Bellows Falls Station. It has 49MW of capacity with three GE generators with Francis waterwheels. Credit: Great River Hydro
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces nearly $600 million in funding to modernize hydroelectric power and advance marine energy throughout the country.
The Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives will provide up to $553.6 million in incentive payments to maintain and enhance hydroelectric facilities. This funding will help ensure generators continue to provide clean, affordable electricity, while integrating additional renewable energy resources and help reduce environmental impacts. DOE also announced a $45 million funding opportunity to support a pilot demonstration site and community-led tidal and/or current energy project in the U.S.
DOE said this announcement is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Both opportunities were funded by the funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Collectively, these announcements represent DOE’s largest investments in both hydropower and marine energy and will play a key role in achieving President Biden’s goal of 100% clean electricity by 2035 and a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050.
“Water power, the nation’s oldest source of renewable energy, is an integral tool to fight against climate change,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “President Biden’s Investing in America agenda provides historic funding that will expand and modernize water power technologies, ensuring a steady flow of reliable power to more Americans.”
Hydropower provides 6% of all electricity in the U.S. and accounts for 32% of renewable-electricity generation, as well as 93% of utility-scale energy storage. However, the fleet is aging, with many facilities in need of repair and upgrades, and less than 3% of the nation’s more than 90,000 dams produce power. Adding generation equipment to these sites could add up to 12 GW of new hydropower capacity to the U.S. electric system.
The application period is open for existing eligible hydroelectric facilities to apply for up to $553.6 million through the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives. Administered by DOE’s Grid Deployment Office, the program is designed to enhance existing hydropower and pumped storage facilities for capital improvements directly related to grid resilience, dam safety and environmental improvements. Potential eligible capital improvements include those for enabling the integration of variable resources, such as wind and solar; for dam safety, such as spillway upgrades and erosion repair; and for environmental conditions, such as fish passage, water quality and recreation.
Letters of Intent to submit applications under this opportunity are due June 22, 2023, 5:00 p.m.ET. Full applications will be due Oct. 6, 2023.
DOE’s $45 million marine energy funding opportunity will make the first large-scale investment in a tidal and/or current energy research, development and demonstration site in the U.S. It will also support a community-led tidal and/or current energy planning and development project. This investment will encourage U.S. leadership in tidal and current energy development, while also meeting community energy priorities and developing the sector’s supply chain and workforce.
This opportunity includes two topic areas. One will provide up to $35 million to support the development of a pilot tidal and/or current energy technology demonstration site in state waters. Concept papers for this topic area are due 5 p.m. ET on June 5, 2023. DOE will also provide up to $10 million to support a community-led tidal and/or current energy planning and development project. Concept papers for this topic area are due 5 p.m. ET on July 13, 2023.
