ORNL algorithm weighs community factors for urban energy siting

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has announced a new algorithm for selecting urban sites for utility-scale power generation or storage.

• The tool combines grid infrastructure with zoning, noise regulations, historical and architectural significance, and other community factors to help utilities and project planners choose the type, location, and size of energy projects.
• ORNL said the algorithm simulates 24-hour energy demand and power flow to model grid capacity and hourly voltage fluctuations; researcher Rodney Itiki said zoning and noise rules can reduce available sites by 20% to 30%.
• Itiki said the approach could also be applied to critical materials mining, AI data centers, disaster response, and major events such as the FIFA World Cup or Olympics. The project was funded by DOE’s Integrated Energy Systems Office.