WPTO invests in research to advance cutting-edge technology in hydropower and marine and hydrokinetic energy.
Water Power Technologies Office
August 1, 2017
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Water power has provided significant benefits to the U.S. economy and national security for more than 100 years. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) is working to continue that legacy by investing in research to advance cutting-edge technology in hydropower and marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) energy.
While research and development efforts occur at the Energy Department and its national laboratories, significant funding is provided to industry stakeholders—such as businesses, academic institutions, and local governments—who are also working to innovate water power technology, which can deliver low-cost power and resiliency to the nation’s electricity grids.
Funds are dispersed from WPTO to industry stakeholders through funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). Essentially, FOAs are a public call for project ideas that could provide a solution or pathway to a specific challenge or goal identified by WPTO. FOAs outline the scope of a project with the intention of achieving a particular result. Often, the WPTO is looking for results that will advance early-stage technology development or address significant technology commercialization obstacles faced by industry. FOAs also indicate the amount of funding available—for both individual projects and the opportunity as a whole. Funds can be split among numerous projects or go to one project.
Water power FOA announcements are publically posted on the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Funding Opportunity Exchange. A FOA is usually preceded by a notice of intent (NOI), which alerts the public to the upcoming opportunity. Once a FOA is posted, potential applicants have a prescribed amount of time to submit a project proposal. Sometimes this step is broken into two parts—a concept paper, first, and then a more-detailed technical paper.
The Energy Department then assembles a team of experts from industry, academia, government, and other key stakeholder groups to evaluate proposals. These reviewers are screened for conflicts of interest to ensure they provide an unbiased review of the proposed projects. Reviewers score applications according to how well they align with the FOA’s goals and the merit of the proposal itself. A highly scored project proposal will show a clear pathway to achieving a project’s goal, and the goal will reflect the purpose of the FOA.
After the merit review is completed, a selection official—in the case of water power projects, the director of WPTO—signs a selection statement specifying the names and funding amounts of projects to be funded. As required by law, the Energy Department notifies Congress and publicly announces these selections here. The Energy Department then negotiates with awardees about the award’s terms and deadlines for major deliverables. Once all legal matters are settled, funds are dispersed. Depending on the complexity and scale of the project, funds are dispersed in increments called budget periods. FOA awardees are continuously monitored by DOE staff to ensure projects remain productive and on track to deliver results. This monitoring includes site visits and regular face-to-face meetings with the project teams.
Some industry stakeholder projects that were funded with FOAs include:
- Three companies develop modular hydropower technology
- Historical flour mill adds new small-hydropower technology to improve energy efficiency
- Northwest Energy Innovations tests a wave energy device in the open ocean
FOAs are just one way the Energy Department can fund research to innovate energy technology. Other methods include the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR and SBTT) program; annual operating plans (AOPs), which fund national laboratory activities; and the Small Business Vouchers (SBV) Pilot, which lets small businesses tap into the reserve of national laboratory intellectual and technical assets.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy accelerates development and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and market-based solutions that strengthen U.S. energy security, environmental quality, and economic vitality. Visit water.energy.gov to learn more about the Water Power Technologies Office.