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Appendix D: Technology Readiness
Pages 289-314

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From page 289... ... TRLs also are a convenient means of describing the stage of development of increasingly clean electric power technologies because they are intended to enable a consistent comparison of technological maturity across disparate technologies. However, the complexity of power systems makes the TRL assessment imperfect since components of a given system in development are usually at differing levels of technology readiness, meaning that some components are at high TRLs, while others are at low TRLs. Read the entire page →
From page 290... ... As discussed in Chapter 2, the committee's review of available technologies indicated that there does not yet exist a suite of clean power technologies that can meet global demand at reasonable cost. Continued innovation, with particular attention to bridging the so-called "valleys of death" (see Chapter 3) Read the entire page →
From page 291... ... TABLE D-2 Promising Technologies for Increasingly Clean Electric Power Technology Readiness Levela Technology Category 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Renewable Power Generation 1: Electric energy storage 2: Hydro and marine hydrokinetic powerb 3: Advanced solar photovoltaic powerc 4: Advanced concentrating solar power 5: Advanced solar thermal heating 6: Advanced biomass power 7: Engineered/enhanced geothermal systems 8: Advanced wind turbine technologies 9: Advanced integration of distributed resources at high percent Advanced Fossil Fuel Power Generation 10: Carbon capture, transport, and storage 11: Advanced natural gas power and combined heat and power (CHP) c 12: Water and wastewater treatment Nuclear Power Generation 13: Advanced nuclear reactors 14: Small modular nuclear reactors 15: Long-term operation of existing nuclear plants (Continued) Read the entire page →
From page 292... ... 19: Increased power flow in transmission systems 20: Advanced power electronics Energy Efficiency 21: Efficient electrical technologies for buildings and industry a Technology readiness levels are shown on a scale of 1 to 9, where 1 is the least ready. Most of the technology categories shown include technologies with varying readiness levels. Read the entire page →
From page 293... ... They also are used to provide other services including peak shaving, ramping, spinning reserve, and backup for specific uses such as data centers. TRL Levels Technology Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pumped Hydro Compressed Air Adiabatic Compressed Air Li-Ion Batteries Lead Acid Batteries Flow Batteries Zn-Air Batteries Aqueous Hybrid Ion Batteries Beta Alumina Hot Batteries Liquid Metal Batteries TRL Now TRL in 2020 1 TRL in 2035 2 9 (pumped hydro) Read the entire page →
From page 294... ... Several regulatory, policy, financial, and awareness issues will have to be addressed before it can be accepted and exploited as part of the electricity supply chain. The most effective technology for large-scale electric energy storage at this time continues to be pumped hydro. Read the entire page →
From page 295... ... Advanced Solar Photovoltaic Power Description: Triple-junction photovoltaic (PV) devices exist and have achieved efficiencies of ~43 percent under concentration with very advanced fabrication technology (the highest efficiencies were obtained with structures based on stacks of epitaxial III-V compounds) Read the entire page →
From page 296... ... Advanced Solar Thermal Heating Description: Solar thermal heating is used primarily for producing residential hot water, for space heating, and for heating pools. Use in North America has declined because of the high cost compared with other technologies, although use for pool heating remains quite cost-competitive. Read the entire page →
From page 297... ... Technology Barriers: Low-cost systems with plug-and-play installation for residential and commercial use; large field integration for industrial applications; measurement of solar thermal output. Commercialization Barriers: Incomplete value chain; lack of knowledge among building owners and/or operators; insufficient incentives to adopt new technology; split incentives between building owners and operators. Read the entire page →
From page 298... ... . TRL Levels Technology Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hot Dry Rock Margin Stimulation TRL Now TRL in 2020 TRL in 2035 3-4 (hot dry rock) Read the entire page →
From page 299... ... Integrating distributed resources to supply more than 15 percent of the load will require smart inverters that enable distributed energy resources to provide voltage and frequency support and to communicate with energy management systems. It will also require distribution management systems and ubiquitous sensors so operators can reliably integrate distributed generation, storage, and end-use devices while also interconnecting those systems with transmission resources in real time. Read the entire page →
From page 300... ... Carbon Capture, Transport, and Storage Description: Although it is not cost-competitive at present, CO2 capture and storage can work in fossil fuel power plants. There is also room for substantial improvement. Read the entire page →
From page 301... ... Advanced Natural Gas Power and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Description: Advanced natural gas technologies, such as a new power generation concept based on the "Allam Cycle," could provide power at a thermal efficiency exceeding 50 percent. Read the entire page →
From page 302... ... TRL Levels Technology Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Reverse Osmosis Multistage Flash Distillation Multiple Effect Desalination Membrane Distillation Electrodialysis Forward Osmosis TRL Now TRL in 2020 TRL in 2035 9 (reverse osmosis) 9 (reverse osmosis) Read the entire page →
From page 303... ... The committee recognizes developments around the world that are under way that employ various technologies. TRL Levels Technology Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Advanced Nuclear Reactors TRL Now TRL in 2020 TRL in 2035 1-9 None assigned None assigned Technology Barriers: Need to develop materials capable of withstanding high neutron flux densities; no demand pull; spent fuel issue (see Chapter 5 section on "Nuclear Innovation Prospects and Obstacles") Read the entire page →
From page 304... ... TRL Levels Technology Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Long-Term Operation of Existing Nuclear Plants TRL Now TRL in 2020 TRL in 2035 1-9 None assigned None assigned Technology Barriers: Little research on degradation and aging of materials, including concrete; new technologies for online monitoring of critical equipment; new safety and risk analysis tools; integrated life-cycle management data, methods, and tools; enhanced nuclear fuel designs and analysis. Commercialization Barriers: Development of repair and mitigation tools/technologies; development of accident-tolerant fuels and technologies; plant demonstrations to assess the new technologies; code and regulatory acceptance. Read the entire page →
From page 305... ... However, VSC ratings increase continuously over time, and the technology has strong potential to take a major share of new HVDC applications, especially DC grids and multiterminal DC systems. TRL Levels Technology Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Advanced Line Commutated Converters Advanced Voltage Sourced Converters TRL Now TRL in 2020 TRL in 2035 7 (advanced LCC) Read the entire page →
From page 306... ... Increased Power Flow in Transmission Systems Description: Increasing power flow on existing and new transmission lines and corridors can facilitate greater use of renewable power generation options, enhance reliability, reduce control station power plant emissions, and reduce costs. Several technology options are commercially available, although some would benefit from additional advances. Read the entire page →
From page 307... ... Technology Category: 20. Advanced Power Electronics -- Smart-GridReady Inverters for Distributed Power Resources Description: Increasing penetration of variable distributed energy resources (DER) Read the entire page →
From page 308... ... Technologies were identified across the entire range of TRLs. TRL Levels Technology Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Efficient Electric Industrial and Building Technologies TRL Now TRL in 2020 TRL in 2035 1-9 None assigned None assigned Technology Barriers: Because of the range of technologies, a full accounting of the technology barriers is difficult to summarize. Read the entire page →
From page 309... ... Palo Alto, CA: EPRI. Category 5: Advanced solar thermal heating 1. Read the entire page →
From page 310... ... MMT = million metric tons. Category 11: Advanced natural gas power and combined heat and power (CHP) Read the entire page →
From page 311... ... Palo Alto, CA: EPRI. Category 13: Advanced nuclear reactors 1. Read the entire page →
From page 312... ... Category 14: Small modular nuclear reactors See references for category 13 Category 15: Long-term operation of existing nuclear power plants See references for category 13 Category 16: Advanced high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technologies 1. Read the entire page →
From page 313... ... Washington, DC: DOE NREL. Category 20: Advanced power electronics -- smart-grid-ready inverters for distributed power resources 1. Read the entire page →

From page 289...

... TRLs also are a convenient means of describing the stage of development of increasingly clean electric power technologies because they are intended to enable a consistent comparison of technological maturity across disparate technologies. However, the complexity of power systems makes the TRL assessment imperfect since components of a given system in development are usually at differing levels of technology readiness, meaning that some components are at high TRLs, while others are at low TRLs.

Appendix D: Technology Readiness Pages 289-314

Appendix D: Technology Readiness
Pages 289-314