Constellation Energy Research Articles

Comments: Running Hot and Cool for a Power Boost

_ Have data center operators become the major proponents of nuclear power? A flurry of recent announcements suggests so. But three major industry players are leveraging their oil and gas expertise to offer another process to help data center operators run their sites more sustainably—immersion cooling liquids. Nuclear power took top billing in the past 2 months with Amazon and nuclear reactor company X-Energy announcing a collaboration to bring online more than 5 GW of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the US by 2039. Google and Kairos Power will collaborate to deploy 500 MW with SMRs by 2030. Kairos will build them, then sell energy and ancillary services to Google under power purchase agreements (PPA). Microsoft has an eye on the restart of the retired 835-MW Three Mile Island Unit 1 and signed a 20-year PPA with Constellation Energy which owns the plant and plans to finance the work required with the PPA, its largest ever. These early plans could boost the available power supply while lowering carbon emissions, but hurdles remain. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) must approve commercial deployment; SMRs are in relatively early stages and regulatory frameworks are evolving; the need for public acceptance; and the NRC comes into play again to regulate the management and disposal of radioactive nuclear waste. In other words, this will not be a speedy solution. Immersion Cooling for Data Centers—Shell, ExxonMobil, and BP Although the practice of liquid cooling isn’t a new concept in the oil and gas industry which uses water, oil, cooling towers, seawater, and engineered liquids to handle heat in various processes and plants, data center operators are exploring the use of a muscle car version—immersion cooling. Immersion cooling is gaining broader attention and consideration. Data Center Frontier called it “ready for its big moment.” The Cleantech Group forecasts that the market for immersion cooling could grow from $270 million to $2.54 billion by 2032. The process entails submerging servers with modified hardware into a bath of nonconductive liquid (e.g., fans are removed, protective coatings are applied, a controlled temperature range of the liquid is maintained) to allow the heat generated by components to be transmitted into the fluid and cooled using either a single-phase or two‑phase method. In the single-phase process, a thermally conductive dielectric liquid is used. It is circulated through immersion tanks, using pumps, to an external heat exchanger, then it is returned to the tanks. The two-phase method is more complicated. The dielectric fluid is one that will change from a liquid to a gas at a relatively low temperature (lower than the operating temperature of the electronic components). Because the immersion fluid has a low boiling point, the boiling causes the fluid to change state, from liquid to gas. This phase change is an efficient method of removing heat due to the vaporization process. As immersion cooling gains traction as a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional air cooling, major energy companies are stepping in to drive innovation in this technology. Shell, ExxonMobil, and BP, each with their own specialized immersion cooling fluids and collaborative ventures, are helping to advance the commercial adoption of immersion cooling in data centers worldwide. Shell Lubricants joined Green Revolution Cooling (GRC), one of the first companies to develop immersion cooling, as one of the first members in GRC’s ElectroSafe Fluid Partner Partner Program in 2022 and has deployed GRC Immersion Cooling Systems in its Houston data center and with partner Asperitas in a high-performance cluster (HPC) in its Amsterdam facilities. Shell’s single-phase, synthetic immersion fluid is based on its proprietary gas-to-liquids technology. It is conducting pilot programs with Microsoft and Alibaba in China and working with Infosys to create an integrated immersion cooling system. ExxonMobil launched its “portfolio of synthetic and nonsynthetic fluid” last October. In April 2024, the company announced it is working with Intel to develop new liquid cooling technologies for data centers. BP’s lubricant subsidiary, Castrol, is offering a range of single-phase immersion cooling fluids. It is working with Submer on future fluids and has set up a UK test center for potential customers at its headquarters. Castrol joined the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) to study thermal management and materials science using RISE’s data center test bed. Immersion cooling may deliver efficiency gains and lower power demand at a lower cost than newbuild nuclear power, but will it be enough? Or is it a stopgap until power generation ramps up? Note: I’m pleased to announce that Trent Jacobs has been promoted to the position of JPT managing editor and will be this column’s new voice starting with our December issue.

Constellation Energy education and innovation grants

Constellation Energy education and innovation grants

FPGA based modified multi-repeat distribution matcher for probabilistic amplitude shaping

The technique of probabilistic amplitude modulation, based on distribution matching, has garnered considerable attention in recent years as a means to enhance spectral efficiency and diminish the constellation energy of coded modulation. This paper introduces the implementation of Probabilistic Amplitude Modulation (PAS) using a Modified Multi-Repeat Distribution Matcher (MMRDM) on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The Modified Multiple Repetition Distribution Matcher (MMRDM) is integrated into a 2×2 Multiple Input Multiple Output Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) system, realized through the Xilinx System Generator (XSG). Simple Zero-Forced and Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) equalizers are applied to the receiver for signal detection across the MIMO channel. The system incorporates enhanced security through chaos-based scrambling with 16 and 64 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM). VHDL code files for this system are generated for the Xilinx Kintex-7 (xc7k325t-3fbg676) for hardware implementation. Performance evaluation includes an assessment of required storage capacity, complexity, and bit error rate (BER). Using Vivado 2017.4, the system is successfully routed with resource utilization, for example, 0.67% Block RAM (BRAM), 68.6% Look-Up Tables (LUT), 83% DSP 48s, and 1.5% registers for 64-QAM uniform modulation. Similarly, for 64-QAM 10 level (shaper output 60 bit) shaped modulation, the resource utilization is 0.67% BRAM, 68.8% LUT, 83% DSP 48s, and 1.6% registers on the specified device. Simulation results demonstrate an improvement in the net shaping gain of approximately (2-4 dB) at 1×10^(-4) for different equalizer cases compared to uniform QAM, along with a notable reduction in required storage capacity and computational complexity.

Constellation Energy education and innovation grants

Constellation Energy education and innovation grants

Newsbriefs: Constellation Energy halts $1bn nuclear H2 project, and more

Newsbriefs: Constellation Energy halts $1bn nuclear H2 project, and more

Business Roundup

BUSINESS Business Roundup ShareShare onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail C&EN, 2023, 101 (5), p 13February 6, 2023Cite this:C&EN 101, 5, 13AbstractQuaker Houghton , which makes industrial process fluids, has signed a contract with Constellation Energy to purchase renewable energy certificates. The certificates will match half of Quaker Houghton’s electricity needs. Ube will almost double capacity for polyimide hollow fibers at its facility in Ube, Japan. The company says demand for the fibers is growing for use in membranes that separate CO 2 from biogas. Syzygy Plasmonics will work with the nonprofit research institute RTI International to demonstrate the production of low-carbon fuel from carbon dioxide and methane. The pilot facility will combine Syzygy’s photocatalytic reactor with RTI’s Fischer-Tropsch synthesis system. Albemarle has launched a stand-alone subsidiary, Ketjen, to supply its catalysts for the petrochemical, refining, and specialty chemical industries. Albemarle says Ketjen aims to support manufacturers transitioning from fluidized catalytic cracking to clean fuels and hydroprocessing.  Valero Energy and Darling Ingredients have approved plans to build a $315 millionView: PDF | Full Text HTML

Constellation Energy E2 Energy to Educate grants

Constellation Energy E2 Energy to Educate grants

Constellation Energy education and innovation grants

Corporate Philanthropy ReportVolume 35, Issue 8 p. 14-15 Grant Alerts Constellation Energy education and innovation grants First published: 11 July 2020 https://doi.org/10.1002/cprt.30676Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume35, Issue8August 2020Pages 14-15 RelatedInformation

Constellation Energy education and innovation grants

Corporate Philanthropy ReportVolume 34, Issue 9 p. 14-14 Grant Alerts Constellation Energy education and innovation grants First published: 18 August 2019 https://doi.org/10.1002/cprt.30412Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume34, Issue9September 2019Pages 14-14 RelatedInformation

Signal-to-noise ratio estimation for M-QAM signals in \u03b7\u2212\u03bcand \u03ba\u2212\u03bcfading channels

In this paper, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimation is carried out by the method of moments (MOM) for fading channels modeled by probability distributions η−μ and κ−μ, considering M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) with constellation energy normalized to one. New expressions are presented for the SNR estimation and for the mean, variance, and normalized mean square error (NMSE) of the estimates, obtained by a statistical linearization argument. Additionally, it is shown how to obtain the SNR estimate for Nakagami-m channel from the estimation derived for the models η−μ and κ−μ. The results obtained from the analytical expressions are corroborated by simulation results and show that the MOM is a suitable alternative for scenarios in which the mathematical tractability does not suggest the application of other estimation techniques.

Grant Alerts

Corporate Philanthropy ReportVolume 33, Issue 9 p. 13-16 Grant Alerts Grant Alerts First published: 16 August 2018 https://doi.org/10.1002/cprt.30225Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Kress Foundation Digital Resources grants Kurt Weill Foundation for Music performance grants Americana Foundation's American Heritage Grants Grants to defend basic freedoms Westinghouse Electric Co. community grants Education research grants NAEF grants for art teachers, schools Constellation Energy education and innovation grants Project Learning Tree GreenWorks! grants Louisville Institute research grants Lalor Foundation grants for women's reproductive education Volume33, Issue9September 2018Pages 13-16 RelatedInformation

Joint constellation size, energy allocation and relay location optimisation for energy‐efficient DF relaying

Energy efficiency is a major issue in the energy-constrained wireless sensor network to ensure longer battery life. In this study, minimisation of total energy per bit for multi-hop decode-and-forward network employing M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation is considered. An average bit error rate (ABER) requirement at the destination over an independent Rayleigh fading channel is assumed. A realistic energy model is considered. The authors have proposed joint optimisation of constellation size, energy allocation per bit and relay location assuming fixed end-to-end distance. The authors have considered two scenarios: one, that each hop employs the same constellation size per hop and two, it adapts independently to take different constellation size. A novel solution is implemented following least square method to find the approximate closed-form solution of the optimal constellation size, which otherwise would not have been possible. It is observed that joint optimisation technique where the constellation size adapts independently per hop outperforms the one where the constellation size is same. Least amount of total energy is consumed per bit for balanced link. Finally, the analysis shows that for a realistic energy model, the dual hop network provides significant energy saving of 58% at 10 − 4 ABER over multi-hop network with four hops.

Do Trading and Power Operations Mix?

The author uses the case of Constellation Energy to show the challenges, and pitfalls, of running an energy and power trading unit as a profit center within a large power company. Sophisticated trading and risk management operations do play important supporting roles in power companies that face competitive wholesale markets. The complicated dynamics of power prices and the complex operations of generation assets and supply obligations require careful assessment of risks and returns. Trading operations can help extract more value from physical assets and supply obligations.But problems are bound to arise when companies attempt to manage the trading function as a stand‐alone profit center. Determining the amount of capital required for proprietary trading portfolios and other elements of trading businesses is complicated. It is easy to underestimate the capital required and so exaggerate the profitability of trading. When profit center trading operations share a balance sheet with other business units—especially units with physical assets like generation—the natural tendency is for the trading operation to piggyback on the capital of the other units. The actual amount of capital consumed becomes apparent only in times of crisis. We have seen this mistake made repeatedly in the short history of trading operations in U.S. power companies. Only truly independent trading operations, with their own balance sheets, can be evaluated clearly and held accountable.

Using Virtual Bids to Manipulate the Value of Financial Transmission Rights

This article describes the economics of market manipulation using an applied electricity market construct: using virtual bids in conjunction with FTRs. The model was applied in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's case against Constellation Energy Commodities Group and is applicable to a variety of cases alleging the use of uneconomic trading to trigger a manipulation, such as those alleged against JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and Barclays.

Performance Improvement of Multi-UserMC-CDMA system Using Discrete Hartly Transform Mapper

Future wireless communication systems must be able to accommodate a large number of users and simultaneously to provide the high data rates at the required quality of service. In this paper a method is proposed to perform the N-Discrete Hartley Transform (N-DHT) mapper, which are equivalent to 4-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM), 16-QAM, 64-QAM, 256-QAM, … etc. in spectral efficiency. The N-DHT mapper is chosen in the Multi Carrier Code Division Multiple Access (MC-CDMA) structure to serve as a data mapper instead of the conventional data mapping techniques like QPSK and QAM schemes. The proposed system is simulated using MATLAB and compared with conventional MC-CDMA for Additive White Gaussian Noise, flat, and multi-path selective fading channels. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate that the proposed system improves the BER performance and reduce the constellation energy as compared with the conventional system

A Radon-Multiwavelet Based OFDM System Design and Simulation Under Different Channel Conditions

Finite Radon transform (FRAT) mapper has the ability to increase orthogonality of sub-carriers, it is non sensitive to channel parameters variations, and has a small constellation energy compared with conventional fast Fourier transform (FFT) based orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). It is also able to work as a good interleaver which significantly reduces the bit error rate (BER). Due to its good orthogonality, discrete Multiwavelet transform (DMWT) is attractive for implementation in OFDM systems which reduces inter-symbol interference (ISI) and inter-carrier interference (ICI) and eliminates the need for cyclic prefix and increases the spectral efficiency of the design. In this paper both FRAT and DMWT are implemented in a new design for OFDM. The new structure was tested and compared with conventional FFT-based OFDM, Radon-based OFDM, and DMWT-based OFDM for additive white Gaussian noise channel, flat fading channel, and multi-path selective fading channel. Simulation tests were generated for different channels parameters values. The obtained results showed that proposed system has increased spectral efficiency, reduced ISI and ICI, and improved BER performance compared with other systems.

A Radon Slantlet Transforms Based OFDM System Design and Performance Simulation under Different Channel Conditions

Due to its good orthogonality, slantlet transform (SLT) is used in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems to reduce intersymbol interference (ISI) and intercarrier interference (ICI). This eliminates the need for cyclic prefix (CP) and increases the spectral efficiency of the design. Finite Radon transform (FRAT) mapper has the ability to increase orthogonality of subcarriers, is nonsensitive to channel parameters variations, and has a small constellation energy compared with conventional fast-Fourier-transform- (FFT-) based OFDM. It is also able to work as a good interleaver, which significantly reduces the bit error rate (BER). In this paper both FRAT mapping technique and SLT modulator are implemented in a new design of an OFDM system. The new structure was tested and compared with conventional FFT-based OFDM, Radon transform-based OFDM, and SLT-based OFDM for additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel, flat fading channel (FFC), and multipath selective fading channel (SFC). Simulation tests were generated for different channel parameters values. The obtained results showed that the proposed system has increased the spectral efficiency, reduced ISI and ICI, and improved BER performance compared with other systems.

Do trading and power operations mix? The case of Constellation Energy Group in 2008

For the first seven years following its creation in 2000, Constellation Energy Group was a leader in the merchant power business, and its stock significantly outperformed the industry. Then, in 2008, in the space of less than two months, the company found itself in a liquidity crisis in which its stock lost more than 70% of its value, leading to a forced sale at a low price. What happened? Constellation’s crisis illustrates the hidden dangers that arise when a power company’s trading operation stops playing a subordinate function and becomes the strategic focus of the business. The case highlights the illiquidity of many commodity trading portfolios, which increases the danger of potentially large contingent capital requirements. These are often overlooked in traditional value-at-risk calculations. It is therefore easy to underestimate exposure and the capital implicitly dedicated to the trading operation, exaggerating its profitability. When the trading unit shares a balance sheet with other operations, such as generation and customer supply, the capital required for trading is often borrowed from these other units at zero cost. Trading can improve the profitability of generation and customer supply if it is organized as a support function. If it is to be a profit center of its own, it should be organized on its own balance sheet, separate from the other operations.

Developing Solar Photovoltaic for Competitively Priced Energy

ABSTRACT Parker Hannifin Corporation (“Parker”), in conjunction with Constellation Energy, investigated the possibility of developing a solar installation at its New Britain (Connecticut) manufacturing facility. Parker eventually developed the project after carefully considering all of the relevant factors, which included not only the electricity price ($/kWh) comparison of solar with traditional brown power, but also future price curves, history of energy prices, and displacement cost with peak vs. blended price considerations.

Developing Solar Photovoltaic for Competitively Priced Energy

Parker Hannifin Corporation (“Parker”), in conjunction with Con-stellation Energy, investigated the possibility of developing a solar in-stallation at its New Britain (Connecticut) manufacturing facility. Parkereventually developed the project after carefully considering all of therelevant factors, which included not only the electricity price ($/kWh)comparison of solar with traditional brown power, but also future pricecurves, history of energy prices, and displacement cost with peak vs.blended price considerations.