energy research project middle school

Lesson Plans & Resources

The Clean Energy Institute has developed detailed lesson plans that connect Next Generation Science Standards with the science of clean energy. These lessons include NGSS-aligned content for the elementary, middle, and high school level. Participants in our Research Experience for Teachers program have also developed clean energy lab courses for undergraduate students. Activities range from quick demos to multi-day investigations and supporting teaching units.

English/Spanish Climate Science Handout

The DIY Guide to Solving Climate Change

Electromagnets & Motors

Nanocrystalline Dye Solar Cell

Solar Tracker Arduino Project

Solar Energy Data Exploration

Photovoltaic Characterization Lab

Phosphorescent Decay

Nanoimprinting

Mathematics of Porous Materials

Luminescent Solar Concentrator

Solar Circuits

Print a Solar Car

Fuzzy Molecule Challenge

Electrochemical Chameleon

Bubble Raft Crystal Model

Rainbow Bookmarker

Sun Dawg Bag

Solar Car Derby

Renewable City

Draw a Circuit: Fun with Graphite

Modeling Solar Grid Integration with Math

Absorption and Fluorescence with USB Spectrometer

Aluminum Air Battery

Solar Fan STEM Kit Challenge

Water Model of Electricity

Solar Spinner

Solar Panel Workshop

Glowing Colors

A Battery from Household Chemicals

FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Exploring Energy

Unit Exploring Energy

Engineering Connection

The fundamental concept of energy is important across all fields of engineering. So many engineered systems, from simple levers and light bulbs to sophisticated machines like jet airplanes, work by transferring energy from one form or object to another. Thus, a firm understanding of energy is essential for everyday technical literacy as well as the study of more advanced concepts in engineering.

Unit Overview

Lesson 1 introduces students to a definition of energy and the concepts of kinetic energy, potential energy and energy transfer. The subsequent lessons provide more in depth information about these concepts. Students get the chance to practice design with respect to design criteria during the associated activity by modifying, testing and redesigning "spool racers" powered by twisted rubber bands.

Lesson 2 focuses on kinetic and potential energy, explaining kinetic energy's dependence on velocity and mass, as well as the many forms in which potential energy can be stored: chemical, gravitational, elastic, thermal energy. During the associated activity , a classroom demonstration models asteroids hitting the moon's surface by dropping a weighted plastic egg into a tray of flour from different heights. Students experiment with different masses and heights, learn about the PE and KE equations, make predictions, and collect and graph data from their measurements of the impact crater sizes.

Lesson 3 explores the ways that energy can be transferred from one form, place or object to another. Two common real-world engineered systems, lightbulbs and car engines, are examined in light of the law of conservation of energy to gain an understanding of their energy conversions and inefficiencies/losses. In the associated activity , students take the well-loved Mentos® fountain potential-to-kinetic energy transfer demonstration up a notch. The class is challenged to optimize the design of the basic soda/candy geyser made by the teacher. Three research teams investigate different variables and combine their results into a (hopefully) superior design to face-off in a final competition to see which fountain blasts highest.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

See individual lessons and activities for standards alignment.

Unit Schedule

The six one-hour lessons and activities may take more or less time, depending on the teaching style, depth of instruction and level of students. The suggested order to conduct them is:

• Exploring Energy: What Is Energy? lesson
• Spool Racer Design & Competition activity
• Exploring Energy: Potential and Kinetic lesson
• Making Moon Craters activity
• Exploring Energy: Energy Conversion lesson
• Maximum Mentos Fountain activity

More Curriculum Like This

Students learn more about the concept of energy conversion, and how energy transfers from one form, place or object to another. They learn that energy transfers can take the form of force, electricity, light, heat and sound and are never without some energy "loss" during the process. Two real-world ...

Students makes sense of kinetic and potential energy, including various types of potential energy: chemical, gravitational, elastic and thermal energy. They identify everyday examples of these energy types, as well as the mechanism of corresponding energy transfers.

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed by the Renewable Energy Systems Opportunity for Unified Research Collaboration and Education (RESOURCE) project in the College of Engineering under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. DGE 0948021. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: May 5, 2021

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Students Explore Real-World Energy Projects

• Computer Science & Computational Thinking

Why should kids spend time learning about renewable energy in school, during after-school STEM clubs or independently studying at home?

One reason is to address children's natural curiosities about how and why things happen: Why does the sun make us hot? What makes a hurricane and a tornado? Why should we turn off the lights when leaving a room?

Another reason for delving into these topics is that our planet's survival is in the hands of our present and future generations. Creating renewable energy sources to replace coal, oil and gas is one way to address climate change .

Renewable energy can be embedded into different units of study or used as a theme that drives student learning, especially if an essential question asks, How can renewable energy benefit the environment?

In a physics class, a teacher can relate renewable energy to the rotational kinetics of a wind turbine. Chemistry students can address renewable energy when exploring the electrochemical reactions within a hydrogen fuel cell. An earth science teacher may ask students to consider the impact on global climate when studying the production and uses of ethanol fuel. Finally, economic students could research the costs and benefits over time when homes and businesses use solar energy.

KindWind encourage students to explore green energy

Community makerspaces that offer hands-on, student-driven opportunities for learning may also teach students about renewable energies. As a member of Makersmiths , a nonprofit community makerspace in Loudoun County, Virginia, I coach several KidWind solar and wind project middle school teams.

KidWind initiatives engage students in exploring clean energy science through engineering activities. Students learn about wind energy, how wind turbines operate, and how they produce electricity when completing wind turbine projects. Students design, create and test out wind turbine projects to determine the amount of energy their turbines produce.

Solar-project students learn how solar cells turn light from the sun into electricity. They design and create structures that use solar panels to produce electricity used to operate something such as turning on lights, operating a fan, or sounding a buzzer. 

This year, Makersmiths coached three middle school Renewable Energy Teams . Our eighth grade solar team created a solar smart house. The team used solar panels to keep a battery charged that operates an Arduino Pro Mini that uses a heat-humidity sensor to automatically operate a fan and a light sensor to turn on the house's ceiling lights when it gets dark.

When constructing their house, the team used repurposed materials. They collected plastic shopping bags and PET plastic sheets leftover from when Makersmiths created face shields for PPE production during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They cut up the bags, melted them in an oven to form clay-like clumps of plastic, flattened them, and once they cooled and hardened, cut them into bricks to create the foundation for the house. Then, using a gingerbread mold to make plaster of Paris castings of the house's roof and walls, the team heated the PET plastic sheets, the clay castings and a vacuum former to shape the plastic into transparent walls and roof pieces. This process involved team members researching ways to repurpose materials and learning how a vacuum former operates in the manufacturing process.

Teens learn about wind turbines using real tools of the trade

Our two middle school wind turbine teams focused on wind energy and how wind turbines produce electricity. Their vocabulary and science understandings expanded as they learned about kinetic energy vs. mechanical energy; horizontal and vertical axis turbines; parts of a wind turbine, such as the tower, the nacelle that holds rotor blades, a rotor hub, gearbox, shaft, and the generator. They learned to use an anemometer to determine wind speed. 

When testing their turbines using a box fan to produce wind, participants used multimeters to determine the voltage and amperage their 3- to 4-foot high turbines produced. When Makersmiths built us a 4-cubic wind tunnel that uses four box fans, we used a Vernier Go-Direct Sensor and free graphical analysis software to determine the power output of the wind turbines.

Our students learned how to read voltage (V), amperage (mA) and power output (mW) shown on the graphs the software produced. Team members used the information to change a variable such as the pitch of their blades or the number of blades on a hub, or they re-designed their blades using different shapes and materials and then constructed new sets of blades.

After each wind turbine and solar project workshop session ended, team members wrote down or orally dictated what they learned, what they tried that was different, and how they used their problem-solving and collaborative skills when working with team members. In addition, we systematically documented the team's research, development and testing initiatives by entering these reflections into team journals.

Teams earn recognition at engineering competitions

In March 2022, our wind and solar teams competed in Virginia's Western Region Renewable Challenges at James Madison University. Teams tested their turbines in the competition wind tunnels with the power output data recorded on profile sheets.

The wind and solar teams participated in instant challenges that required them to work collaboratively to look at data presented to them to determine the best spot to place wind farms in the United States. When the teams met with judges (energy industry professionals and educators), they shared their documentation (journals and power output data). The teams explained their development and testing processes when completing their projects. The outcome of the challenges was remarkable.

One wind turbine team tied for first place and the other wind team won second place in the middle school wind division.

The Makersmiths’ solar team won first place in the middle school solar division and went on to nationals where they were named KidWind Virtual National Champion. 

They scored the highest of all teams throughout the country participating in the virtual competition!  Way to go Cameron Clarke, Max and Nick Burrus and Ayden Young! (all four boys are from Purcellville, VA area)

Two weeks after the KidWind Challenges, the teams demonstrated their projects at Loudoun County Public School's Student Maker Showcase. When watching our team members share their wind and solar projects with teachers, parents, students and the public, the participants appeared confident and excited about what they experienced in our KidWind sessions. Several teachers and one school system administrator stated that it is evident that project-based learning experiences must be made more available to students.

More than just learning science and math content and applying that content to creating solar and wind projects, our KidWind members learned to work together, problem-solve and communicate their ideas, skills that are embedded in the ISTE Standards . Their passion for learning was also evident. For example, we had several heartwarming conversations with team members.

One wind turbine participant asked, "When do we start again?" He was already thinking about the next KidWind project.

One of the solar team members also asked if we could continue to meet to improve the solar project. She was thinking about motorizing the solar panel platform using an Arduino to tilt and rotate the panels to make them follow the sun. Then another boy said, "I like Saturdays!" When asked why, he grinned and replied, "Because I get to come to KidWind!"

Diane Painter, Ph.D. is a retired elementary and special education teacher. She is a part-time teacher-educator at Shenandoah University, and a member of ISTE and her state affiliate, VSTE. She volunteers as a STEM educator at Makersmith in Loudoun County, Virginia. Contact her at [email protected].

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Thermal Energy Projects for Middle School Science

If you are a middle school science teacher, there’s a good chance, at some point, you’ll find yourself teaching a thermal energy lesson or two. It’s a very common topic included within middle school science curriculums, particularly for those with a focus on physical science. As with most important scientific principles taught within the middle school classroom, I find that hands-on investigations, energy science experiments, and other hands-on activities are often the best way to make this important fundamental concept come alive for middle schoolers. If you are preparing to teach your own energy unit, here are a few of my favorite thermal energy projects for middle school science.

Let’s start with the basics!

Thermal energy is one of several different forms of energy described within the earth sciences. Also known as heat energy, thermal energy can be defined as the energy an object has because of the movement of its molecules.

Other types of energy include:

• Light energy
• Chemical energy
• Mechanical energy
• Electrical energy
• Gravitational energy
• Elastic energy

If you’re looking for a great way to introduce the different types of energy, as well as the law of conservation of energy, check out the interactive slides below:

thermal energy projects for middle school science

As I mentioned before, when it comes to solidifying content knowledge for your middle school science students, there truly is no beating hands-on experience. When a student is able to see and apply the content concepts they’ve learned through other activities (such as guided readings or interactive slides ) the concepts go from being abstract and theoretical ( not to mention, easily forgotten ) to concrete ideas with a real world application.

Isn’t that the whole point of teaching science after all?

Standards Connection:

Standard: ms-ps1-6 ​​.

“Undertake a design project to construct, test, and modify a device that either releases or absorbs thermal energy by chemical processes.”

Alright, let’s get down to the crux of the matter…practical and effective thermal energy projects for middle school science. Over the years, I’ve trialed many different types of science experiments and hands-on projects. When it comes to teaching energy transformations, specifically the transfer of thermal energy, these projects are some of the best! Not only are they fun and exciting for my students, they are feel manageable for me as the teacher. It’s truly a win-win!

Ice Cream Boxes

Want a quick and easy way to grab the attention of a room full of pre-teens?! Give them ice cream!! For this project, students will work in small groups to design and build a small box that minimizes the transfer of thermal energy and keeps the temperature of the sample (in this case, delicious ice cream) consistently cool. The best part of this particular project? Students can enjoy a tasty ice cream snack at the end!

Insulated Water Bottle Challenge

Similar to the ice cream experiment mentioned above, the insulated water bottle challenge is another favorite when it comes to heat transfer projects. For this stem project, students will work together to design their very own insulated water bottle that keeps the contents of the water bottle nice and toasty warm. Students will need to test and assess which types of materials, as well as the thickness of those materials, are the best when it comes to maintaining the temperature of the water.

If you’d like to spice this activity up, try using hot chocolate instead of hot water. The process and learning lessons will remain the same, but class time will end with a tasty treat!

Save the Penguin Project

Save the Penguins is a series of three activities investigating the transfer and movement of thermal energy. Throughout the course of this three part lesson series, students will explore different types of energy conductors and insulators. They will observe how energy moves from areas of higher temperature to areas of lower temperature.

This project culminates in a hands-on stem activity, in which students will be asked to use the knowledge they’ve gained regarding the transfer of heat to design and build a shelter for penguins. Their penguin dwellings should, ideally, prevent the transfer of heat energy in order to effectively keep an ice cube from melting. Students are encouraged to experiment with different materials and record their observations.

Looking for additional resources to beef up your transfer of energy unit? Here are a few of my favorite resources that I’ve used within my own middle school science classroom. Check them out!

Let’s Stay Connected!

Continue the discussion in my Facebook Group for Middle School Science Teachers or my Classroom Management Facebook Group .

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Related posts.

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Igniting Innovation and Empowering Tomorrow's STEM Leaders

April 4, 2024 By Lauren Jenkins

• Campus Community
• College of Engineering

More than 1,200 middle school and high school students from across Texas traveled to College Station from March 22-23, 2024, to showcase their science and engineering projects at the Texas Science and Engineering Fair (TXSEF) .

Students competed at regional science and engineering fairs from January to March before advancing to the state fair held at Texas A&M University. This year’s fair was held at the Texas A&M University Student Recreation Center with an awards ceremony at Rudder Auditorium. It was co-sponsored by the Texas Workforce Commission, ExxonMobil and Texas A&M Engineering.

"The Texas Science and Engineering Fair is a celebration of innovation and boundless creativity, of finalists as they proudly showcase their research skills and projects in science and engineering,” said Dr. Cindy Lawley, assistant vice chancellor for academic and outreach programs for Texas A&M Engineering. “We witness not only the culmination of their hard work but also the unwavering support from dedicated families and educators who are inspiring a new generation of thinkers and innovators poised to shape the future with their ingenuity and determination."

Night at the ZACH

To kick off the weekend, TXSEF participants and their families — nearly 6,000 people —descended upon the Zachry Engineering Education Complex (ZACH) to experience Night at the ZACH. Hosted inside and outside Zachry, Night at the ZACH features exhibitors showcasing their departments, organizations, current projects, and/or expertise with hands-on activities designed to get students pumped about engineering and science.

Night at the ZACH ignites inspiration, fostering connections that transcend disciplines and ignite a passion for pushing the boundaries of knowledge and possibility.

Crowd favorites included the Lockheed Martin F-35 Cockpit Demonstration Simulator; ExxonMobil’s robotic dog Sparky; NASA’s Exploration trailer; Dell Tech Rally Mobile; and photo opportunities with Reveille X, the First Lady of Aggieland.

"At Night at the ZACH, TXSEF finalists have the opportunity to engage with industry and academia, fueling their curiosity and igniting new avenues of exploration. Yet, beyond the excitement of discovery lies a moment of celebration — a celebration of their remarkable journey to the Texas Science and Engineering Fair,” said Shelly Tornquist, director of Spark! PK-12 Engineering Education Outreach. “Night at the ZACH ignites inspiration, fostering connections that transcend disciplines and ignite a passion for pushing the boundaries of knowledge and possibility."

In addition to student organizations like the Texas A&M Solar Racing Team and the Texas A&M Sounding Rocketry Team, Night at the ZACH welcomed senior capstone projects from the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. Students shared information about their projects, academic journeys, and experiences as engineering students.

Competition Day

On competition day, finalists presented their projects to over 350 judges with expertise in fields ranging from physical sciences to engineering to life sciences. Finalists competed as an individual or a team in either the junior division (middle school students) or senior division (high school students), where they presented on their project’s scientific basis, the interpretation and limitations of the results, and their conclusions.

"TXSEF is more than just a culmination of months of hard work; it's a day where young minds converge, showcasing their ingenuity and dedication to solving the world's most pressing challenges,” Tornquist said. “As students present their research and projects, the atmosphere is electric with innovation and determination. Each presentation is not just a moment in time but a testament to the endless possibilities that STEM offers."

Several special awards and scholarships were awarded to select projects on the competition floor. These awards were supported by TXSEF sponsors and industry partners and recognized before the awards ceremony. 

After a full day of judging, finalists and families made their way to Rudder Auditorium, filling it to capacity. The Spark! PK-12 Engineering Education Outreach robot Spark-E entertained the crowd with dancing and games. 

In addition to first through third place awards in the 22 categories in both junior and senior divisions, best of state for both life sciences and physical sciences was awarded in both divisions, plus an honorable mention for each category. 

Finalists from the senior division were selected to attend the Governor's Science and Technology Champions Academy and finalists from the junior division were selected to attend the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC). Twelve (12) projects from the senior division advance to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)  held May 11-17, 2024, in Los Angeles, Calif. 

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What is the LEAD Tool?

The Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool is an online, interactive platform that helps users make data-driven decisions on energy goals and program planning by improving their understanding of low-income and moderate-income household energy characteristics. The LEAD Tool offers the ability to select and combine geographic areas (state, county, city and census tract) into one customized group so users can see the total area for their customized geographies (e.g., specific service territories).

Visit the LEAD Tool

What Data is on LEAD?

Geographic boundaries.

• National, state, county, tribal, city, disadvantaged communities, and census tract boundaries.
• Includes 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, and federally recognized tribes.

Energy Expenditures

• Average annual energy cost
• Average energy burden (% income)

Household Characteristics

Households can be broken down by: 

• Area Median Income (AMI) 1
• State Median Income (SMI) 1
• Federal Poverty Level (FPL) 2
• Race, Household Income, Education, & Demographic

Housing Unit Characteristics

Users can analyze energy expenditures by: 

• Occupant type (owner, renter) 
• Building age
• Building type
• Number of units in building
• Primary heating fuel type

1. AMI and SMI categories: 0-30%, 30-50%, 50-80%, 80-100%, 100+%  2. FPL categories: 0-100%, 100-138%, 138%-200%, 200-400%, 400%+

LEAD Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS 5-yr 2016-2020); Energy Information Administration’s utility data. Annual data refresh in June 2024 (ACS 5-year 2018-2022)

Learn More About LEAD Tool Data

Energy cost.

Energy cost is defined as the amount of household expenditures spent on electricity, gas (utility and bottled), and other fuels (including fuel oil, wood, etc.). LEAD does not include transportation costs when developing energy cost metrics; however both these metrics can be examined in the Household Energy and Transportation Burden layer on the State and Local Planning for Energy (SLOPE) platform.

Energy Burden

Energy burden is defined as the percentage of gross household income spent on energy costs. It is calculated by dividing the average housing energy cost by the average annual household income. A household with 6% or greater energy burden is considered to be a high energy burden household . 

According to data on the LEAD tool, the national average energy burden for low-income households is 6% (i.e. an AMI of 0-80% as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ), which is three times higher than that for non-low-income households, which is estimated at 2%. In some areas, depending on location and income, energy burden can be higher than 30%. Per the data available from the U.S Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) data, 42% of U.S. households, or about 51 million, are identified as low-income.

Factors that Could Influence Energy Burden

There are a number of different factors that could increase energy burden for households. Examples include higher-cost fuels, such as propane or other bottled fuels, and energy-inefficient homes. Energy-inefficiency can in part be due to a lack of insulation in older homes and older appliances. For households that face these challenges, there is a greater potential for quick energy and cost savings solutions. However, communities with low-income households face barriers to accessing energy technologies that can help make energy more affordable, like installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.  In 2022, per a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) report , approximately 45% of solar PV adopters were categorized as “low-and-moderate income”, while only 23% were categorized as “low-income."

There are factors that can prevent low-income households from accessing energy technologies, including a lack of qualifying credit and the inability to finance upgrades. LEAD Tool data estimates that 52% of low-income households are renters—not owners—of their homes. This percentage of renters further compounds the issue into a split incentive—landlords may not be motivated to pay for energy improvements, leaving potential energy bill savings out of reach for the low-income tenants.

Energy efficiency and weatherization measures not only help to lower energy bills for low-income households, but also improve indoor air quality, safety, and comfort, thereby positively impacting human health. When hiring locally, these projects also help to shore up neighborhood housing stock and create local jobs where they are often needed.

Low-to-Moderate-Income Households

It is important to note that there are several different scales used to identify low- and moderate-income households in the United States. These scales have been used in the past determine who is eligible for various federal- and state-funded programs and are adjusted every year due to inflation. Further, there is no direct relationship between these scales and there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to poverty because different states and cities across the United States have varying costs of living.

Disadvantaged Census Tract

A census tract that meets the threshold for: 1) environmental, climate, or other burdens, and 2) an associated socio-economic burden is marked as disadvantaged as defined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CJEST).

LEAD Tool Resources

Factsheet, methodology, & data.

• LEAD Tool Factsheet
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• LEAD Tool Raw Dataset

Case Studies

• National Grid : Used the LEAD Tool to target energy affordability services to eligible customers in New York State.  
• State of Kentucky : Used LEAD Tool data to fund energy efficiency programs for the State of Kentucky.  
• Carrboro, North Carolina : Supported Carrboro in achieving building efficiencies for low-income households.  
• New Haven, Connecticut : Assisted New Haven to target low-income household energy savings.  
• Rochester, New York : Assisted Rochester in reducing energy costs for low-income households.

Webinars and Tutorials

• Training and Tutorial of LEAD : A webinar that walks a user through the LEAD tool as it looks today.  
• A Webinar Demonstration on LEAD : A webinar that guides state and local government users through the uses and functionalities of the LEAD tool.  
• An Introductory LEAD Webinar : A webinar for State Energy Offices that walks through use-cases from LEAD. The portion on LEAD starts at 30 minutes and 18 seconds.  
• Step-by-Step LEAD Guide : A complimentary resource to the “Training and Tutorial of LEAD” webinar, this guide walks users through the LEAD tool.

Next Step Resources

• State and Local Planning for Energy Platform (SLOPE) : Explore energy and environmental justice data layers such as LMI electricity bill savings potential and rooftop solar potential.  
• Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator (CELICA) Toolkit : This toolkit provides materials to help program administrators reduce energy burden for low-income communities.  
• DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Resource Hub : Provides weatherization services to approximately 35,000 homes every year using DOE funds.  
• DOE’s Home Energy Rebates Program : Rebates can help households save money on select home improvement projects that can lower energy bills.  
• ENERGY STAR’s Information on Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency : Through 2032, federal income tax credits are available to homeowners, that will allow up to $3,200 annually to lower the cost of energy efficient home upgrades by up to 30 percent.  
• All State & Local Solution Center Resources : Searchable resources to enable strategic investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

Connect with Us

Let us know how the LEAD Tool supports your energy goals, and what additional features can further support your work.

Share your feedback and questions with us at [email protected] .

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NASA Partnerships Bring 2024 Total Solar Eclipse to Everyone

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Karen Northon

On Monday, April 8, NASA and its partners will celebrate the wonders of the total solar eclipse as it passes over North America, with the path of totality in the United States, from Kerrville, Texas, to Houlton, Maine.

Eclipses are an important contribution to NASA’s research into the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, and the part of Earth’s atmosphere where space weather happens. They’re also an inspirational opportunity for the public to get involved, learn, and connect with our place in the universe.

Our partners bring their creativity in sharing the excitement of the upcoming eclipse and help encourage everyone to safely enjoy this celestial event.

Maureen O'Brien

Strategic alliances and partnerships manager for NASA's Office of Communications

Here are just some ways NASA is working with partners to engage the public in the upcoming total solar eclipse.

• NASA and the Major League Baseball Players Association are collaborating on the development of video and social content to emphasize eclipse awareness and safe viewing.
• In partnership with the MLB, NASA will provide video content to air at stadiums during games and agency officials will throw out the first pitch in several games leading up to the eclipse.
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway is hosting an eclipse viewing event and live broadcast that will feature NASA exhibits, astronauts, INDY drivers, and STEM engagement talks and activities for visitors.
• Peanuts Worldwide is supporting educators with the release of new eclipse learning resources for elementary and middle school students and Snoopy is participating in events in Cleveland.
• Krispy Kreme introduced a new doughnut in honor of the eclipse and will share information about the eclipse and safe viewing.
• NASA collaborated with Google on new eclipse content on the Arts & Culture and other Google pages.
• Third Rock Radio (TRR) is sharing NASA podcast content and expert interviews, educational and safety messages, and a message from the International Space Station. TRR also will feature a Solar Songs listener request weekend leading up to eclipse day and live NASA TV audio coverage during the eclipse. 
• Nasdaq will carry coverage of part of the NASA TV broadcast on its screen in Times Square.

This year’s total solar eclipse represents a unique opportunity for NASA and partners to collaborate to inspire and engage students across the country.

Rob Lasalvia

Partnership manager for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement

• Crayola Education released an eclipse-themed how-to video about the eclipse with a creative exercise for students.
• LEGO Education launched an eclipse education challenge to engage students and the public in learning more about the Sun and the eclipse.
• Microsoft will launch a quiz on eclipse safety with links to NASA resources.
• Discovery Education will get classrooms excited about space with eclipse resources on its PreK–12 learning platform.
• Canva released a series of free interactive eclipse courses and LabXchange released a new eclipse learning pathway for students.
• The Achievery will feature a collection of eclipse videos, share NASA’s live eclipse coverage, and host student events at AT&T locations across the country. 
• NASA experts participated in a Game Jam hosted by the National Esports Association in February in which university students were challenged to create a game simulation of the Eclipse. The student-developed games will be featured during an online eclipse gaming event April 8.
• Jack and Jill of America, Inc . will host eclipse watch parties across the country for which NASA will provide viewing eclipse resources and educational materials.
• Girl Scouts of the USA is sharing NASA eclipse information and encouraging its chapters and troops to host watch parties or connect to local NASA events.
• NASA partnered with the National Park Service and Earth to Sky on activities, including the “ Interpreting Eclipses ” webinar series, to prepare interpreters and informal educators for the total eclipse and Heliophysics Big Year . Through this partnership, national parks hosting eclipse events also will provide elements designed especially for the blind and low vision, neurodivergent children, the physically impaired, and those with hearing impairments.
• NASA is providing eclipse resources and educational materials to local 4-H clubs along the path of totality through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

At NASA, we believe that science is for everyone. You don’t need a degree in science to be curious, ask questions, and explore how our world and universe work. We work to help people on their own journeys of scientific exploration.

Partnerships manager for outreach and engagement for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate

Learn more about NASA’s strategic partnerships and STEM engagement partnerships online. To learn more about where and how to safely view this year’s total solar eclipse, visit:   https://go.nasa.gov/Eclipse2024 .

Author: Gina Anderson, NASA Office of Communications

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Study of modified VVER and typical PWR fuel in the HBWR reactor (Norway)

• Published: 21 December 2012
• Volume 113 , pages 171–178, ( 2013 )

Cite this article

• B. Yu. Volkov 1 ,
• W. Wiesenack 1 ,
• V. V. Yakovlev 2 ,
• E. P. Ryazantsev 2 ,
• A. K. Panyushkin 3 ,
• A. V. Ivanov 3 ,
• O. V. Kryukov 3 ,
• P. I. Lavrenyuk 4 &
• Yu. V. Pimenov 4  

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Two experiments studying the standard and modified VVER fuel fabricated at the Machine-Building Plant (in Elektrostal) and PWR fuel produced according to the typical specifications were performed on the HBWR research reactor (Halden, Norway) from 1995 to 2005. The objective of these experiments was to study the effect of the structural-technological parameters on the behavior of VVER fuel in comparison with the typical PWR fuel. These studies made it possible to expand the in-reactor data base on the behavior of VVER uranium oxide fuel as well as to develop recommendations for improving the technology of its production in order to increase fuel stability under irradiation.

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Fuel for VVER and PWR: Current Status and Prospects

D. L. Zverev, O. B. Samoilov, … S. A. Zotov

Techno-Economic Prognosis for the Manufacture of Fuel Assemblies with Mixed Uranium-Plutonium Fuel for the VVER-SKD Power Reactor

M. V. Kormilitsyn, L. A. Kormilitsyna, … T. D. Shchepetina

PWR Fuel Cycle Increased Enrichment, Combination of Burnable Absorbers

B. Yu. Volkov, E. P. Ryazantsev, V. V. Yakovlev, et al., “Studies of the behavior of VVER and PWR irradiated in the HBWR reactor (Halden, Norway),” At. Énerg. , 111 , No. 6, 342–348 (2011).

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B. Volkov, E. Ryazantzev, and V. Yakovlev, The Thermal and Mechanical Behaviour of Modified WWER Fuel Compared with PWR Specification Fuel in IFA-503.2 , HWR-637, December 2000.

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B. Volkov and E. Kolstad, “Review of WWER fuel and material tests in the Halden reactor,” in: 6th Int. Conf. on WWER Fuel Performance, Modelling and Experimental Support , Bulgaria, Albena, Sept. 19–23, 2005, pp. 214–221.

K. Vinjamuru and D. Owen, “Helium fill gas absorption in pressurized UO2 fuel rods during irradiation,” Nucl. Technol ., 47 , No. 1, 119–124 (1980).

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Article   MathSciNet   ADS   Google Scholar  

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W. Wiesenack and T. Tverberg, “Thermal performance of high burnup fuel – in-pile temperature data and analysis,” in: Int. Topical Meeting on LWR Fuel Performance , Utah, USA, April 10–3, 2000, pp. 626–633.

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Halden Reactor Project, Halden, Norway

B. Yu. Volkov & W. Wiesenack

National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, Moscow, Russia

V. V. Yakovlev & E. P. Ryazantsev

Machine-Building Plant, Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, Russia

A. K. Panyushkin, A. V. Ivanov & O. V. Kryukov

TVEL Company, Moscow, Russia

P. I. Lavrenyuk & Yu. V. Pimenov

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Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 113, No. 3, pp. 140–145, September, 2012.

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Volkov, B.Y., Wiesenack, W., Yakovlev, V.V. et al. Study of modified VVER and typical PWR fuel in the HBWR reactor (Norway). At Energy 113 , 171–178 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-012-9613-7

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Received : 14 February 2012

Published : 21 December 2012

Issue Date : January 2013

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-012-9613-7

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Meet the Program Director: Dr. Charles Werth

Dr. Charles Werth is a new ARPA-E Program Director. His research prior to joining ARPA-E focused on the intersection of mass transport, fluid flow, interfacial and geo-chemistry, redox reactions, microbial physiology, and material science for the development of sustainable water treatment, groundwater remediation, and geological carbon sequestration technologies.

What brought you to ARPA-E?

I came to ARPA-E because of the opportunity to help advance early-stage technologies that address water-energy challenges. I’ve worked on research related to water supply and treatment for most of my career, and I have a strong interest in how water impacts energy use and vice versa. As an academic, however, I was more focused on fundamental research than technology development and commercialization. ARPA-E presents an entirely new challenge and opportunity to think about moving research to the next level, and to have a more direct impact on water-energy challenges. I think addressing these challenges is particularly important because many cities in the U.S. are struggling to provide clean water economically. Also, we expect energy demands for water supply and treatment to grow with increasing water scarcity as we treat and use increasingly compromised or distant water sources. Additionally, I came to ARPA-E to learn about and contribute to the development of new technologies for other energy challenges, including carbon sequestration and subsurface resource recovery. 

Tell us about your background.

I received my graduate training in environmental engineering, focusing on physical and chemical processes that affect the reactive transport of pollutants in groundwater. After graduating, I entered academia, and have been a professor for the past 27 years, first at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and since 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin. My interests have expanded since graduate school, and I’ve guided interdisciplinary research projects that focus on sustainable water treatment, groundwater remediation, and geological carbon sequestration. Most of my research has been funded by federal agencies, including the DOE, DOD, NSF, EPA, and USGS. I’ve advised 27 Ph.D. students who graduated and went on to careers in academia, industry, and consulting. I’ve served on a number of review and advisory panels. Among them, I served on the U.S. EPA Science Advisory Board from 2014-2017, where I enjoyed contributing to addressing environmental challenges at the intersection of science and policy. I also served as a Chief Editor for the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology from 2014-2023, where I enjoyed helping to expand the journal scope and broadening my exposure to great research.

How does your past work drive your current work supporting ARPA-E’s mission of developing entirely new ways to generate, store, and use energy?

In my prior work on water and wastewater treatment, I learned that energy represents a large fraction of treatment costs, and that wastewater contains many valuable materials that we remove during treatment for disposal. This drives my efforts to develop a new program area on innovative technologies to recover high energy-value materials from wastewater. In my prior work on geological carbon sequestration, I learned about mechanisms that affect the flow, transport, and reaction of various fluids in deep subsurface formations, including CO 2 , hydrocarbons, and hydrogen. This motivates and informs my efforts to contribute to programs in carbon capture, storage, and subsurface resource recovery.

What’s it been like to work at ARPA-E now that you’ve got a few months under your belt to reflect?

Working at ARPA-E has been great. My colleagues are engaged, smart, and supportive. They have very different backgrounds, and I’m learning about so many new energy challenges and technologies from them. To build my first ARPA-E research program, I’ve been engaging with lots of different people. This includes engineers and scientists, as well as CEOs, CTOs, and Technology-to-Market experts. These engagements have broadened my perspective and knowledge of energy challenges and possible solutions and are helping me better understand the bottlenecks that can derail technology commercialization.

In what innovative ways would you like to explore carbon sequestration technologies and mitigating the environmental impacts of energy production?

Carbon sequestration technologies are advancing at an amazing pace. Last year, the DOE announced $1.2 billion for development of two commercial-scale direct air capture facilities. Despite these advancements, carbon sequestration technologies are still in their infancy. We need early-stage applied research to discover new materials and material properties that will enable us to more selectively sequester CO 2  from air and other mixed gas streams, and we need new and less energy-intensive processes to permanently store CO 2 . I look forward to working with my colleagues at ARPA-E to identify and support projects that target the most promising materials and processes to address these fundamental challenges.

What new program areas or technical whitespaces are you interested in exploring?

I’ve been working in water my entire adult life and am interested in substantially decreasing energy demands and carbon emissions associated with water supply and treatment. As I mentioned earlier, my first efforts at ARPA-E are focused on developing a new program on high energy-value materials recovery from wastewater, where wastewater is broadly defined to include municipal, animal, industry, and reverse osmosis concentrate sources. Two other areas I’m interested in are electrification of chemical oxidation technologies in water and wastewater treatment and using artificial intelligence for long-range water planning. The latter area would have broad implications for how municipalities and cities plan for future water resources and treatment, and could have immense energy implications when cities have to choose between pumping a cleaner source water from further away or treating a more compromised source water closer to home.

What do you hope to accomplish during your tenure at ARPA-E?

I hope to lead development of at least a few new programs at the water-energy nexus. I hope to oversee other diverse energy recovery and carbon emissions reduction projects, and to help guide applied research efforts that lead to new cutting-edge technologies and commercialization. I hope to make friends, have fun, and learn what makes or breaks commercialization efforts of new technologies across the energy space.

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For the first time Rosatom Fuel Division supplied fresh nuclear fuel to the world’s only floating nuclear cogeneration plant in the Arctic

The fuel was supplied to the northernmost town of Russia along the Northern Sea Route.

The first in the history of the power plant refueling, that is, the replacement of spent nuclear fuel with fresh one, is planned to begin before 2024. The manufacturer of nuclear fuel for all Russian nuclear icebreakers, as well as the Akademik Lomonosov FNPP, is Machinery Manufacturing Plant, Joint-Stock Company (MSZ JSC), a company of Rosatom Fuel Company TVEL that is based in Elektrostal, Moscow Region.

The FNPP includes two KLT-40S reactors of the icebreaking type. Unlike convenient ground-based large reactors (that require partial replacement of fuel rods once every 12-18 months), in the case of these reactors, the refueling takes place once every few years and includes unloading of the entire reactor core and loading of fresh fuel into the reactor.

The cores of KLT-40 reactors of the Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit have a number of advantages compared to the reference ones: a cassette core was used for the first time in the history of the unit, which made it possible to increase the fuel energy resource to 3-3.5 years between refuelings, and also reduce the fuel component of the electricity cost by one and a half times. The FNPP operating experience formed the basis for the designs of reactors for nuclear icebreakers of the newest series 22220. Three such icebreakers have been launched by now.

For the first time the power units of the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant were connected to the grid in December 2019, and put into commercial operation in May 2020. The supply of nuclear fuel from Elektrostal to Pevek and its loading into the second reactor is planned for 2024. The total power of the Akademik Lomonosov FNPP, supplied to the coastal grid of Pevek without thermal energy consumption on shore, is about 76 MW, being about 44 MW in the maximum thermal power supply mode. The FNPP generated 194 million kWh according to the results of 2023. The population of Pevek is just a little more than 4 thousand, while the FNPP has a potential for supplying electricity to a city with a population of up to 100 thousand people. After the FNPP commissioning two goals were achieved. These include first of all the replacement of the retiring capacities of the Bilibino NPP, which has been operating since 1974, as well as the Chaunskaya TPP, which has already been operating for more than 70 years. Secondly, energy is supplied to the main mining companies in western Chukotka in the Chaun-Bilibino energy hub a large ore and metal cluster, including gold mining companies and projects related to the development of the Baimsk ore zone. In September 2023, a 110 kilovolt power transmission line with a length of 490 kilometers was put into operation, connecting the towns of Pevek and Bilibino. The line increased the reliability of energy supply from the FNPP to both Bilibino consumers and mining companies, the largest of which is the Baimsky GOK. The comprehensive development of the Russian Arctic is a national strategic priority. To increase the NSR traffic is of paramount importance for accomplishment of the tasks set in the field of cargo shipping. This logistics corridor is being developed due regular freight voyages, construction of new nuclear-powered icebreakers and modernization of the relevant infrastructure. Rosatom companies are actively involved in this work. Rosatom Fuel Company TVEL (Rosatom Fuel Division) includes companies fabricating nuclear fuel, converting and enriching uranium, manufacturing gas centrifuges, conducting researches and producing designs. As the only nuclear fuel supplier to Russian NPPs, TVEL supplies fuel for a total of 75 power reactors in 15 countries, for research reactors in nine countries, as well as for propulsion reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world runs on TVEL fuel. Rosatom Fuel Division is the world’s largest producer of enriched uranium and the leader on the global stable isotope market. The Fuel Division is actively developing new businesses in chemistry, metallurgy, energy storage technologies, 3D printing, digital products, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. TVEL also includes Rosatom integrators for additive technologies and electricity storage systems. Rosenergoatom, Joint-Stock Company is part of Rosatom Electric Power Division and one of the largest companies in the industry acting as an operator of nuclear power plants. It includes, as its branches, 11 operating NPPs, including the FNPP, the Scientific and Technical Center for Emergency Operations at NPPs, Design and Engineering as well as Technological companies. In total, 37 power units with a total installed capacity of over 29.5 GW are in operation at 11 nuclear power plants in Russia. Machinery Manufacturing Plant, Joint-Stock Company (MSZ JSC, Elektrostal) is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fuel for nuclear power plants. The company produces fuel assemblies for VVER-440, VVER-1000, RBMK-1000, BN-600,800, VK-50, EGP-6; powders and fuel pellets intended for supply to foreign customers. It also produces nuclear fuel for research reactors. The plant belongs to the TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom.

Rosatom obtained a license for the first land-based SMR in Russia

On April 21, Rosenergoatom obtained a license issued by Rostekhnadzor to construct the Yakutsk land-based SMR in the Ust-Yansky District of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

ROSATOM and FEDC agree to cooperate in the construction of Russia's first onshore SNPP

ROSATOM and FEDC have signed a cooperation agreement to build Russia's first onshore SNPP in Yakutia.

Rosatom develops nuclear fuel for modernized floating power units

Rosatom has completed the development of nuclear fuel for the RITM-200S small modular reactor designed for the upgraded floating power units.

Rosatom Starts Production of Rare-Earth Magnets for Wind Power Generation

TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom has started gradual localization of rare-earth magnets manufacturing for wind power plants generators. The first sets of magnets have been manufactured and shipped to the customer.

In total, the contract between Elemash Magnit LLC (an enterprise of TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom in Elektrostal, Moscow region) and Red Wind B.V. (a joint venture of NovaWind JSC and the Dutch company Lagerwey) foresees manufacturing and supply over 200 sets of magnets. One set is designed to produce one power generator.

“The project includes gradual localization of magnets manufacturing in Russia, decreasing dependence on imports. We consider production of magnets as a promising sector for TVEL’s metallurgical business development. In this regard, our company does have the relevant research and technological expertise for creation of Russia’s first large-scale full cycle production of permanent rare-earth magnets,” commented Natalia Nikipelova, President of TVEL JSC.

“NovaWind, as the nuclear industry integrator for wind power projects, not only made-up an efficient supply chain, but also contributed to the development of inter-divisional cooperation and new expertise of Rosatom enterprises. TVEL has mastered a unique technology for the production of magnets for wind turbine generators. These technologies will be undoubtedly in demand in other areas as well,” noted Alexander Korchagin, Director General of NovaWind JSC.

For reference:

TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom incorporates enterprises for the fabrication of nuclear fuel, conversion and enrichment of uranium, production of gas centrifuges, as well as research and design organizations. It is the only supplier of nuclear fuel for Russian nuclear power plants. TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom provides nuclear fuel for 73 power reactors in 13 countries worldwide, research reactors in eight countries, as well as transport reactors of the Russian nuclear fleet. Every sixth power reactor in the world operates on fuel manufactured by TVEL. www.tvel.ru

NovaWind JSC is a division of Rosatom; its primary objective is to consolidate the State Corporation's efforts in advanced segments and technological platforms of the electric power sector. The company was founded in 2017. NovaWind consolidates all of the Rosatom’s wind energy assets – from design and construction to power engineering and operation of wind farms.

Overall, by 2023, enterprises operating under the management of NovaWind JSC, will install 1 GW of wind farms. http://novawind.ru

Elemash Magnit LLC is a subsidiary of Kovrov Mechanical Plant (an enterprise of the TVEL Fuel Company of Rosatom) and its main supplier of magnets for production of gas centrifuges. The company also produces magnets for other industries, in particular, for the automotive

industry. The production facilities of Elemash Magnit LLC are located in the city of Elektrostal, Moscow Region, at the site of Elemash Machine-Building Plant (a nuclear fuel fabrication facility of TVEL Fuel Company).

Rosatom is a global actor on the world’s nuclear technology market. Its leading edge stems from a number of competitive strengths, one of which is assets and competences at hand in all nuclear segments. Rosatom incorporates companies from all stages of the technological chain, such as uranium mining and enrichment, nuclear fuel fabrication, equipment manufacture and engineering, operation of nuclear power plants, and management of spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. Nowadays, Rosatom brings together about 350 enterprises and organizations with the workforce above 250 K. https://rosatom.ru/en/

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