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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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Scenarios for Future Energy Systems

Energy systems in the U.S. and globally have continuously changed and expanded over the past 200 years, from animal and biomass based energy to electricity and petroleum for heat, light, transportation, and industries of all kinds. The most recent two decades have experienced a significant increase in the use of natural gas, solar, and wind energy, as well as energy efficiency, due to both technology breakthroughs and public policy. With history as a guide, we can expect on-going transformation of our energy system in future decades, including increased electrification and advanced energy technologies, ideally helping meet societal goals of reducing pollution, improving quality of human life, and preserving ecosystems. Scenario modeling is an important tool for planning energy system transformations toward specific goals - such as net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, 100% renewable energy, or energy security - particularly when there are multiple options, conflicting objectives, and significant unknowns about a path forward. This presentation will review the history of energy transitions and the future policy and societal objectives on energy. Then it will summarize multiple scenario studies of future energy systems, with a focus on "100% studies" and the challenges to meeting those objectives. It will also outline of a few of the technologies being researched now that could advance the ongoing energy transition.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY,SOLAR ENERGY,↗
DOE OSTI2025

Synergies and trade-offs between storage, transmission, and sector coupling in high renewable energy systems

Energy storage, transmission, and sector coupling are some prominent flexibility solutions to support variable renewable energy (VRE) integration. However, investment cost uncertainties and public acceptance could hamper the deployment of these flexibility solutions. This raises questions about the development and cost-effectiveness of future energy systems, especially on how the dependence on local and cross-border solutions of flexibility would evolve if the uptake of these solutions is restricted. In this context, this paper identifies the synergies among flexibility options under restrictions on transmission expansion or increased costs of energy storage. It contributes to determining whether investments in energy storage and/or transmission expansion offer the least-cost transition and investigates the impact of sector coupling on these solutions. A long-term energy system planning and optimisation model towards 2050 is developed using the open-source energy system optimisation tool Balmorel, and a case study of the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea and the North Sea is established. Five cases with restrictions imposed on transmission expansion and higher energy storage technology costs are analysed at different levels of sector coupling. The results highlight the importance of transmission expansion at all levels of sector coupling. As the level of sector coupling increases, uncertainties around the cost of energy storage drive the least-cost pathways. Optimal investment solutions are found to have a mix of transmission and energy storage in capacity expansion at all levels of sector coupling.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Autonomous Energy Systems

Energy systems are increasingly complicated by the proliferation of clean energy technologies such as solar, wind, storage, electric vehicles, and building automations. Future energy systems will require secure, autonomous, and reliable communications, control, and interoperability among millions of distributed generation points and billions of buildings, vehicles, and more. To enable effective management of the anticipated growth of distributed devices and the deluge of data and extensive metering that will follow, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed the concept of autonomous energy systems (AES).

autonomous↗
DOE OSTI2022

A High Temperature Gas Reactor Integrated Energy System Using Energy Storage as a Buffer for Hydrogen Production

Analysis of an integrated energy system producing hydrogen in a high temperature steam electrolysis system via steam provided by a sensible heat thermal energy storage system charged by a high temperature gas reactor. Preliminary results over a continuous discharge cycle and single charging cycle shows minimal reactor impact despite 25% electrical power load change. Hydrogen production is held constant with steam provided by the thermal energy storage system.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2023

Advanced Reactors Integrated Energy System: Thermal Energy Storage Island Design

The main topic of this research is integrated energy systems (IES) designed for pairing industrial thermal energy loads with advanced reactors (ARs). The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Crosscutting Technology Development IES program and the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) are seeking to develop, design, and construct an AR-IES demonstration platform that couples the thermal output from an AR operating at the INL/NRIC Demonstration of Microreactor Experiments (DOME) test bed in the Experimental Breeder II dome to a variable capacity load emulator (i.e., air-cooled radiator) and sensible thermal energy storage (TES) via a molten salt thermal energy transfer fluid. In the rapidly evolving landscape of energy supply and distribution, flexibility has emerged as a prized attribute, surpassing the traditional notions of stability and baseload generation capability. This shift in priorities is particularly evident in the context of nuclear power plants (NPPs), where adaptability over constant output is becoming more important. As our energy infrastructure and resources embraces the rise of distributed energy generation, the inherent variability in net demand continues to grow. Moreover, the use of nuclear energy as a source of heat for decarbonizing the industrial sector is becoming a very pressing topic. In such environment, advanced NPPs are poised to enter a more competitive energy market, delivering both, flexible electricity and heat. This shift motivates the exploration of TES systems, designed to empower NPPs with nimble responsiveness to market fluctuations, flexible heat delivery capabilities, and redefine their role in the energy field. TES systems offer the unique advantage of storing nuclear energy in its original form as heat, thereby affording unparalleled flexibility in its subsequent utilization.

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS↗
NASA NTRS2018

Surface Irradiances of Edition 4.0 Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF) Data Product

The algorithm to produce the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) Edition 4.0 (Ed4) Energy Balanced and Filled (EBAF)-surface data product is explained. The algorithm forces computed topof- atmosphere (TOA) irradiances to match with Ed4 EBAF-TOA irradiances by adjusting surface, cloud, and atmospheric properties. Surface irradiances are subsequently adjusted using radiative kernels. The adjustment process is composed of two parts: bias correction and Lagrange multiplier. The bias in temperature and specific humidity between 200 and 500 hPa used for the irradiance computation is corrected based on observations by Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). Similarly, the bias in the cloud fraction is corrected based on observations by Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) and CloudSat. Remaining errors in surface, cloud, and atmospheric properties are corrected in the Lagrange multiplier process. Ed4 global annual mean (January 2005 through December 2014) surface net shortwave (SW) and longwave (LW) irradiances increase by 1.3Wm22 and decrease by 0.2Wm22, respectively, compared to EBAF Edition 2.8 (Ed2.8) counterparts (the previous version), resulting in an increase in net SW 1LWsurface irradiance of 1.1Wm22. The uncertainty in surface irradiances over ocean, land, and polar regions at various spatial scales are estimated. The uncertainties in all-sky global annual mean upward and downward shortwave irradiance are 3 and 4Wm22, respectively, and the uncertainties in upward and downward longwave irradiance are 3 and 6Wm22, respectively. With an assumption of all errors being independent, the uncertainty in the global annual mean surface LW 1 SW net irradiance is 8Wm22.

Kato, Seiji↗
DOE OSTI2024

Drivers and implications of alternative routes to fuels decarbonization in net-zero energy systems

Energy transition scenarios are characterized by increasing electrification and improving efficiency of energy end uses, rapid decarbonization of the electric power sector, and deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies to offset remaining emissions. Although hydrocarbon fuels typically decline in such scenarios, significant volumes remain in many scenarios even at the time of net-zero emissions. While scenarios rely on different approaches for decarbonizing remaining fuels, the underlying drivers for these differences are unclear. Here we develop several illustrative net-zero systems in a simple structural energy model and show that, for a given set of final energy demands, assumptions about the use of biomass and CO2 sequestration drive key differences in how emissions from remaining fuels are mitigated. Limiting one resource may increase reliance on another, implying that decisions about using or restricting resources in pursuit of net-zero objectives could have significant tradeoffs that will need to be evaluated and managed.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
NASA NTRS1974

Project plan hydrogen energy systems technology. Phase 1: Hydrogen energy systems technology study

An overview of the potential need for hydrogen as a source of energy in the future was presented in order to identify and define the technology requirements for the most promising approaches to meet that need. The following study objectives were discussed: (1) determination of the future demand for hydrogen, based on current trends and anticipated new uses, (2) identification of the critical research and technology advances required to meet this need considering, to the extent possible, raw material limitations, economics, and environmental effects, and (3) definition and recommendation of the scope and space of a National Hydrogen Energy Systems Technology Program and outline of a Program Development Plan.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2024

Demystifying Cyberattacks: Potential for Securing Energy Systems With Explainable AI : Preprint

Modernization of energy systems has led to in- creased interactions among multiple critical infrastructures and diverse stakeholders making the challenge of operational decision making more complex and at times beyond cognitive capabilities of human operators. The state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning approaches show promise of supporting users with complex decision-making challenges, such as those occurring in our rapidly transforming cyber-physical energy systems. However, successful adoption of data-driven decision support technology for critical infrastructure will be dependent on the ability of these technologies to be trustworthy and contextually interpretable. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of implementing XAI for interpretable detection of cyberattacks in the energy system. Leveraging a proof-of-concept simulation use case of detection of a data falsification attack on a photovoltaic system using XGBoost algorithm, we demonstrate how Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), a flavor XAI approach, can help provide contextual and actionable interpretation of cyberattack detection.

artificial intelligence↗
DOE OSTI2026

Advanced-Research-on-Integrated-Energy-Systems-Based Analysis to Support Resilient System Upgrades: Energy to Communities Energyshed In-Depth Partnership with Molokai, Hawaii

The Molokai, Hawaii, Energy to Communities (E2C) Energyshed project represents a collaborative effort between the National Laboratory of the Rockies, Shake Energy Collaborative, the Molokai Clean Energy Hui, Sustainable Molokai, and Ho'ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai to advance Molokai's Community Energy Resilience Action Plan (CERAP). Supported by Hawaiian Electric Company and the Hawaii State Energy Office, the initiative aims to develop a community-defined portfolio of renewable energy solutions that enhance energy resilience while aligning with the Hawaiian Electric Integrated Grid Plan (IGP) and Molokai's energy goals. Phase 1 focused on technical analyses and community engagement to co-design feasible energy scenarios. Challenges such as grid upgrades, storage sizing, and inverter ride-through standards were addressed to align technical and operational requirements with community preferences. The project equips Molokai with actionable data and insights to implement energy initiatives while ensuring resilient and culturally informed solutions. Future efforts aim to finalize project designs, secure interconnection agreements, and deploy energy projects that reflect community priorities and technical feasibility.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Global Energy System Transitions

Energy systems power the world’s economies. They are pivotal to providing sustained economic prosperity that provides the goods and services that humans desire. Climate change is intimately linked with energy systems, because CO2 from fossil fuel use is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas emitted to the atmosphere, and cumulative anthropogenic emissions determine Earth’s concentration of CO2. Limiting climate change therefore means that global energy systems must reduce net CO2 emissions to zero and stabilize emissions of other GHGs. We compare energy system pathways as they are currently evolving with alternatives that have the potential to limit climate change over the 21st century. The differences are profound. Here we also discuss some frontier research issues that can provide a better understanding of potential pathways and their implications for decisions makers.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Hybrid Energy System Workflow for Energy Portfolio Optimization

This manuscript develops a workflow, driven by data analytics algorithms, to support the optimization of the economic performance of an Integrated Energy System. The goal is to determine the optimum mix of capacities from a set of different energy producers (e.g., nuclear, gas, wind and solar). A stochastic-based optimizer is employed, based on Gaussian Process Modeling, which requires numerous samples for its training. Each sample represents a time series describing the demand, load, or other operational and economic profiles for various types of energy producers. These samples are synthetically generated using a reduced order modeling algorithm that reads a limited set of historical data, such as demand and load data from past years. Numerous data analysis methods are employed to construct the reduced order models, including, for example, the Auto Regressive Moving Average, Fourier series decomposition, and the peak detection algorithm. All these algorithms are designed to detrend the data and extract features that can be employed to generate synthetic time histories that preserve the statistical properties of the original limited historical data. The optimization cost function is based on an economic model that assesses the effective cost of energy based on two figures of merit: the specific cash flow stream for each energy producer and the total Net Present Value. An initial guess for the optimal capacities is obtained using the screening curve method. The results of the Gaussian Process model-based optimization are assessed using an exhaustive Monte Carlo search, with the results indicating reasonable optimization results. The workflow has been implemented inside the Idaho National Laboratory’s Risk Analysis and Virtual Environment (RAVEN) framework. The main contribution of this study addresses several challenges in the current optimization methods of the energy portfolios in IES: First, the feasibility of generating the synthetic time series of the periodic peak data; Second, the computational burden of the conventional stochastic optimization of the energy portfolio, associated with the need for repeated executions of system models; Third, the inadequacies of previous studies in terms of the comparisons of the impact of the economic parameters. The proposed workflow can provide a scientifically defendable strategy to support decision-making in the electricity market and to help energy distributors develop a better understanding of the performance of integrated energy systems.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hybrid Solar Thermal Energy System for District Heating Application

Solar district heating (SDH) systems can be good alternatives to conventional systems when they are optimized with hybrid configurations and thermal energy storage (TES). In this scope, a hybrid renewable thermal energy system (RTES) model has been built combining flat plate collector (FPC) solar system with parabolic trough collector (PTC) system via a heat exchanger and coupled with TES. To undertake the hybridization of the system, System Advisor Model (SAM) software was modified, which allowed control over configurations and more accurate modelling of heat transfer between the collectors. The model is first compared to an existing hybrid solar district heating systems (DHS) system in Taars, Denmark. The results showed a good correlation with an overestimation of only 6.4% compared to most recent heat output. Then the same system configuration was modeled in different geographic locations to investigate the impact of changes in direct normal irradiance (DNI) to the heat sink thermal output of the hybrid system. The results showed that the annual net thermal power output in California, USA can be three times more than the annual net thermal power output in Taars, Denmark. Finally, multiple hybrid configurations with varying solar field sizes were simulated based on the heat demand of two different university campuses DHS. The results showed that, retrofit applications of this hybrid DHS system coupled with TES could reduce the natural gas consumption of the existing systems between 25% and 41%. The use of hybrid RTES highlighted in this paper can be extended to many more opportunities.

district heating↗
DOE OSTI2023

Simultaneous Design and Operation of a Coal-Fired Hybrid Energy System with Integrated Thermal Energy Storage

This final report describes novel capabilities developed as part of DISPATCHES, Design Integration and Synthesis Platform to Advance Tightly Coupled Hybrid Energy Systems, for designing hybrid energy systems (HES) a.k.a. integrated energy systems (IES) in the context of a larger electricity market. Capabilities are demonstrated on a case study with fossil-based power coupled to a molten salt thermal energy storage system.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗