Announcing the Inaugural Hydropower Collegiate Competition

DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy sent this bulletin at 04/13/2022 12:00 PM EDT

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Water Power Technologies Office

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Welcome to Hydro Headlines, a monthly snapshot of hydropower news and happenings. This month’s newsletter takes approximately six minutes to read. 

Reach out to us at WaterPowerTechnologiesOffice@ee.doe.gov with any inquiries or suggestions.
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Did You Know?

At the end of 2020, 62 U.S. hydropower plants had plans to start refurbishment and upgrades between 2021 and 2024. The estimated capital investment from these projects is $4.4 billion.

Follow along on the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook channels for more #WaterWednesday content each week.

Upcoming Deadlines

Announcements & Opportunities

Branded logo for the Hydropower Collegiate Competition.

WPTO Launches Inaugural Hydropower Collegiate Competition: The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) recently launched the first Hydropower Collegiate Competition (HCC). While hydropower already plays an important role in the power system, providing 37% of total U.S. renewable electricity generation and 93% of grid-scale energy storage, the industry still has untapped potential and significant opportunity for growth. The HCC encourages students to offer unique solutions to complex challenges related to hydropower’s ability to enable a 100% renewable energy grid. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will host an informational webinar on the HCC on April 13, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET. Register here. The HCC will accept submissions until May 8, 2022.

New Hydropower Prize Awarding Innovative Grid-Focused Solutions: In collaboration with NREL, WPTO launched the Hydropower Operations Optimization (H2Os) Prize, challenging innovators to develop new ways for hydropower to support a reliable and resilient energy grid. This prize will award up to $75,000 for cutting-edge solutions that allow hydropower systems to better coordinate with existing grid scheduling practices and meet water management needs. The submission deadline for Phase 1 of the prize is May 20, 2022.

Request for Information Seeks Feedback on Hydropower and Climate Change: WPTO seeks comments from the nonfederal hydropower community on data and research needs to help explore how the hydropower community can leverage climate change science to inform long-term hydropower operation and resource planning. The information will help WPTO design future 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 deadline to submit responses to this request is June 6, 2022.

DOE Announces the Clean Energy Innovators Fellowship Program: DOE recently announced the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship. The program will fund recent graduates and energy professionals to support a variety of organizations, such as public utility commissions, municipal and rural cooperative utilities, and grid operators. This program, co-funded by WPTO, will help increase access to clean energy career opportunities across the country and accelerate the national transition to a resilient and affordable clean energy economy. The deadline for applications from fellows and interested host organizations is May 6, 2022.

President Requests Increased Funding for WPTO in Fiscal Year 2023: In March, President Biden unveiled a $5.8 trillion budget request for Fiscal Year 2023. The President requested $48.2 billion in funding for DOE, a $6.3 billion or 15.1% increase from the 2021-enacted level. For WPTO specifically, the president requested $190.5 million, which, if passed by Congress, would represent a 27% increase compared to Fiscal Year 2022.

Products & Publications

Recapping the WPTO Semiannual Stakeholder Webinar: In March 2022, WPTO hosted its semiannual stakeholder webinar, providing stakeholders with updates on water power funding opportunities, program accomplishments, and project updates. Missed the webinar? Check out the recap and recording on the WPTO website. 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Releases Framework for Non-Powered Dam Custom Analysis and Taxonomies: Each non-powered dam has unique characteristics. The Non-Powered Dam Custom Analysis and Taxonomy Framework outlines a customized approach to classifying these dams according to an individual stakeholder’s needs. This framework can be used to support a wide range of analyses to include identifying sites for rehabilitation, retrofit, or removal; conducting statistical and summary analyses; and identifying gaps in available data.

Upcoming Events

Informational Webinar on the Inaugural HCC

April 13, 2022, 1–2 p.m. ET

NREL will host an informational webinar summarizing all necessary information about the inaugural HCC. Join experts from NREL as they detail everything participants will need to know to compete in this exciting competition. Register for the webinar.

HOPIG Webinar: Exploring Multidimensional Spatial-Temporal Hydropower Operational Flexibilities

April 20, 2022, 1–2 p.m. ET

This webinar, organized by the Hydropower Operations and Planning Interest Group (HOPIG), will unpack a new project under WPTO’s Hydropower and Water Innovation for a Resilient Electricity System (HydroWIRES) Initiative. The webinar will feature presenters from Portland General Electric and Stevens Institute of Technology to discuss their ongoing project, titled Exploring Multidimensional Spatial-Temporal Hydropower Operational Flexibilities. Register for the webinar. 

American-Made Earth Day Celebration

April 22, 2022, 12–1:30 p.m ET

Join DOE and the American-Made Challenges team for a virtual Earth Day event! The team, along with key energy industry players, will highlight the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in a more sustainable and inclusive energy future. This virtual event will feature guest speakers, prize announcements, education sessions, networking opportunities, and more. Register for the virtual event.

In Case You Missed It

Celebrating Women in Water Power: In celebration of Women’s History Month in March, WPTO and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory both released articles spotlighting the inspiring women advancing water power technologies. Learn more about these female renewable energy role models, including their different backgrounds, goals, and advice to the next generation.

WPTO Releases Annual Accomplishments Report: WPTO released its 2020–2021 Accomplishments Report, highlighting dozens of WPTO-funded research, development, and demonstration projects that contribute to crucial efforts to address climate change and transition the nation’s energy system. Read the report to learn about hydropower projects and accomplishments over the past year.

WPTO/DOE in the News

Hydro in the Headlines