Upcoming Deadlines
Announcements & Opportunities
H2Os Prize Phase Two Winners Announced, Phase Three Opens: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) announced six winners in the second phase of the H2Os Prize. These teams developed solutions to improve hydropower operations and grid resiliency. The third phase of the prize is now open and welcomes new and returning competitors. The deadline for Phase Three submissions is Nov. 11, 2022.
DOE Announces $28 Million Program to Advance Hydropower for Clean Energy: DOE issued a notice of intent to provide $28 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance and preserve hydropower as a critical source of clean energy. The proposed funding opportunities will support testing of innovative technologies, development approaches, or construction techniques to reduce time, cost, or risks associated with hydropower and pumped storage hydropower development.
WPTO Releases Notice of Intent to Fund Fish Passage Research: WPTO released a notice of intent to issue a $4 million funding opportunity to advance innovative fish passage and protection techniques. The proposed funding opportunity will support manufacturers, equipment vendors, and research organizations in gathering relevant information and data to verify effects of hydropower infrastructure on fish and the performance of innovative fish passage technologies.
EPIC Prize Round 2: The EPIC Prize is nearing the end of its second round. Sponsored by DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions, the prize seeks to invest in energy incubators that provide mentorship, technology validation, business development, and more to help strengthen America’s clean energy future. Submissions for this round of the prize are due Oct. 25, 2022.
New Grid Deployment Office to Lead Hydroelectric Incentives Program: Future management of the Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program, led by former WPTO Hydropower Program Manager Tim Welch, will transfer from WPTO to DOE’s new Grid Deployment Office, which is focused on improving and expanding transmission and distribution systems as well as maintaining and investing in critical generation facilities, such as hydropower, to ensure all communities have access to reliable, affordable electricity. Learn more about this new office and the hydroelectric incentives program.
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Products & Publications
Study Shows Hydropower Provides Reliable Electricity Even During Historic Droughts: To better understand the impacts of drought on the U.S. electric grid, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, with funding from WPTO, conducted a study of droughts’ impact on 21st century hydropower generation in the western United States. The report is the most comprehensive look into the effects of drought on hydropower generation in the United States this century. The analysis reveals that though drought does raise concerns for hydroelectric generation, the overall hydropower fleet sustained 80% of its average generation for the years 2001–2021.
Swimming Toward Market Readiness: Fish Protection Prize: Teams that built pathways to guide fish, screens to mimic the gills of filter-feeding fish, and acoustically sensitive netting materials won the Fish Protection Prize in 2020. Since then, these three teams have further developed their innovative concepts, which have the potential to help modernize hydropower facilities and protect fish from water diversion pipes and dam intakes. Learn more about these unique projects to advance fish protection.
National Lab Helping Maintain Cybersecurity in Hydropower: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory unveiled four resources for hydropower cybersecurity. The resources include flipbooks and reference guides that provide a clear pathway for dam owners and operators in the wake of cybersecurity incidents to help guide response and recovery actions.
Two New WPTO HydroWIRES Reports Examine Hydropower’s Role in a Decarbonized Grid and Trends in Long-Duration Storage: WPTO released two reports under its Hydropower and Water Innovation for a Resilient Electricity System (HydroWIRES) Initiative.
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Price Formation in a Zero-Marginal-Cost World: The Role of Hydropower: This report examines the role of hydropower resources in a future decarbonized electric grid by identifying a set of research questions to improve understanding of electricity market design, price formation, and market efficiency in zero-carbon power systems.
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Compensation Mechanisms for Long-Duration Storage: This report discusses recent trends in energy-storage-related regulatory and policy initiatives to inform WPTO and other entities about key pathways to commercializing long-duration storage. Major takeaways from this report could enable development of long-duration energy storage technologies, such as pumped storage hydropower.
Upcoming Events
WPTO at Clean Currents 2022
Oct. 18–20, 2022, Sacramento, California
Clean Currents is a trade show and conference hosted by the National Hydropower Association. It brings together professionals from across the industry to discuss and advance water power’s role in the clean energy future. WPTO staff and lab partners will participate throughout the week during meet and greets and technology demonstrations at the Innovation Powerhouse and workshops on STEM and workforce development (on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. PT) and reimagining the Hydropower Vision (on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, 1–3 p.m. PT). WPTO will host additional demonstrations and talks at booth 431. Stop by to get a schedule and visit the team!
Clean Energy in Mine Lands Workshops
Oct. 25–26, 2022, Virtual
DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations is hosting a series of workshops to inform attendees about the Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land in preparation for a future funding opportunity announcement. Register for the virtual workshop.
WPTO Semiannual Stakeholder Webinar
Nov. 9, 2022, 1:30–3 p.m. ET, Virtual
Join WPTO staff and leadership for their Semiannual Stakeholder Webinar to hear a report out from the results of the 2022 Peer Review process that took place this summer. Receive updates on major accomplishments, current funding opportunities, and all that has taken place since we last came together in March 2022. Have questions for the team? The event will conclude with a Q&A session driven by stakeholders like you!
To attend, please register for the stakeholder webinar, and submit any questions that you might have to waterpowertechnologiesoffice@ee.doe.gov.
In Case You Missed It
Innovative Water Turbines Allow More Fish to Pass Safely Through Hydropower Dams: With funding from WPTO, Natel Energy, working with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, tested its Restoration Hydro Turbine, an innovative technology designed to make it easier for fish to navigate through hydropower facilities without getting hurt. The team tested through-turbine passage of American eel and various sizes of rainbow trout with an overall 99% passage rate for all fish studied.
Social Spotlight
WPTO on LinkedIn — Sept. 15, 2022
Virtual reality to reality? That could be the case for Renewable Energy Discovery Island, a virtual world where young minds can explore hydropower technologies and other forms of renewable energy. With the help of the next generation of water power scientists, this virtual world could one day become reality. Explore the island and other hydropower educational resources. ⬇️
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Follow along on the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook channels for more #WaterWednesday content each week.
WPTO/DOE in the News
Hydro in the Headlines
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How New Hydropower Tech Is Transforming the Off-Grid Market, ESI Africa, Staff Writer, Sept. 29, 2022
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Why Is Everyone Talking About Pumped Storage Hydropower?, National Hydropower Association, Michael Purdie, Sept. 26, 2022
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Despite Drought, Hydropower Does Deliver Electricity, CleanTechnica, Staff Writer, Sept. 23, 2022
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