Working Group #1
Accelerate Development of Hydropower Technologies and Practices that Improve Generation Efficiency, Environmental Performance and Solar and Wind Integration
There are significant opportunities to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced hydropower-related technologies in two areas. The first is to better leverage hydropower’s capability to integrate rapidly increasing amounts of variable solar and wind generation with advancements such as software for hydropower dispatch and closed loop pumped storage capacity. The second opportunity is to accelerate progress in mitigating the environmental impacts of dams (including potential impacts from the increased use of hydropower as peaking units) and increasing the climate resilience of U.S. rivers. The hydropower industry currently invests hundreds of millions of dollars annually to improve the health of our nation’s rivers, but there is more to do. This area of opportunity includes the development and deployment of 8 various technologies such as safe and effective fish passage strategies, new monitoring technologies, innovative “restoration hydro” projects, conduit hydropower, and improved dam rehabilitation, retrofit, removal and inspection technologies and techniques.
The objectives of Working Group 1 are to:
- Increased hydropower-related research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) funding at DOE and the National Labs.
- Demonstrate and validate the enhanced efficiency, environmental performance, and reliability of new hydropower and pumped storage technologies to increase developer, investor and NGO confidence.
- Identify related policy supporting these research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) efforts.
Working Group 1 Deliverables:
Innovative and Advanced Hydropower Technology Can Improve Environmental Performance, Generation Efficiency, and Grid Resilience (October 2022)
This white paper highlights innovative approaches to a climate-ready, river-friendly hydropower industry that operates safe and resilient U.S. infrastructure. The paper focuses on opportunities for innovations and technologies in hydropower, as well as dam safety and dam removal. It also recommends actions and next steps to advance dam rehabilitation and retrofitting, while highlighting the need for continued research into dam removal.
Innovations and Advancements in Technology Can Improve Environmental Sustainability, Dam Safety, and Hydropower Operations (June 2024)
This white paper highlights innovations like autonomous water quality monitoring, AI-powered hydrologic forecasting, advanced underwater inspection tools, and environmentally acceptable lubricants, and showcases successful case studies such as dissolved oxygen enhancements at High Rock Dam. Despite promising advances, challenges remain, particularly related to regulatory uncertainty, cost, and slow adoption, underscoring the need for more pilot projects, cross-sector collaboration, and increased public and private investment to accelerate deployment.
Working Group 1 Co-Chairs
- Maryalice Fischer, Low Impact Hydropower Institute
- Chris Hayes, National Hydropower Association
- Kate Stirr, Natel Energy
- Jose Zayas, Eagle Creek Renewable Energy