stores to capture the inventory and sales loss from food spoilage resulting from a lack of refrigeration power. Findings from this study demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed metrics and methodology to serve as a low-data burden means for stakeholders to evaluate the energy resilience of grocery stores, with greater implications in helping to understand the impact on community-scale energy resilience.
Siegel, Lino Sanchez↗
Emergency Radiation Dose Rate Monitoring During Prolonged Armed Conflict
The 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has introduced unprecedented challenges for the nuclear power generation and radiological safety communities, including occupation and disturbance of highly-contaminated areas, occupation of a nuclear power plant, and strikes near and within boundaries of nuclear sites. The war has necessitated the implementation of a supplementary dose rate sensor network to provide resilient measurement data for public protection and leadership awareness. This paper discusses the implementation of such a system, the factors determining what equipment is best suited for the purpose, and practical factors regarding deployment of the system and data management. The crucial factors for operating a supplementary dose rate sensing network are backup power and communications options for dose rate sensors to make the network resilient to the effects of military operations. The most important implementation factor is to plan for extended operations beyond those typically considered for emergency response given the unpredictable nature of warfare.
resilience↗
State-of-Charge Investigation of Lithium Manganese Dioxide Primary Batteries Utilizing X-ray Computed Tomography
Lithium primary batteries (LPBs) represent a class of energy storage devices, uniquely suited for mission-critical applications including emergency backup power, aerospace and defense electronics, implantable medical devices, and remote sensing. Despite their technological maturity and distinct advantages over rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (i.e., superior shelf life and operational simplicity), state-of-charge (SoC) estimation in these batteries remains a persistent challenge due to the lack of a reliable, quantifiable diagnostic technique. In this work, we investigate X-ray computed tomography (X-CT) as a transformative and accurate SoC estimation technique for LPBs. Results gained through X-CT measurements reveal systematic, quantifiable structural changes in cathode morphology and geometry during discharge, establishing a direct structural basis for SoC estimation, with a maximum relative standard deviation of 2.3%. This work establishes a pathway toward operando, imaging-driven SoC diagnostics that can significantly enhance the reliability of SoC estimation in LPBs.
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
Consumer Benefits of Clean Energy: The resilience value of residential solar + storage systems in the continental U.S.
Meeting national and state decarbonization goals requires a transition to clean energy technologies. Energy efficiency, demand flexibility, renewable energy and storage can reduce consumers’ electricity bills, lower total electricity system costs, and provide health and resilience benefits. Berkeley Lab developed a series of briefs that explore these consumer benefits of a clean energy transition. Clean energy resources that are located behind the meter have the potential to benefit the hosting customers by providing affordability, environmental, and reliability and resilience value. Solar plus storage systems (PVESS) are clean energy resources that can supply backup power without requiring fuel resupply or increasing local emissions. This report examines the regional value of PVESS for resilience by calculating a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) that considers the annual resiliency benefits of PVESS and the annualized cost of the investment. In addition, we estimate the expected technical mitigation potential of PVESS systems at the county-level to these expected events, and characterize the customer interruption costs by determining the value of lost load at the state level.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Hydrogen Transportation and Distributed Energy Systems Seismic Risk Assessment for Cascadia Subduction Zone Airport Facilities
Portland International Airport in Oregon is exploring operating a fleet of 28 fuel cell electric buses to support airport operations and possibly provide backup power during outages. In this report, we evaluate the risk of hydrogen deployment at an airport considering the potential for seismic activity. We present a seismic risk assessment for pressurized piping for a generic hydrogen refueling station at the airport. Only pressurized piping was considered in the risk analysis because of its vulnerability and availability of fragility information unlike the other components. Seismic capacity of other components should be included as more information becomes available.
08 HYDROGEN↗
Hydrogen Transportation and Distributed Energy Systems Seismic Risk Assessment for Cascadia Subduction Zone Airport Facilities
Portland International Airport in Oregon is exploring operating a fleet of 28 fuel cell electric buses to support airport operations and possibly provide backup power during outages. In this report, we evaluate the risk of hydrogen deployment at an airport considering the potential for seismic activity. We present a seismic risk assessment for pressurized piping for a generic hydrogen refueling station at the airport. Only pressurized piping was considered in the risk analysis because of its vulnerability and availability of fragility information unlike the other components. Seismic capacity of other components should be included as more information becomes available. To characterize the seismic hazard, we considered the initiating event frequency of a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake event based on data from the literature. Seismic stressors that translate to the site from an earthquake event are expressed as peak ground acceleration. Site disturbance is characterized as a function of soil conditions, represented by different shear wave velocity values, which affect how seismic waves propagate and impact structures. Pipe fragility curves as a function of seismic capacity were used to correlate ground acceleration and failure probability. These fragility characteristics were combined with site-specific soil conditions to calculate the probability of pipe rupture during a seismic event. It should be noted that multiple simultaneous failures due to an earthquake event as a common cause are not considered. Some epistemic uncertainties such as self-exciting shocks, aftershocks, and the time variant nature of the ground motion are not considered either.
08 HYDROGEN↗
Cost Benefit Analysis of Solar PV for the City of Oldsmar, FL
The City of Oldsmar is in the early stages of exploring renewable energy opportunities as a part of their initiative to reduce energy costs, improve backup power capacity, and begin the transition to more sustainable operations. The city is particularly interested in deploying a floating or ground-mounted solar PV system at its wastewater treatment plant. Currently, there are no solar PV installations in Oldsmar and there has been hesitancy to implement such a project due to the possible capital costs and limited technical capacity. Despite this the initiative has gained internal buy-in among staff working for the city. To assist with gaining more buy-in and making future decisions the city sought technical assistance (TA) from the Energy to Communities (E2C) Expert Match Program. Through the Expert Match Program, the city received TA provided by the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) to evaluate the cost effectiveness of several solar options. This report details the analysis and results of the work performed for TA.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗