Energy Policy Commons^™

Cybersecurity Center For Offshore Wind Energy (Final Project Round), Sachin Shetty

Center for Secure and Intelligent Critical Systems (CSICS) Publications

This project establishes a Cybersecurity Center for Offshore Wind Energy with the objective of designing and operating a cyber-physical testbed for wind energy farms (WEFs) that enables comprehensive cybersecurity research. The testbed incorporates a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system connected to turbine models via industrial-grade programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and remote terminal units (RTUs). It supports side-channel data acquisition, implementation and analysis of various cyberattack scenarios, and development of attack detection, mitigation, and best-practice guidance tailored to wind energy systems. During the project, the team expanded the number and fidelity of mathematical turbine models (MTMs), integrated these models …

Impacts Of Offshore Wind Energy Development On The Commercial Sea Scallop Fishery, Sarah Borsetti, Daphne M. Munroe, John M. Klinck, Andrew M. Scheld, Eileen E. Hofmann, Eric N. Powell, David B. Rudders

CCPO Publications

The Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery on the Northeast U.S. continental shelf generates approximately USD 500 million ex-vessel revenues annually, making it one of the most valuable single species fisheries in the United States. Wind energy development is planned for key areas on the U.S. Mid-Atlantic shelf where the Atlantic sea scallop fishery operates, creating novel challenges in managing trade-offs between traditional users like fisheries and new users like offshore wind energy. An agent-based modeling framework that integrates spatial dynamics in Atlantic sea scallop stock biology, fishing fleet behavior, and federal management decisions, was implemented to investigate …

Analytical And Semi-Analytical Modeling Of Solar Cells Using The Lambert W Function: A Comprehensive Review Of Equivalent Circuits, Adel El-Shahat, Martin Ćalasan, Snežana Vujoševic, Shady H. E. Abdel Aleem

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The modeling of photovoltaic (PV) cells through equivalent circuits forms a central element in the analysis, simulation, and optimization of solar energy systems. Traditional approaches often depend on iterative numerical methods to solve the implicit current–voltage (I–V) equations. In contrast, the Lambert W function has emerged as an effective mathematical tool that enables closed-form or semi-analytical expressions for a wide range of PV models. This paper presents a Lambert W-centered review of analytical and semi-analytical formulations for PV equivalent-circuit models, covering classical single-diode and multi-diode structures and modern variants incorporating additional elements, voltage-dependent parameters, and topology rearrangements. The models are …

From Comparison To Integration: Building Energy Simulation Tool Variability And The Case For Intelligent Retrofit Workflows, Amir Safari, Dalya Ismael, Mahsa Safari, James Freihaut

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

As the urgency to address climate change and modernize energy infrastructure grows, the building sector plays a key role in improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. This study evaluates five energy retrofit strategies for Building 101 at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia, comparing two real-world proposals from energy service companies with three simulation-based packages derived from Building Energy Simulation (BES) tools. The study examined whether advanced BES tools provide greater accuracy and decision-making value compared to simpler alternatives. Electricity savings ranged from 5 % to 40 %, gas savings from 29.7 % to 61 %, and annual cost reductions …

Natural Resource Rents And Energy Poverty Nexus In Next Eleven Economies, Muhammad Salah Uddin, Ayub Ali, Zobayer Ahmed, Md Nasir Uddin Sikdar, Ahsan Habib, Abdullah Elah Al-Mahde

Finance Faculty Publications

Energy poverty (EP) remains a persistent global challenge with important implications for economic development, public health, and social welfare. While natural resources, particularly oil and gas, are often viewed as key sources of energy access, their effectiveness in mitigating EP remains underexplored in emerging economies. This study examines the relationship between natural resource rents (NRR), specifically oil rents (OR) and natural gas rents (NGR), and energy poverty (EP) in the Next Eleven (N-11) countries from 2000 to 2020. The primary objective is to assess how NRR influences EP at various levels of poverty using the Method of Moments Quantile Regression …

Comparative Assessment Of Energy And Emission Costs For Geothermal Heat Pumps And Fossil-Fuel Heating Systems Across U.S. Climatic Zones, Md Shahin Alam, Shima Afshar, Seyed Ali Arefifar, Mohammad Haq

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In response to growing concerns over global warming and energy sustainability, transitioning from fossil-fuel-based heating systems to renewable alternatives is essential. This study evaluates the economic and environmental performance of geothermal heat pumps for building heating and compares it with conventional coal-fired boilers, natural-gas boilers, and diesel furnaces. Using the heating degree-day (HDD) method, heating energy demand was analyzed for four U.S. cities—Anchorage (AK), San Francisco (CA), Salt Lake City (UT), and Las Vegas (NV)—representing diverse climatic zones. The analysis integrates thermodynamic and economic parameters, including the coefficient of performance (COP = 2–5) and annual fuel-utilization efficiency (AFUE = 80–97%), …

Towards Supporting Real-Time Estimation Of Vehicle Fuel Consumption And Co2 Emissions In Smart City Applications, Abrar Alali, Stephan Olariu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This paper evaluates a simplified physics-based energy demand model designed to estimate vehicle fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions—a critical tool for sustainable transportation planning and smart city applications. Unlike data-driven regression models that lack generalizability for user-defined conditions or complex physics-based approaches that rely on extensive, often proprietary data, the simplified model is distinguished by its minimal parameter requirements, depending primarily on a single, overarching powertrain efficiency value. A key contribution is the comprehensive empirical evaluation of the simplified model against official Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) test data across multiple driving cycles and vehicle types, providing a rigorous validation previously …

Power Asymmetry Dynamics: Assessing Interdependence In France-Cameroon Relations Through Economic And Security Cooperation (2000–2024), Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

This paper examines the dynamics of power asymmetry in the interdependent relationship between Cameroon and France from 2000 – 2024 with a focus on security and economic cooperation. The main research question asks: To what extent has power asymmetry reinforced or mitigated the interdependent relationship between Cameroon and France within the realm of economic and security cooperation? Based on the hypothesis that increased interdependence between these two states during this period has strengthened existing power disparity. The paper examines how such dynamics have restrained Cameroon’s autonomy and its capacity to pursue policy goals.

The theoretical framework combines dependency theory, postcolonial …

Post Soviet Russia: Challenges To Transition And Modernization, Chick Edmond

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the beginning of a complex, often turbulent, period of transition and modernization for Russia. Unlike the anticipated linear path toward Western-style democracy and market economics, Russia’s post-Soviet experience has been defined by profound contradictions, reversals, and ongoing contestations over its political, economic, and social order (Minakov, 2016). The initial wave of reforms, particularly in the 1990s, brought about radical economic restructuring, privatization, and an attempted shift to a free-market system. Yet, these rapid changes led to significant economic dislocation, social inequality, and the rise of oligarchic power structures, which ultimately undermined …

Nanomaterial-Enabled Enhancements In Thylakoid-Based Biofuel Cells, Amit Sarode, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Thylakoid-based photosynthetic biofuel cells (TBFCs) harness the inherent light-driven electron transfer pathways of photosynthesis to enable sustainable solar-to-electrical energy conversion. While TBFCs offer a unique route toward biohybrid energy systems, their practical deployment is hindered by sluggish electron transfer kinetics, unstable redox mediators, and inefficient interfacing between biological and electrode components. This review critically examines recent advances in TBFCs, with a focus on three key surface engineering strategies: (i) incorporation of nanostructured materials to enhance electrode conductivity and surface area; (ii) application of redox mediators to facilitate charge transfer between photosynthetic proteins and electrodes; and (iii) functional exploitation of individual …

Trustworthiness And Trust: Identifying Factors That Drive Successful Human-Ai Interaction In Nuclear Power Plant Applications, Yusuke Yamani, Austin Jackson, Casey Kovesdi, Jeffrey Joe, Jeremy Mohon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are rapidly evolving and promising tools for efficient and continued safe operations of the U.S. nuclear power plants (NPPs). Emerging AI techniques like large language models (LLMs) are one such technology that may help personnel at existing NPPs perform work more efficiently. For example, operators may query the current operational status of a power plant via a chat interface, leveraging LLMs to access plant-related information in an interactive manner rather than manually collecting various sensor data for surveillance or work order tasks. This is a fundamental shift in the way …

Powering Justice: Sketches For A New Ethos In Energy Policy, Erin Rizzato Devlin

Green Humanities: A Journal of Ecological Thought in Literature, Philosophy & the Arts

Energy politics lie at the heart of human activity. In a time of ecological and energy crisis, it is fundamental to realise that our reality systems are always open to change and that, in order to respond to the challenges of a changing energy landscape, we must explore the full possibilities of technology in a radical way. This research aims to consider the ethical implications of energy and technology, presenting an urgent case for cosmotechnical pluralism, that is the diversification of world-views, knowledges, technologies in the pursuit of energy justice in global politics. To reconstruct the world and its politics …

Renewable Energy Stocks' Performance And Climate Risk: An Empirical Analysis, Lingyu Li, Xianrong Zheng, Shuxi Wang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

This article studies the relationship between renewable energy stocks’ performance and climate risk. It shows that publicly held renewable energy stocks underperform as a reaction to climate policy information releases, modeled by feed-in tariff (FIT) legislation announcements. The study examined stock price behaviors 2 days before and 30 days after FIT policy announcements. The stock sample used in the study has 3702 firm-day combinations, which included 180 cleantech firms and 32 events from 2007 to 2017. Based on the residual analysis of the sample’s abnormal return, it indicated that the FIT announcements are associated with significant declines in returns. The …

Note On Fuel Consumption In Ocean Container Shipping: Bounds On Fuel Usage, Manwo Ng

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

This paper contributes to the literature by deriving upper and lower bounds on the fuel consumption in container shipping. The bounds are derived from sailing distances, port times, and the possible arrival times at ports/ the berth windows negotiated between the ocean carrier and the port operators. Crucially, the derived bounds can be used in conjunction with any of the common fuel consumption functions proposed in the literature. This latter is especially important since currently there is no consensus on a specific functional form for the fuel consumption function. The behavior of the bounds will be illustrated with numerical examples.

Large Offshore Wind Farms Have Minimal Direct Impacts On Air Quality, Maryam Golbazi, Cristina L. Archer

Data Science Faculty Publications

Wind power has rapidly grown over the past decade because it is clean, renewable, and abundant. However, wind farms can affect local weather and possibly alter the transport, diffusion, and concentration of air pollutants. Given the unprecedented expansion of offshore wind farms planned along the U.S. East Coast by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), this study aims to investigate if and how those future offshore wind farms might directly affect air pollution along the densely populated East Coast, in particular, the concentrations of ozone (O₃), fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), …

Potential Repercussions Of Offshore Wind Energy Development In The Northeast United States For The Atlantic Surfclam Survey And Population Assessment, Sarah Borsetti, Daphne M. Munroe, Andrew M. Scheld, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Eileen E. Hofmann

CCPO Publications

The Atlantic surfclam Spisula solidissima fishery, which spans the U.S. Northeast continental shelf, is among the most exposed to offshore wind energy development impacts because of the overlap of fishing grounds with wind energy lease areas, the hydraulic dredges used by the fishing vessels, and the location of vessel home ports relative to the fishing grounds. The Atlantic surfclam federal assessment survey is conducted using a commercial fishing vessel in locations that overlap with the offshore wind energy development. Once wind energy turbines, cables, and scour protection are installed, survey operations within wind energy lease areas may be curtailed or …

Digital Energy Platforms Considering Digital Privacy And Security By Design Principles, Umit Cali, Marthe Fogstad Dynge, Ahmed Idries, Sambeet Mishra, Ivanko Dmytro, Naser Hashemipour, Murat Kuzlu, Aleksandra Mileva (Ed.), Steffen Wendzel (Ed.), Virginia Franqueira (Ed.)

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The power system and markets have become increasingly complex, along with efforts to digitalize the energy sector. Accessing flexibility services, in particular, through digital energy platforms, has enabled communication between multiple entities within the energy system and streamlined flexibility market operations. However, digitalizing these vast and complex systems introduces new cybersecurity and privacy concerns, which must be properly addressed during the design of the digital energy platform ecosystems. More specifically, both privacy and cybersecurity measures should be embedded into all phases of the platform design and operation, based on the privacy and security by design principles. In this study, these …

Light Water Sustainability Program: Optimizing Information Automation Using A New Method Based On System-Theoretic Process Analysis, Jeffrey Joe, Larry Hettinger, Marvin Dainoff, Patrick Murray, Yusuke Yamani

Psychology Faculty Publications

This report describes the interim progress for research supporting the design and optimization of information automation systems for nuclear power plants. Much of the domestic nuclear fleet is currently focused on modernizing technologies and processes, including transitioning toward digitalization in the control room and elsewhere throughout the plant, along with a greater use of automation, artificial intelligence, robotics, and other emerging technologies. While there are significant opportunities to apply these technologies toward greater plant safety, efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, optimizing their design and avoiding potential safety and performance risks depends on ensuring that human-performance-related organizational and technical design issues are …

Editorial: Internet Of Energy For Renewable Energy-Based Decarbonized Electrical Energy Systems, Onur Elma, Murat Kuzlu, Nasibeh Zohrabi

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

[Introduction] This research topic aims to highlight the current state-of-the art technologies in digitalized smart grids, including renewable energy and others with the Internet of Energy (IoE) under the decarbonized electrical energy systems. These approaches will increase the overall efficiency of electrical power systems, along with emerging technologies and applications in the current system. IoE covers all digitalization processes with mobility, electronic devices, and energy network as seen in Figure 1.

Mitigating Anomalous Electricity Consumption In Smart Cities Using An Ai-Based Stacked-Generalization Technique, Arshid Ali, Laiq Khan, Nadeem Javaid, Safdar Hussain Bouk, Abdulaziz Aldegheishem, Nabil Alrahjeh

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Energy management and efficient asset utilization play an important role in the economic development of a country. The electricity produced at the power station faces two types of losses from the generation point to the end user. These losses are technical losses (TL) and non-technical losses (NTL). TLs occurs due to the use of inefficient equipment. While NTLs occur due to the anomalous consumption of electricity by the customers, which happens in many ways; energy theft being one of them. Energy theft majorly happens to cut down on the electricity bills. These losses in the smart grid (SG) are the …

The Relationship Between Enterprise Risk Management And Cost Of Capital, Muhammad Kashif Shad, Fong-Woon Lai, Amjad Shamim, Michael Mcshane, Sheikh Muhammad Zahid

Finance Faculty Publications

This paper investigates the effect of enterprise risk management (ERM) implementation on the cost of capital (cost of debt, cost of equity, and weighted average cost of capital) for the oil and gas industry. The research is conducted using panel data analysis from 2008-2017 for 41 oil and gas companies publicly listed on the Bursa Malaysia. ERM implementation data is collected from company annual reports, while the cost of capital data is obtained from Thomson Reuters DataStream. The results indicate that an increase in the level of ERM implementation reduces the cost of capital, which we argue is one mechanism …

Influence Of The Inherent Safety Principles On Quantitative Risk In Process Industry: Application Of Genetic Algorithm Process Optimization (Gapo), Mehdi Jahangiri, Abolfazl Moghadasi, Mojtaba Kamalinia, Farid Sadeghianjahromi, Sean Banaee

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Inherent safety (IS) refers to a set of measures that enhance the safety level of processes and equipment, rendering additional equipment and/or add-ons. The early design phase of processes is suited best for implementation of IS strategies as some of such strategies either are impossible to be implemented at the operation phase or substantially increase costs. The purpose of this study is to present a new approach called genetic algorithm process optimization (GAPO), by which processes can be made inherently safer even at the operation phase. This study simulates the IS principle, assessing its impact on quantitative risk and the …

Criticality Based Optimal Cyber Defense Remediation In Energy Delivery Systems, Kamrul Hasan, Sachin Shetty, Md. Sharif Ullah, Amin Hassanzadeh, Tariqul Islam

VMASC Publications

A prioritized cyber defense remediation plan is critical for effective risk management in Energy Delivery System (EDS). Due to the complexity of EDS in terms of heterogeneous nature blending Information Technology (IT) and Operation Technology (OT) and Industrial Control System (ICS), scale and critical processes tasks, prioritized remediations should be applied gradually to protect critical assets. In this work, we propose a methodology for a prioritized cyber risk remediation plan by detecting and evaluating paths to critical nodes in EDS. We propose critical nodes characteristics evaluation based on nodes’ architectural positions, a measure of centrality based on nodes’ connectivity and …

Can The Us And Europe Contain Russian Power In The European Energy Market? A Game Theoretic Approach, Jesse Richman, Nurullah Ayyilmaz

Political Science & Geography Faculty Publications

The Russian history of politicization of natural gas supplies led Europe to seek alternatives. US LNG is considered to be a viable alternative for Europe, which positioned the US as a strong competitor against Russia. In a game theoretic approach, we model this strategic decision-making process in simultaneous-move and sequential games. Our findings indicate a mixed strategy equilibrium: Europe cannot commit to diversify in the face of Russian advantages, and Russia cannot fully resist the temptation to politicize its supplies to Europe. The US might attempt to intervene in the European commitment problem through implementing sanctions on Russian gas sales. …

A Blockchain-Enabled Peer-To-Peer Energy Trading Platform For Managing Complex Exchange Of Kilowatt-Hours And Negawatts, Murat Kuzlu, Rasheq Rahman, Jason Lin

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Under the Department of Energy’s STTR funding, BEM Controls LLC performed research from July 2, 2018 to April 1, 2019. The purpose of this research was to design, develop and demonstrate the technical feasibility of the blockchain enabled energy trading platform for managing complex exchange of kilowatt hours and negawatts. The energy trading platform was developed in the open-source HyperLedger Fabric blockchain framework and the performance of the blockchain network was evaluated. Key research findings and results include (1) the successful design and development of an open-architecture blockchain-based energy trading platform able to execute smart contract transactions across eight use …

When The Wind Blows: An Evaluation Of Key Factors That Enabled The Proliferation Of Wind Energy Generation In The United States Through 2016, Mary Sodini Bell

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Increasing CO₂ emissions have led to extreme weather phenomena labeled as climate change. Energy consumption and the burning of fossil fuels are primary contributors to climate change, which necessitates finding ways to decrease fossil fuel consumption critical to preserving the planet while helping nations reduce dependence on costly fossil fuels. Renewable energy is one part of the solution to reducing CO₂ emissions. Wind energy is the fastest growing form of renewable energy across the world and within the U.S., but the key factors that enabled the U.S. wind industry to grow from zero installed capacity at the beginning …

Diffusion Of Renewable Energy Policies, Khatera Alizada

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the global diffusion of renewable energy policies: feed-in tariffs (FIT) and renewable portfolio standards (RPS). Existing studies of policy diffusion have failed to differentiate between four possible mechanisms of policy diffusion: emulation, suasion, learning and competition. To test these competing explanations, the study uses a mixed-method research design that combines statistical analysis of time-series cross-sectional data with an agent-based model of diffusion processes. The findings of the statistical analysis show strong support for the suasion (European Union Membership, Clean Development Mechanisms) and emulation mechanisms (cultural similarity or common language) in the diffusion of FIT. In the diffusion …

The Effects Of Using Natural Gas In Light-Duty Vehicle Fleet Of The United States On Its Energy Dependency And Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Nurullah Ayyilmaz

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Shale boom has changed the track of discussions on the future of the U.S. energy politics. A new opportunity emerged to meet domestic demand of the U.S. by using secure sources. Transportation accounts for a quarter of energy consumption in the U.S. Increasing the share of natural gas in the transport sector bolsters the U.S. energy security because of shifting from insecure sources (imported oil) to secure sources (shale gas reserves). Using natural gas instead of oil in light-duty vehicles (LDVs) contributes to the efforts of decreasing dependence on insecure sources and also decreases anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused …

Energy Sustainability Of Turkey In The Case Of Lng, Omer Ilker Poyraz, Omer Keskin, Resit Unal

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Energy is both vital and strategic element for a nation to sustain its fundamental activities like security, logistics, heating, etc. Countries sustain their energy demands through internal or external sources. In the case of not being able to maintain energy demands from their internal sources, they would need to import their requirements. Whenever they need to buy raw materials, they have to build terminals to process the raw material into the required form. The dependency on the imports may cause the importing country to weaken its advantage in international conflicts, unemployment, and welfare. Therefore, countries aim to mitigate dependence to …

Learning By Doing - Energy Systems Management, Nima Shahriari, Adrian V. Gheorghe

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Climate change concerns have confronted energy policy makers by unprecedented challenges in the 21st century. Revolution of renewable energy technologies, as well as more efficient energy systems, has been promising in the context of global warming. However, these technologies are not maturing and chaning. Consequently planning for development of these resources requires dealing with various multidisciplinary research questions such as financial feasibility of renewable energy projects. Nevertheless, there is considerable lack of education programs offering multidisciplinary approach for addressing the current energy challenges. Based on the 21st evolving energy landscape, an interdisciplinary graduate certificate course work was designed at Old …