$8 Million for Hydro Power Flexibility

What is happening? U.S. Department of Energy is offering $8 million “in funding to support projects that will improve the flexibility of the U.S. hydropower fleet and enhance electric grid reliability.”

Why is this important? “The hydropower fleet is well suited to help integrate more renewable energy while ensuring the electric grid remains reliable and resilient,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman. 

How will this be important? One of the funded projects will focus on storage. “Oregon State Univeristy will demonstrate and quantify the value of a hybrid hydroelectric-storage generation unit, which combines a hydropower unit that does not have storage capability with supercapacitors. This project will involve the construction of a 200 kW lab-based hybrid hydroelectric-storage generation unit that will serve as a testbed for performance analysis and model validation.”

DOE | U.S. Department of Energy Announces $8 Million for Technologies to Increase Hydropower Flexibility