WPTO discussed two recent requests for information and provided updates on ongoing water power research at HydroVision International, which took place July 12–14, 2022, in Denver, Colorado.
Water Power Technologies Office
July 28, 2022
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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) discussed two recent requests for information (RFIs) and provided updates on ongoing water power research at HydroVision International, which took place July 12–14, 2022, in Denver, Colorado.
In case you missed them, here’s a recap of the RFIs:
- WPTO seeks comments from the nonfederal hydropower community on data and research needs to help the office explore how to leverage state-of-the-art climate change science to inform long-term hydropower operation and resource planning. The information collected from this RFI may help WPTO design future funding opportunities, research and development initiatives, tools, and datasets that address the risk of long-term climate change on hydropower generation and reduce a utility’s burden in conducting its own full-scale climate risk assessment. The full RFI is available on EERE Exchange. Responses are due August 8, 2022, by 5 p.m. ET.
There will be a public webinar on the hydroelectric incentive programs RFI on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. Registration is available online.
- DOE’s Grid Deployment Office also recently issued an RFI seeking public feedback to inform nearly $630 million in investments in hydropower facilities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Section 243: Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives Program and Section 247: Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives Program will enable hydropower facilities to improve efficiency, grid resiliency, dam safety, and environmental conditions. The full RFI is available on EERE Exchange. Input is due September 6, 2022, by 11:59 p.m. ET.
With more variable energy resources on the grid, and more extreme weather events, grid reliability has become a central focus of the clean energy transition," said Tim Welch, WPTO hydropower program manager. "Hydropower can play a pivotal role in improving the grid’s reliability, resiliency, and overall performance as the United States works to decarbonize the power sector by 2035."
During HydroVision International, WPTO staff and researchers from national laboratories also discussed how hydropower can contribute to the United States’ clean energy goals, opportunities for pumped storage hydropower, the effects of climate change on hydropower resources, and how WPTO can help inspire the next generation of the hydropower workforce.
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