Reported by Ann Rascalli

WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. hydropower industry must be feeling a little more upbeat this fall. Seemingly disregarded by many clean energy policymakers and advocates, hydropower has a new ally - and a very important one, at that.

On the heels of announcing stimulus funding for several hydrpower projects in the U.S., Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently told an audience that hydropower capacity in the United States could “double with minimal impact to the environment”,  primarily by just by installing more efficient turbines at existing hydroelectric projects or at dams without power components, increasing the use of pumped-storage projects, and encouraging the use of run-of-the-river turbines.

Upgrading Existing Infrastructure

These kind of improvements to the existing infrastructure could add 70,000 MW of capacity. “We will be pushing this,” Chu said at a White House forum. “We’re not talking about a lot of large, new reservoirs. Just work with what we have and it’s a massive amount of power.”

Hydropower accounts for 6 percent of the U.S.’s electricity consumption and nearly 75 percent of renewable power, according to the Energy Information Administration, However, only 3 percent of the U.S.’s more than of the country’s 82,000 hydroelectric projects, a mere 3 percent generate electricity. Mark Garner, chief executive officer of Voith Hydro, told Treehugger.comthat hydropower plants generate 98,000 MW of electricity and support about 300,000 jobs in the United States.

DOE Gets Behind Hydropower Projects

Earlier this month, the DOE announced up to $30.6 million in Recovery Act funding for the selection of seven hydropower projects that modernize hydropower infrastructure by increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts at existing facilities. Compared to other stimulus programs, the amount is a relative drop in the bucket, but a start, nonetheless.

Locally, one of the recipients is the City of Boulder, which is receiving up to $1.18 million to upgrade the 100-year-old Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project by replacing two older turbines with a single, high-efficiency unit. The new turbine would operate at a wider range of flows and higher efficiency ranges, resulting in an increase in annual generation of 11,000 MWh (30% increase).  Upgrades to wiring and removal of asbestos would reduce environmental hazards and improve safety.

“One of the best opportunities we have to increase our supply of clean energy is by bringing our hydropower systems into the 21st Century,” said Secretary Chu.  “With this investment, we can create jobs, help our environment and give more renewable power to our economy without building a single new dam.”

DOE sought cost-shared projects that upgrade existing hydropower facilities without requiring significant civil works modifications to dams, allowing for them to be developed quickly to help create jobs and stimulate the local economy.  The solicitation sought two classes of projects: those larger than 50 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity and those of 50 MW or smaller. 

The selected projects will increase generation by an estimated 187,000 MWh/year, or enough to meet the annual electric usage of more than 12,000 homes.  This incremental generation is virtually carbon free, and it represents a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of over 110,000 tons per year compared to electricity from the average U.S. grid. Additionally, upgrading existing hydro facilities in this way is a very inexpensive way to provide renewable energy: the estimated cost of the added generation is less than 4 cents per kWh on average, placing incremental hydro among the most inexpensive sources of renewable energy.

View the complete list and details of the hydropower projects receiving DOE help HERE.