Dr. Richard S. Eckman

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NASA Science Benefiting SocietyContributions
to Decision Making in the Energy Sector

• Dr. Richard S. Eckman
• Applied Sciences Program
• NASA Langley Research Center
• Hampton, VA

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Stage Setting Questions

• What is NASAs role in energy management?
• How are NASA space-borne measurements and models
  used to contribute to decision making in the
  energy sector?
• How will NASA science be used to address climate
  change impacts in the energy sector?

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Climate Change in the News
Greenland Ice Sheet Accelerated Flow
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Climate Change in the News

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Climate Change in the News

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Stage Setting Questions

• What is NASAs role in energy management?
• How are NASA space-borne measurements and models
  used to contribute to decision making in the
  energy sector?
• How will NASA science be used to address climate
  change impacts in the energy sector?

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2006 NASA Strategic Plan
NASA Strategic Goal 3 Develop a balanced overall
program of science, exploration, and aeronautics
consistent with the redirection of human
spaceflight program to focus on exploration.
NASA Sub-Goal 3A Study Earth from space to
advance scientific understanding and meet
societal needs.
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NASA Applied Sciences Program

• NASA partners with national organizations and
  Federal agencies to extend NASA Earth science
  research results into decision support tools to
  benefit U.S. and global citizens.

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Current NASA Research Spacecraft
November 16, 2004
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NASA ResearchSpacecraft inFormulation/Developme
nt
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Applications of National Priority
Public Health
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NASA Applied Sciences Program
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Stage Setting Questions

• What is NASAs role in energy management?
• How are NASA space-borne measurements and models
  used to contribute to decision making in the
  energy sector?
• How will NASA science be used to address climate
  change impacts in the energy sector?

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NASA Energy ManagementPOWER Project

• Objective Improve the Nations public and
  private capability for integrating environmental
  data into sound management of energy production
  and energy efficiency systems.
• Goals
• Establish partnerships to facilitate the
  integration and adaptation of NASA satellite
  analysis and modeling data into electric power
  industry Decision Support Systems (DSS) and
  databases.
• Target such datasets for Electric Power,
  Renewable Energy, Energy-Efficient Building
  Design and Biomass Crop Development Industries
• Transition operational capabilities to government
  and/or private sector entities.

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POWER Historical Data for Renewable Energy
Earth-Sun System Science
Applied Science Outcome
NASA Satellite Measurements, Analysis and Modeling
Surface Meteorology and Solar Energy (SSE)
Datasets And Web interface
Terra
Aqua
SRB
GMAO
SSE Web Site
http//eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/sse/
Over 200 solar energy and meteorology parameters
averaged from 10 years of data
Growing over the last 5 years to nearly 14,000
users, nearly 3.6 million hits and 700,000 data
downloads
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NASA POWER Project Logistical Approach
NASA Input Sources
Satellite-Based Retrievals and Analysis (ISCCP,
SRB, CERES)
Data Assimil- ation (GMAO, NOAA NCEP)
POWER Integration and Algorithm Benchmarking
Forecast Models (Days to Decadal) (NASA GMAO,
NSIPP, NOAA)
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NASA POWER Partnership ExampleRETScreen from
Natural Resources Canada
Natural Resources Canada RETScreen
Photo Credit Green Mountain Power Corporation/
NRELPix
RETScreen Design System (gt68,000 Global Users)
Solar Water Heating
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Future Directions Renewable Energy / Energy
Efficiency

• Biomass, geothermal, and hydropower
• Develop closer links with sustainable buildings
  through relevant societies (e.g., Green Building
  Council, ASHRAE, AIA)
• Bioenergy Crop yield forecasting surface solar
  radiation impacts, site assessment
• Renewable resource forecasting short-term to
  seasonal forecasting (e.g., precipitation,
  run-off)

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Stage Setting Questions

• What is NASAs role in energy management?
• How are NASA space-borne measurements and models
  used to contribute to decision making in the
  energy sector?
• How will NASA science be used to address climate
  change impacts in the energy sector?

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Future DirectionsRegional Climate Impacts

• Changes in typical climatological patterns and
  their impact on energy supply and load
  forecasting
• Temperature, precipitation, solar energy, wind,
  etc.
• Changes in storm frequency (event response)

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NASA Energy ManagementConclusions and Future
Plans

• NASAs Energy Management Program is aimed at
  transitioning improved satellite analysis and
  modeling information to Decision Support Systems
  (DSS) in the Energy sector.
• Energy Managements POWER project has already
  demonstrated the value of external partnerships
  with DSS owners in the renewable energy and
  energy efficiency areas.
• New emphases on regional climate impacts, energy
  efficiency, and bioenergy are being pursued.

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Suggested Further Reading

• NASAs Energy Management Program Future Research
  Directions
• http//aiwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/esappdocs/evalreports/NA
  SAEnergy.pdf
• http//aiwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/esappdocs/evalreports/NA
  SAEnergy2.pdf
• My Personal Recommendations
• Lester Brown Plan B 2.0, Norton Co., 2006
• Brian Fagan The Little Ice Age, Basic Books,
  2000