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Planning the Future of America’s Vast Electric Grid
America’s electric grid is one of the largest and most complicated pieces of infrastructure ever built. It is intended to deliver electricity nearly 100% of the time in any situation. And it will soon be called upon to accommodate renewables and more electric demand.
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Dams Built to Prevent Coastal Flooding Can Worsen It
The common practice of building dams to prevent flooding can actually contribute to more intense coastal flood events, according to a new study. Those massive infrastructure projects are surging in popularity globally, in part to help offset intensifying storms, salt intrusion and sea-level rise fueled by climate change.
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The Gulf Coast Is Sinking, Making Hurricanes Like Francine Even More Dangerous
Hurricane Francine hits low-lying Louisiana. Subsidence could make the storm surge worse: Because so much of southern Louisiana sits at or below sea level, the surge could race inland unimpeded.
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Astronomers Are Getting Better at Detecting Asteroids Before They Hit Earth – and It Could Save Us from Catastrophe
Asteroid impacts have influenced every large body in the solar system. They shape their appearance, alter their chemical abundance and – in the case of our own planet at the very least – they helped kickstart the formation of life. But these same events can also disrupt ecosystems, wiping out life, as they did 66 million years ago when a 10km space rock contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs (excluding birds).
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Congressional Staff Learn to Fight Wildfires with Legislation
Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment recently hosted a first-of-its-kind “boot camp” in which congressional staffers got a crash course from experts in climate, forestry, fire science, utilities, insurance, and other wildfire-related topics.
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Longer-Lasting EV Batteries, Hasten Energy Transition
Batteries lose capacity over time, which is why older cellphones run out of power more quickly. This common phenomenon, however, is not completely understood. Now, researchers have revealed the underlying mechanism behind such battery degradation.
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Argonne Leads the Way in Hydropower
As governments invest in renewable energy sources to help speed towards the goal of decarbonization, hydropower offers a promising complement to wind and solar, and Argonne is at the forefront of this research.
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Under Both Trump and Biden-Harris, U.S. Oil and Gas Production Surged to Record Highs, Despite Very Different Energy Goals
Under each of the three most recent presidencies, Republican and Democratic alike, U.S. oil and gas production was higher at the end of the administration’s term than at the beginning. Presidents’ actions can matter for the industry’s future, but the major factors in U.S. oil and gas production so far have been increased production efficiency, increased global demand and the lower cost of natural gas compared with coal.
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Traditional Infrastructure Design Often Makes Extreme Flooding Events Worse
Massive 2014 flooding event in southeast Michigan showed why systems thinking beats local thinking in flood protection.
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As Tornado Alley Shifts East, Bracing for Impact in Unexpected Places
Experts say the causes are still unclear, but the change is consistent with a warming world. The effects on the ground could be devastating.
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Scientists Seek to Invent a Safe, Reliable, and Cheap Battery for Electricity Grids
How do you store electricity in a way that is large and powerful enough to support the electric grid, as well as reliable, safe, environmentally sustainable, and inexpensive? Scientists are seeking to overcome the major limitations of a battery by using water as the primary component of its electrolyte.
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Let’s Take a Close Look at How We Protect Our Undersea Cables
We rely ever more heavily on the connectivity that cables provide and, with capacity-hungry 6G on the horizon, the need will only grow. Yet, little has been done to protect undersea cales from accidental or deliberate disruption.
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New Gels Could Protect Buildings During Wildfires
Researchers have developed a sprayable gel that creates a shield to protect buildings from wildfire damage. It lasts longer and is more effective than existing commercial options.
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Hydropower Generation Projected to Rise, but Climate Change Brings Uncertain Future
A new analysis combines hydrology data with climate change models to help water managers prepare for hydropower’s future.
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Hydro School: Engaging the Next Generation in Hydropower Discussions
As one of the many clean energy solutions, hydropower offers a variety of benefits, including affordable renewable energy, generation flexibility and resilience, and flood control, to name a few. Adding hydropower-generating infrastructure to water supply systems or waterways can also bring a variety of community benefits, such as recreation, while avoiding some environmental impacts usually associated with traditional dams.
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The long view
Helping Strengthen America’s Critical Infrastructure
Everyday life depends on a robust infrastructure network that provides access to running water, communications technology and electricity, among other basic necessities. The experts who keep our national infrastructure secure and resilient also need a strong network to share their knowledge and train the next generation of professionals capable of solving complex infrastructure challenges.
AI and the Future of the U.S. Electric Grid
Despite its age, the U.S. electric grid remains one of the great workhorses of modern life. Whether it can maintain that performance over the next few years may determine how well the U.S. competes in an AI-driven world.
Using Liquid Air for Grid-Scale Energy Storage
New research finds liquid air energy storage could be the lowest-cost option for ensuring a continuous power supply on a future grid dominated by carbon-free but intermittent sources of electricity.
Enhanced Geothermal Systems: A Promising Source of Round-the-Clock Energy
With its capacity to provide 24/7 power, many are warming up to the prospect of geothermal energy. Scientists are currently working to advance human-made reservoirs in Earth’s deep subsurface to stimulate the activity that exists within natural geothermal systems.
Experts Discuss Geothermal Potential
Geothermal energy harnesses the heat from within Earth—the term comes from the Greek words geo (earth) and therme (heat). It is an energy source that has the potential to power all our energy needs for billions of years.