Projects

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

Fuel Assessments

Liquefied Natural Gas for Hawai‘i: Policy, Economic, and Technical Questions (2012-2013) – John Cole
Evaluated the potential importation of LNG to Hawai‘i and concluded that LNG could dramatically cut energy costs for consumers if obtained from the right source and on gas-indexed prices.

Biomass & Biofuels

Liquid Fuels from Synthesis Gas – Jian Yu
Develop technologies to produce high-grade liquid fuel from synthesis gas derived from agricultural wastes.

PHA Bioplastics from Biomass – Jian Yu
Develop biorefinery technology to produce environmentally friendly polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastics and hydrochar, a carbon-neutral solid fuel,from cellulosic biomass.

Fuel Characterization by Multidimensional Gas Chromatography – Scott Turn
Identify and characterize trace quantities of heteroatomic organic species (HOS) in aviation, maritime, and diesel fuels to improve the understanding of the influences of HOS on fuel stability and guide efforts to preserve fuel quality.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production – Scott Turn
Support the development of supply chains for alternative, renewable, sustainable, jet fuel production in Hawai‘i that may help to inform similar efforts in other tropical regions.

High Rate Digestion of Wastewater Streams – Michael Cooney
Produce a master design, inclusive of PID diagrams, costing, manufacturing, and shipping to build and install a wastewater treatment system designed from past research and commercial demonstration projects.

Hydrogen

NELHA Hydrogen Station & Fuel Cell Electric Buses – Mitch Ewan
Install and operate a hydrogen production and dispensing station to evaluate the performance and durability of the equipment and support a fleet of three hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEB).

MCBH “Fast Fill” Hydrogen Station (2010-2020) – Mitch Ewan
Installed and operated a “Fast Fill” (less than 5 minutes) hydrogen production and dispensing station to evaluate the performance and durability of the equipment, and support a fleet of 16 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

Solar Fuels

Solar Fuels Generation – Nicolas Gaillard
Improve the durability and conversion efficiency of novel chalcopyrite thin-film photo-absorbers for photoelectrochemical (PEC) production of solar fuels, aiming for a $2/kg production cost of renewable hydrogen.

Methane Hydrates

Methane Hydrates – Stephen Masutani
Support the exploration of hydrate reservoirs and the development of methods to destabilize hydrates to produce methane fuel. Advance our understanding of the environmental impacts of methane in the ocean.

Methane Dissolution Rates in the Deep Ocean – Stephen Masutani
Employ HNEI’s unique laboratory-scale deep ocean simulator facility to measure the dissolution rate and hydrodynamic behavior of methane bubbles at conditions in the ocean down to 1000m depth.

Methane Harvesting for Seafloor Power Generation – Stephen Masutani
Identify robust, practicable systems to harvest fuel methane from seafloor seeps and convert it to electrical power; and develop a conceptual design of the best candidate system(s) for a 1kW subsea AUV charging station.

Microbial Degradation of Hydrocarbons in Marine and Estuarine Environments – Brandon Yoza
Identify aquatic microbes that effectively degrade hydrocarbon pollutants in estuaries and the ocean, and to elucidate the mechanisms of this degradation.

GRID INTEGRATION & RENEWABLE POWER GENERATION

Grid System Analysis

Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i Installation Energy Plan – Leon Roose
Support MCBH in completing its Installation Energy Plan (IEP) to enhance installation energy resilience and improve mission assurance.

O‘ahu Distributed PV Grid Stability Study (2015-2017) – John Cole
Evaluation of the O‘ahu grid’s stability and dynamic performance with increasing levels of distributed photovoltaic solar resources during contingency events, and assessments of grid strength and battery energy storage.

O‘ahu-Maui Grid Interconnection Study (2013-2014) – John Cole
Examined the value of prospective interconnected operation between the O‘ahu and Maui County (Maui, Lana‘i, and Moloka‘i) power grids via submarine power cables, advanced control systems, and operational strategies.

Hawai‘i Solar Integration Study (2010-2012) – John Cole
Examined the operational impact of high penetrations of solar and wind energy on the O‘ahu and Maui bulk power systems.

Grid Technology: Development and Demonstration

Advanced Conservation Voltage Reduction Development & Demonstration – Leon Roose
Testing and validation of a conservation voltage reduction (CVR) control algorithm, including communication between the controller and field meters to be located at service transformers, all to achieve maximum CVR benefits.

Advanced Real-Time Grid Energy Monitor System (ARGEMS) – Kevin Davies
Develop a low-cost device and system that can provide enhanced situational awareness and tighter, localized coordination of distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV).

Coconut Island DC Micro-Grid – Leon Roose
Demonstrate the performance and resilience of a DC micro-grid serving two buildings on Coconut Island and provide clean electrified transportation options powered primarily by solar energy.

Dynamic Load Bank – Secure Microgrids – Leon Roose
Examining the use of a Dynamic Load Bank (DLB) to deliver additional grid value, such as frequency regulation functions, that may enable higher penetration levels of distributed PV systems on microgrids and islanded power systems.

Ka Honua Momona: Maximizing Efficiency of Off-Grid Nano-Grid – Jim Maskrey
Convert an existing off-grid solar PV system into a more efficient “smart” nano-grid utilizing site-scale automated load and demand management strategies to minimize wasted generation while eliminating the need for fossil fuel backup.

NELHA HOST Park Microgrid Analysis – Leon Roose
Determine the feasibility and benefits of modifying the current energy system at NELHA’s “HOST Park” to enable it to operate as a microgrid, connected to the HELCO electric grid system, or as a stand-alone facility.

Solar Power Forecasting – Dax Matthews
Develop and employ advanced forecasting methods and technologies to predict solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation from minutes to days ahead.

Sustainable Grid Platform with Enhanced System Layer and Fully Scalable Integration – Leon Roose
Designing highly scalable technologies for distribution systems to operate reliably and securely with extremely high penetration of distributed energy resources, with a focus on solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Load and PV Data Synthesis – Leon Roose
Synthesize a full set of disaggregated solar photovoltaic (PV) and customer load data from limited field measurements to enable realistic distribution feeder modeling and state analysis for circuits with high distributed PV penetration.

Moloka‘i Electric Grid Aided by Fast Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) – Marc Matsuura
Examining method to limit electric grid contingencies and outages arising from high penetration levels of distributed photovoltaic (PV) installations by using a speed-enhanced Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

Maui Smart Grid Demonstration (2008-2014) – Leon Roose
Developed and validated the use of smart grid technology to reduce peak demand and facilitate the integration of intermittent renewable technologies.

Smart Grid Inverters for High-Penetration PV Applications (2011-2015) – Leon Roose
Integrated grid management functionality software and standards-based communications hardware and software to develop and demonstrate use of a “smart grid inverter.”

Ocean Energy

Research Support to the U.S. Navy Wave Energy Test Site (WETS) – Patrick Cross
Provide support to WETS in the form of environmental monitoring, independent wave energy conversion (WEC) device performance analysis, and critical marine logistical support which helps to advance wave energy globally.

Hawai‘i National Marine Renewable Energy Center (2008-2018) – Patrick Cross
Facilitated the development of commercial wave energy systems by assessing the power performance of prototype wave energy conversion (WEC) devices and evaluates their potential environmental impact.

ELECTROCHEMICAL POWER SYSTEMS

Fuel Cells

Fuel Cell Development for Electric Powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – Keith Bethune
Support the Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) efforts to develop ultra-lightweight, high efficiency fuel cell systems for UAVs.

Active and Durable PGM-Free Catalysts for Fuel Cell Applications – Tatyana Reshetenko
Development of platinum group metal free (PGM-free) catalyst for electrochemical oxygen reduction offers a potential to reduce the production cost of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).

NELHA Hydrogen Station & Fuel Cell Electric Buses – Mitch Ewan
Install and operate a hydrogen production and dispensing station to evaluate the performance and durability of the equipment and support a fleet of three hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Buses (FCEB).

Transition Metal Carbide Catalysts for Electrochemical Applications – Jing Qi
Develop novel transition metal carbide catalysts that have the potential to improve the performance of electrochemical energy storage systems, such as water electrolyzers combined with fuel cells and vanadium redox flow batteries.

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Contamination – Jean St-Pierre
Devise mitigation strategies for two widespread air contaminants: bromomethane and chloride in order to reduce energy efficiency loss.

Water Purification Via Membrane Filtration – Jean St-Pierre
Develop a novel, low-cost water purification technology with ion exchange membrane and porous media that may reduce the energy consumption to less than 1 kWh/m³ for seawater desalination.

MCBH “Fast Fill” Hydrogen Station (2009-2020) – Mitch Ewan
Installed and operated a “Fast Fill” (less than 5 minutes) hydrogen production and dispensing station to evaluate the performance and durability of the equipment, and support a fleet of 16 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.

Mass Transfer Analysis for High Power Fuel Cells (2015-2019) –Tatyana Reshetenko
Developed a novel diagnostic method for the determination of mass transfer parameters which will provide guidance for improvements in electrode structure design.

Airborne Contaminants Effects on PEMFCs (2010-2018) – Jean St-Pierre
Study of the impacts of critical airborne contaminants common to vehicle exhaust and other emissions on FC performance and durability. Determining the mechanisms and developing strategies to mitigate performance loss.

Fuel Cell Model Library (2007-2014) – Kevin Davies
Development of an open-source library of PEMFC models in the Modelica language to support understanding of PEMFC operation and analyze contaminant impacts at single cell and stack levels.

Determination of Mass Transfer Coefficients in PEM Fuel Cells (2012-2013) – Tatyana Reshetenko
Developed a method to separate reactant mass transfer coefficients in gas and solid ionomer phases of a PEM fuel cell.

Batteries

Battery Energy Storage Systems Durability & Reliability – Matthieu Dubarry
Forecast and understanding of the degradation of batteries in large grid deployed systems in order to suggest best practices that will improve durability and safety.

Path Dependence Degradation Study of Li Ion Battery for PHEV Applications – Matthieu Dubarry
Forecast of the impact of different operating conditions, such as fast charging and grid-vehicle interactions, on the performance and durability of Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles.

Battery Diagnosis and Prognosis – Matthieu Dubarry
Development of tools, protocols, and new approaches to improve batteries diagnosis and prognosis via non-invasive in-operando techniques.

Battery Electrode Optimization – Matthieu Dubarry
Optimization of battery electrodes to improve performance by tuning architecture.

ADVANCED MATERIALS

Advanced PV Materials

Printable Photovoltaics – Nicolas Gaillard
Develop high-throughput ink-based fabrication techniques for light-weight thin film photovoltaics (PV) to potentially to significantly reduce manufacturing costs and enable PV integration on non-conventional substrates.

Hydrogen Storage

Development of Magnesium Boride Etherates as Hydrogen Storage Materials – Godwin Severa
Synthesize and characterize novel modified MgB₂ materials with improved hydrogen cycling kinetics and hydrogen storage capacities and demonstrate their capability to meet the Department of Energy (DOE) hydrogen storage targets.

Gas Purification

Development of Novel Air Filtration Materials – Godwin Severa
The design, synthesis and characterization of novel, reversible high-performance acidic gas (SOx, NOx and H₂S) contaminant absorbent materials that will enable fuel cell vehicles to be efficiently operated under harsh air environments.

Contaminant Mitigation

Currently under construction

ENERGY EFFICIENCY & TRANSPORTATION

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Project Frog: Net Zero Energy Comparative Analysis – Jim Maskrey
Understand energy performance and operation of net zero energy, mixed mode buildings in tropical climate and to serve as research facilities for study of energy efficient building features and control schemes.

Adaptive Lighting and Energy Efficient Security Strategy – Jim Maskrey
Develop and test a novel LIDAR sensor based, adaptive lighting system that has the potential to significantly enhance security and dramatically reduce energy use and maintenance costs in high-security Naval installations.

Building Energy Reduction in Future Transit Oriented Development Areas  – Jim Maskrey
Develop and demonstrate a building energy analysis process that can be used during early design phases at multiple transit-oriented development (TOD) sites associated with O‘ahu’s light rail line.

State of Hawai‘i Department of Education Thermal Comfort Portal – Jim Maskrey
Provides the State of Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) with the technical resources and expertise to support the delivery of energy and weather data that allows for data-driven decisions for designs and resource allocation.

Desiccant Dehumidification for Mechanical HVAC Systems in Tropical Environment (2016-2017) – Jim Maskrey
Investigated non-conventional liquid desiccant dehumidification systems, identified applications in Hawai‘i, proposed a pilot design and identified a potential site for the implementation of a pilot.

State of Hawai‘i Department of Education Facilities Energy and Comfort Study (2015) – Jim Maskrey
Monitor, evaluate, and assess specific school facilities using a range of DOE-defined criteria that includes environmental conditions, energy use, comfort and other human factors related to healthy learning environments.

Transportation

Bi-Directional EV Charging Demonstration Project – Leon Roose
Develop and evaluate the performance of novel algorithms to optimize the charge/discharge of shared fleet vehicles that will help to inform University consideration of various options.

Electrified Transportation – Katherine McKenzie
Developed a quantitative dataset to estimate and analyze ground transportation fuel use and CO₂ emissions for passenger and freight vehicles on O‘ahu.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production – Scott Turn
Support the development of supply chains for alternative, renewable, sustainable, jet fuel production in Hawai‘i that may help to inform similar efforts in other tropical regions.

Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (2013-2018) – Kathy McKenzie
Partnered with Florida Solar Energy Center to test commercial lithium ion batteries under Vehicle-to-Grid and Grid-to Vehicle conditions to forecast their durability and assess battery degradation factors in relation to EV technologies.

O‘ahu Electric Vehicle Charging Study (2012-2013) – Kathy McKenzie
Quantified impacts of EVs in reducing curtailed wind and solar energy with controlled EV charging strategies under several future scenarios with high penetrations of wind and solar energy on O‘ahu’s electricity grid.

ENERGY POLICY & ANALYSIS

Field Verification of AI-based Microgrid – Mark Glick
Upgrade and improve the resilience of the electrical system for the deep seawater delivery facilities at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai‘i (NELHA) through the use of an advanced control system for an AI-based microgrid.

Hawai‘i Energy Policy Forum (HEPF) – John Cole
Supports the activities of the HEPF in its mission to enable informed decisions to advance Hawai‘i’s clean energy future by convening a network of stakeholders for fact finding, analysis, information sharing, and advocacy.

Energy Briefs – John Cole
Inform a wider audience with accurate, easy to understand descriptions of analyses and issues related to Hawai‘i’s energy transition to foster better informed discussion for both energy stakeholders and members of the public.

Grid Integration of Solar and Storage – John Cole
Evaluates the O‘ahu grid’s ability to integrate increasing levels of solar and storage, and identifies potential challenges.

Technical and Decision Support Services to the Hawai‘i PUC – John Cole
Provides the Hawai‘i Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with highly technical, unbiased and independent third-party review of electric utility proposals.

Vietnam Low Emission Energy Program (V-LEEP) RPS Development – Mark Glick
Advising and guiding Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and other Vietnamese stakeholders with the design of a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) mechanism and roadmap for its implementation.

Integrated Grid Planning Support – John Cole
Supports the Hawaiian Electric Companies Integrated Grid Planning (IGP) Process by providing technical expertise and independent analyses to help decision making in the electric system planning process.

Electric Vehicle Emissions Impacts in Hawai‘i – John Cole
Analyzed the state’s overall CO₂ emission impact with increasing PV growth and electric vehicle (EV) adoption.

Hawai‘i Renewable Portfolio Standards Study (2013-2015) – John Cole
Utilized modeling tools to identify and evaluate cost-effective pathways that support growth of renewables on O‘ahu and Maui with a goal of achieving RPS targets.

Geothermal Strategic Development Study (2012-2013) – Richard Rocheleau
Assessed state, industry, and utility interest in developing new geothermal energy resources and offered recommendations to prepare for potential development scenarios and suggested a roadmap for implementation in Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i State Bioenergy Master Plan (2008-2009) – Scott Turn
Developed a plan to address land and water resources, distribution infrastructure, labor resources, bioenergy technology, permitting, financial incentives, business partnering, and economic and environmental impacts.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

Field Verification of AI-based Microgrid – Mark Glick
Upgrade and improve the resilience of the electrical system for the deep seawater delivery facilities at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai‘i (NELHA) through the use of an advanced control system for an AI-based microgrid.

EGAT Renewable Integration Study – Leon Roose
Conduct a renewable energy (RE) integration study for the country and enhance the professional capacity of its engineers in advanced study methods and tools.

U.S. India Collaborative for Smart Distribution with Storage (UI-ASSIST) – Kevin Davies
Foster collaboration among an esteemed group of institutions from the U.S. and India around smart grids, particularly distribution systems and microgrids with solar photovoltaics (PV) and energy storage.

Vietnam Low Emission Energy Program (V-LEEP) RPS Development – Mark Glick
Advising and guiding Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and other Vietnamese stakeholders with the design of a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) mechanism and roadmap for its implementation.