The Water Wire

Hydro Headlines: Nearly $15 Million in Projects Announced to Enhance Hydropower's Ability To Support Electricity Grids

Water Column: $18 Million in Projects Announced To Advance Marine Energy and Offshore Wind Research at U.S. Universities

Newsletter Archives

DOE Invests $15 Million To Enhance Hydropower's Ability To Support Electric Grid Reliability

Did You Know?

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed a Marine Energy Adventure Game! This online game puts you in the fins of a marine animal and allows you to make decisions on whether you’d like to avoid or investigate a marine energy device.

Upcoming Deadlines

TOMORROW, Dec. 12, 2024, is the deadline to submit concept papers to the Fiscal Year 2025 Technology Commercialization Fund Base Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness Lab Call.
Dec. 13, 2024, is the deadline for non-profit science, technology, engineering, and math organizations to apply to the Clean Energy Careers for All program.
Jan. 7, 2025, is the deadline to submit letters of intent to the latest round of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
Jan. 9, 2025, is the deadline to submit applications to the Renewable Energy Siting Through Technical Engagement and Planning program.
Jan. 10, 2025, is the deadline to apply for the Atlantic Marine Energy Center's (AMEC's) 2025 Introduction to Marine Energy course.
Jan. 13, 2025, is the deadline for submissions to the Explore Phase in the faculty track of the EnergyTech University Prize (EnergyTech UP).
Jan. 17, 2025, is the deadline to apply for the Resources and Assistance for State Energy Offices and Regulators program.
Jan. 29, 2025, is the deadline to submit applications for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
Jan. 30, 2025, is the deadline to submit a full application to WPTO's Oceans of Opportunity funding opportunity.
Feb. 3, 2025, is the deadline for submissions to the Explore Phase in the student track of EnergyTech UP.
Feb. 7, 2025, is the deadline to apply to the Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research program's latest request for technical support.
Feb. 27, 2025, is the deadline to submit concept papers to the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas – FY 2025 Release funding opportunity from DOE's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
March 7, 2025, is the deadline to submit applications for the Marine Energy Fellowship program for those interested in beginning their fellowships in fall 2025.
Rolling: Concept abstracts are being reviewed on a rolling basis for the technical collaboration opportunity focused on developing innovative hydropower technologies using advanced materials and manufacturing.

Funding and Technical Assistance Opportunities

Latest Round of Small Business Funding Program Features Nine Water Power Topics

The latest round of the SBIR and STTR programs features nine water power topics. The funding opportunity is expected to be released soon. Learn more about these and other key dates on the Office of Science's website

Apply Today to Enroll in AMEC's Introduction to Marine Energy Short Course

AMEC and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) are hosting a week-long intensive course, Introduction to Marine Energy, from Aug. 3–9, 2025, at UNH. This course provides immersive learning opportunities at the Chase Ocean Engineering Lab, Shoals Marine Lab, and other advanced facilities. Participants will engage in a combination of lecture-based instruction and hands-on laboratory activities led by faculty and researchers from AMEC universities. Apply by Jan. 10, 2025.

New Technical Assistance Opportunity Available for States

State public utility commissions and state energy offices can apply to receive free deep-dive technical assistance from DOE's national laboratories to address electric-grid-related issues through the Resources and Assistance for State Energy Offices and Regulators program. This deep dive technical assistance is intended to address inquiries that require a deep, lengthy, and detailed response from a team of national lab subject-matter experts. The deadline to apply for this technical assistance is Jan. 17, 2025.

Graduate Students and Recent Post-Graduates Encouraged To Apply for 2025 Marine Energy Fellowship

The Marine Energy Fellowship program connects participants with leading scientists and researchers and allows them to gain insight into marine energy career and research opportunities. The program features a two-track structure: one for graduate students working on marine-energy-focused research theses or dissertations and a new post-graduate track for recent graduates focused on advancing their careers in marine energy. Applicants interested in beginning a fellowship in fall 2025 must submit their applications by 5 p.m. ET on March 7, 2025.

WPTO Invests Nearly $15 Million To Enhance Hydropower's Ability To Support Electric Grids

WPTO announced nearly $15 million for nine research and development (R&D) projects to increase hydropower's ability to respond to changing demand on the electric grid. This ability to operate flexibly allows hydropower facilities to help stabilize electric grids, ensuring communities have power when they need it.

DOE Invests More Than $18 Million in Marine Energy and Offshore Wind Research at Universities

DOE announced an investment of more than $18 million for 27 R&D projects focused on advancing marine energy and offshore wind technologies, with the goal of more widely deploying renewable energy sources. These projects span 17 universities, including five minority-serving institutions, and will address challenges facing marine and ocean renewable energy industries and spur innovation and development.

$200,000 Awarded During First Phase of the Power at Sea Prize

WPTO announced the winners of the first phase of the Powering the Blue Economy™: Power at Sea Prize. Twenty teams won $10,000 each for their innovative concepts that use marine energy to power ocean-based activities. The winning teams will now compete in the DEVELOP Phase, which aims to better position competitors for continued technology development following the conclusion of the prize.

Nearly $2 Million Invested in Wave-Powered Clean Drinking Water Projects at Two Universities

WPTO announced nearly $2 million for projects at Purdue University and the University of Minnesota to advance research on wave-powered technology to desalinate seawater. These projects focus on harnessing wave energy to produce clean drinking water.

Upcoming WPTO and National Lab Events

WPTO Peer Review Update

WPTO has postponed its next peer review until summer 2026 to allow for this event to take place in person.

Drinking Water System Outage Cost Estimator Demonstration Webinar

Dec. 17, 2024, 2–3 p.m. ET

The Drinking Water System Outage Cost Estimator is a free Microsoft Excel-based tool designed to quickly calculate ballpark estimates of the costs of water system interruptions to residential, commercial, and industrial customers, as well as internal water system costs associated with an outage. These cost estimates can be used for a variety of purposes and may be of interest to potable water system owners and operators, as well as consultants that support water power systems. This webinar will demonstrate the tool's use and its outputs and give participants an opportunity to ask questions.

See WPTO at These Events

2025 Northwest Hydroelectric Association (NWHA) Annual Conference

Feb. 24–26, 2025, Seattle, Washington

NWHA is hosting its annual conference where hydropower stakeholders will gather to foster connections, engage with colleagues, and learn about the state of the hydropower industry in the Northwest. WPTO and national laboratory staff plan to attend the conference to share their work and learn about some of the most exciting trends in hydropower. Visit them in the exhibit hall at Booth #3!

Publications of the Month

Water Power Professionals Share Their Career Journeys

Everyone has a different journey to a career in water power. Some are born with the passion, whereas others find their love for the sector later on. Learn how Oak Ridge National Laboratory molecular ecologist Kristine Moody and Idaho National Laboratory engineer Juan Felipe Gallego-Calderon found their career passion in water:

Kristine Moody uses environmental DNA and RNA from water samples to track aquatic species, helping hydropower facilities monitor their ecological impact with noninvasive methods. By advancing innovative technologies like the eDNA-bot (pronounced "Edna Bot"), Moody aims to enable real-time biodiversity monitoring and support ecosystem preservation.
When he is not skiing around the world, Juan Felipe Gallego-Calderon is analyzing how the country could get more energy from renewable sources. Currently focused on hydropower, he is looking at how this affordable, reliable source of energy could be paired with other renewable technologies or generated using existing infrastructure.

Looking to dive deeper into publications, reports, and other news in water power? Subscribe to WPTO's program-level newsletters, Hydro Headlines and The Water Column, which provide content focused on hydropower and marine energy, respectively.