As Hurricane Fiona made landfall as a Category 1 storm in Puerto Rico on Sept. 18, 2022, some areas of the island were inundated with nearly 30 inches of rain, and power to hundreds of thousands of homes was knocked out. Only 10 days later, Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 … [continued]
One of the world’s biggest sources of renewable energy is hydropower, which generates around 16% of the global electricity supply. As the world looks to meet net-zero targets, hydropower is slated to play a key role in combating climate change. Just 37% of the world’s 246 longest rivers remain free-flowing … [continued]
The United States has a great network of waterways that is used for municipal, agricultural, and industrial purposes. With millions of miles of pipelines and conduits, the opportunity to harness that wasted energy with conduit hydropower is tremendous. In a recent study at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge … [continued]
When you think of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, your first thought probably isn’t race cars. If anything, you might inadvertently think of super secret nuclear stuff, but contrary to popular belief, that stuff doesn’t happen at Oak Ridge. It happens nearby at two other facilities: Y-12 and the East Tennessee … [continued]
The Earth System Grid Federation, a multi-agency initiative that gathers and distributes data for top-tier projections of the Earth’s climate, is preparing a series of upgrades that will make using the data easier and faster while improving how the information is curated. The federation, led by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge … [continued]
Oak Ridge National Laboratory are partnering with local organizations, nonprofits and universities to build resilience into independent microgrids
What You Need To Know About This Year’s Annual Technology Baseline, Including Distributed Wind and Pumped Storage Hydropower Supply Curve Data for the First Time The 2022 Electricity Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) is now available, including distributed wind and pumped storage hydropower supply curve data for the first time. The ATB integrates … [continued]
New polymer materials under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory could enable safer, more stable batteries needed for electric vehicles and grid energy storage. Polymers are promising electrolytes for solid-state lithium batteries for their low cost, flexibility and processibility, but performance needs to be improved. “Typically, you can increase flexibility … [continued]
It’s a simple premise: To truly improve the health, safety, and security of human beings, you must first understand where those individuals are. Everything else — how many people may be in danger from a weather event, who might be impacted by a resource scarcity, and how to efficiently deploy limited … [continued]
From River-Powered Villages to Hydropower Regulations, NREL Projects Earn Spotlight in Water Power Technologies, WPTO, Office 2020–2021 Accomplishments Report This year, several of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) recent water power successes earned spots in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office’s (WPTO) 2020–2021 Accomplishments Report. “This report … [continued]
