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Resilience By Design: Advanced Metrics and Comprehensive Methods for Energy-Water Systems Analysis

This white paper examines the connections between energy and water systems, highlighting the need for thorough resilience analyses and interdisciplinary metrics in these sectors. It addresses challenges stemming from the growing interdependence and uncertainty in decision-making d...

Valdez, R., Jackson, N., and Wachtel, A.

A Decision-Framework for Retrofitting or Decommissioning Hydropower Plants in the USA

This white paper presents a comprehensive decision framework for evaluating the retrofitting or decommissioning of aging hydropower plants in the United States, focusing on the critical intersection of water and energy. The U.S. hydropower sector, comprising approximately 2,000 pl...

Mishra, S., Kumar, S., Prairie, J., Giovando, J., Rajib, A., and Castillo, C.

Hybrid Bioenergy and Hydropower Systems: Leveraging Heterogeneous Biomass and Wastes from Watersheds

Sandia National Laboratories and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) explore the water-for-energy nexus in this white paper, focusing on the impact of heterogeneous watershed waste materials on hydropower facilities. They identify key challenges--such as pile burning, wildfires, and d...

Quiroz-Arita, C., and Paudel, R.

Reinforcement Learning for Water-Energy Infrastructure Resilience and Evolution

This white paper outlines a foundational AI-based framework for improving resilience across the energy-water nexus, with a focus on electric grid and water system interdependencies under hydrologic and weather extremes. The focal area spans both "water for energy" and "energy for ...

Jackson, N., and Rao, N.

Natural Materials as a Pathway to Affordable and Scalable Membrane Separation Technologies

This white paper focuses on developing affordable and scalable membrane separation technologies derived from natural materials for selective extraction of critical minerals (CMs), such as lithium, manganese, and barium, from geothermal brines. This approach integrates with geother...

Ho, T., and Sharan, P.

Operational Flexibility for Integrated Energy-Water Resilience

This white paper focuses on advancing operational flexibility as a pathway to integrated energy-water resilience. It addresses the persistent fragmentation between water and energy systems, where separate regulatory, operational, and investment frameworks limit co-optimization and...

Jackson, N., and Rao, N.

Process Design and Optimization for Wastewater Treatment Efficiency and Resilience

This white paper explores the benefits of using digital twins and mathematical programming techniques to optimize energy consumption in wastewater treatment processes, thereby enhancing resilience and efficiency. Key challenges faced by current facilities include high energy consu...

Rawlings, E., Klise, K., and Gunter, D.

Wave Energy Conversion for Powering Aquaculture

This white paper explores the integration of wave energy converters (WECs) with aquaculture systems, aiming to enhance energy-water resilience and local food security. The focal area is the intersection of energy and water, addressing significant challenges such as reliance on fos...

Grasberger, J., and Nguyen, J.

Hardening Forested Watersheds to Wildfire to Enhance Downstream Water Quality for Critical Energy Infrastructure

This white paper focuses on water-for-energy stability, emphasizing the risks to energy infrastructure from water quality impacts due to severely burned forested watersheds. The primary challenge is that energy production in the U.S. is vulnerable to surface water quality, with hi...

Crockett, J., and Krofcheck, D.

Wave Energy for Resilient Water Supply in Coastal Communities

This white paper examines the use of wave energy for desalination in coastal communities, focusing on enhancing resilience by providing a sustainable source of drinking water during disruptions (intersection of energy and water). Coastal areas, particularly remote ones, face signi...

Grasberger, J., and Klise, K.