SMRs for Replacing Coal

This publication presents a comprehensive analysis of the global potential, technical requirements, and policy opportunities of using small modular reactors (SMRs) for on-grid applications at coal plants. It is part of an NEA series of case studies to assess the opportunities and challenges for SMRs to support the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industrial sectors while preserving jobs and securing reliable, resilient energy infrastructure. This study was informed by direct engagement with stakeholders in the electricity and coal sectors who identified a range of considerations and barriers to nuclear adoption at coal plant sites. It includes estimates of the coal capacity that …

High-Temporal-Resolution Dataset of Uni-, Didirectional, and Dynamic Electric Vehicle Charging Profiles

The transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs) introduces challenges for power grid integration, particularly due to the growing demand for charging infrastructure. To support research on smart charging strategies and bidirectional charging applications, this study presents an open-access dataset containing 142 EV charging profiles obtained in a laboratory environment. The dataset includes static charging and discharging scenarios alongside dynamic profiles where the charging power is varied over time. These scenarios are applied to eight commercially available EVs, three of which support bidirectional charging. It features tests in alternating current and direct current charging modes and includes high-resolution time series of grid …

Unequal Power Outages Induced by Natural Disasters

Natural disasters increasingly threaten energy system reliability. However, little empirical research has examined the unequal impact of such events on power outages. Here, we employ a nationwide high-frequency point-level power outage and natural disasters dataset in China, spanning from 2019 to 2021, to empirically assess the impact of natural disasters on power outages. We focus on the poverty counties, identified by the Chinese government, based on income, infrastructure, geographical location, and other criteria. We find that these impacts of natural disasters on power outage are not distributed evenly between poverty counties (5.19% and 8.96% increase in frequency and duration, respectively) …

A Harmonized Dataset of Ground-Mounted Solar Energy in the US with Enhanced Metadata

Solar energy generating systems are critical components of our expanding energy infrastructure, yet available datasets remain incomplete or not publicly available–particularly at the sub-array level. Combining the best open access datasets in the US with image analysis on freely available remotely-sensed imagery, we present the Ground-Mounted Solar Energy in the United States (GM-SEUS) dataset, a harmonized, open access geospatial and temporal repository of solar energy arrays and panel-rows. GM-SEUS v1.0 includes over 15,000 commercial- and utility-scale ground-mounted solar photovoltaic and concentrating solar energy arrays (186 GWDC) covering 2,950 km2 and includes 2.92 million unique solar panel-rows (466 km2). We use …

Gateway to Green

India’s ports have the potential to become key hubs in the global green hydrogen transition. Beyond serving as traditional transit points, they can evolve into dynamic energy ecosystems by seamlessly integrating green hydrogen into their value chains. This transformation would not only accelerate India’s clean energy shift but also strengthen its role in global trade while unlocking new revenue streams through bunkering, refueling, and value-added services.

A robust Common User Infrastructure (CUI) framework will be key to developing green hydrogen facilities. Strategically located ports can cater to both domestic and export markets, leveraging their proximity to industrial clusters and existing …

DOE Staff Crunch Slows American Energy Innovation

DOE Staff Crunch Slows American Energy Innovation (September 2025) explores the relationship between the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) staffing levels and funding to catalyze and implement American energy innovation. This brief is part of EFI Foundation’s Modernizing American Energy Innovation series.

For decades, DOE has played a critical role in supporting American energy innovation and increasing U.S economic competitiveness in global markets. DOE was built to advance national goals, including the development of new energy resources, lowering costs to consumers, and building out America’s infrastructure.

In recent years, there has been broad support to expand DOE’s mission to fund …

Optimizing Energy Efficiency Programs for Financially Constrained Households

Discover how to transform energy equity from an aspiration into reality with Optimizing Energy Efficiency Programs for Financially Constrained Households, Franklin Energy’s latest in-depth guide. This powerful, research-driven report sheds light on the real-world barriers low-income households face—from crumbling infrastructure to confusing enrollment—and lays out a clear roadmap for utilities to deliver measurable impact. Backed by insights from 400+ low-income respondents across diverse communities, it provides actionable strategies to increase participation, eliminate friction, and build trust. If you’re a utility, program designer, or policymaker, this report is your playbook for inclusive, effective energy programs that drive both equity and operational …

Community Resilience Mapping Tool Catalog

Across the electric power sector, planning with equity and resilience has never been more urgent and never more achievable. Today’s utility leaders are navigating unprecedented change: surging demand from electrification, AI, and data centers; the need to strengthen the grid for resilience; and the responsibility to ensure communities are not left behind. At the same time, leaders now have access to an expanding ecosystem of data, from natural hazard risk and infrastructure vulnerability to equity indicators and DER hosting capacity.

But navigating this range of resources can be time-consuming and complex. That’s why SEPA created this Catalog: to help energy …

2025 Transportation Electrification in the Southeast Report

This year’s report provides a snapshot of the electric vehicle (EV) market at a particularly pivotal political inflection point. Produced by Atlas Public Policy in partnership with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), the report examines data from July 2024 through June 2025 for six states across the Southeast — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — across six market indicators: manufacturing investments; anticipated jobs; EV sales; charging infrastructure deployment; utility investments; and public funding.…

National Nuclear Security Administration: Additional Steps Needed to Improve Cost Estimates for Fixed Price Subcontracts

NNSA spends millions of dollars on hundreds of construction projects each year to maintain and modernize the research and production infrastructure at its eight nuclear security enterprise sites. NNSA relies on M&O contractors at its sites to manage the day-to-day activities associated with these construction projects. For less costly projects, M&O contractors may use fixed-price subcontracts to procure the services of subcontractors.

The report accompanying the Senate bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2024 includes a provision for GAO to review NNSA’s use of fixed-price construction subcontracts. This report examines (1) the extent to which M&O contractor …