The U.S. Department of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) has announced its intent to provide $9.5 million in funding to bolster the adaptability of hydropower. This funding opportunity, set for an official release in the autumn of 2023, seeks to enhance hydropower's ability to integrate with an electricity grid characterized by a growing presence of variable renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power.
Hydropower currently holds a crucial role in the U.S. energy landscape, accounting for 28.7% of the nation's total renewable electricity generation and approximately 6.2% of its overall electricity output. Its inherent flexibility allows it to supply electricity instantaneously or store it for use in accordance with real-time demand. The primary objective of this financial investment is to fortify hydropower's capacity to support a grid undergoing a transformation due to the increasing share of intermittent renewables.
The funding opportunity is poised to allocate resources to projects addressing three specific focus areas, all aimed at improving hydropower's adaptability:
- Hybridized Hydropower Demonstration: This category focuses on showcasing hybrid configurations involving hydropower, potentially integrating it with alternative energy sources or energy storage. These configurations offer benefits such as enhanced grid services, reduced equipment wear, and reduced environmental impacts from changes in water flow patterns.
- Technologies to Increase Flexibility: Here, the focus is on fostering technological innovations that enhance the flexibility of the U.S. hydropower fleet. This may include advances in turbine design and other hardware components.
- Operational Flexibility: This category seeks to quantify the current flexible capabilities of hydropower and develop operational strategies to amplify this adaptability, aligning hydropower more effectively with the evolving requirements of the electricity grid.
The full notice of intent outlining this funding opportunity can be accessed through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Funding Opportunity Exchange, providing comprehensive details for interested parties.
