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Hydropower

While the DDPP reports recognize that pumped storage hydropower is crucial to sustaining our transition to a decarbonized grid, they do not fully account for the potential for environmentally responsible expansion of new conventional hydropower in the United States by 2050. They conclude that conventional hydropower is not expected to keep pace with electricity growth due to sustainability and resource constraints. Yet, additional hydropower development above current levels—both conventional and pumped storage—that meets modern environmental requirements must be a component of any proposal to reduce the United States’ dependence on carbon over the long term. Realizing the full potential of hydropower and even maintaining the current hydropower fleet will likely depend on overcoming a number of impediments to hydropower in the United States. Such impediments include lengthy and complex regulatory requirements, failure of the organized electricity markets to adequately compensate hydropower generators for the grid benefits they provide, environmental opposition to new hydropower, and interest in dam removal. These challenges can be overcome with targeted legal and policy reforms that would not roll back environmental standards.

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56 resources

Example Congress

Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014

The Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 established budgetary penalties against the Army Corps of Engineers for failing to meet deadlines established in a centralized permitting schedul...
Resource Executive Branch

FERC report, Hydroelectric Licensing Policies, Procedures and Regulations

In 2001, FERC concluded a comprehensive investigation of the hydropower licensing process, titled Hydroelectric Licensing Policies, Procedures and Regulations: Comprehensive Review and Recommendations...
Resource Executive Branch

Report, Pumped Storage: 5 Misperceptions About Licensing

The 2017 Water Power Magazine article, 5 Misperceptions About Licensing, surveys the extent to which mandatory licensing requirements apply to pumped storage projects.
Resource States and State Governments

Report, California Small Hydro Resource Assessment

A 2006 study issued by the California Energy Commission, Statewide Small Hydropower Resource Assessment, found approximately 225 MW of RPS-eligible small hydropower in man-made conduits across the sta...
Resource Executive Branch

DOE report, Powering the Blue Economy

DOE’s 2019 report, Powering the Blue Economy, highlights eight markets where MHK technology can be tested and developed while providing high value, including ocean observation, underwater vehicle char...
Resource Executive Branch

DOE report, Pumped Storage and Potential Hydropower from Conduits

DOE’s 2015 report to Congress, Pumped Storage and Potential Hydropower from Conduits, reviews potential actions to increase hydropower production from existing conduits, including resource assessment,...
Resource Congress

IEA report, Flexible hydropower providing value to renewable energy integration

IEA’s 2019 report, Flexible hydropower providing value to renewable energy integration, provides a global perspective on the need for flexibility to enable renewable integration and hydropower’s capab...
Example Congress

Energy Policy Act of 2005

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 established a program to support the expansion of hydropower at existing dams and impoundments through incentive payments. Congress funded this program in 2014 and 2016. ...
Resource States and State Governments

NREL report, State Models to Incentivize and Streamline Small Hydropower Development

NREL’s 2017 report, State Models to Incentivize and Streamline Small Hydropower Development, analyzes state-led initiatives and programs that incentivize and streamline small hydroelectric development...
Resource Congress

2017’s Proposed HR 3043

2017’s proposed HR 3043, the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act, would have directed FERC to consider the significant investment of project upgrades and improvements when establishing the new license...
Resource States and State Governments

DOE Report, The Role of Hydropower in State Clean Energy Policy

A 2020 report prepared for the DOE says many states’ energy policies are blocking the inclusion of hydropower in renewable portfolio standards and energy storage programs — even as some states are wag...
Example States and State Governments

Vermont RPS

Vermont requires that the states’ retail electricity suppliers obtain 75% of their annual electricity from renewable sources, which includes any size hydroelectric facility, by 2032.
Example Executive Branch

DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office

DOE’s Water Power Program funds both hydropower and MHK resources. Their technology development areas include MHK R&D, MHK technology-specific system design and validation, reducing barriers to MHK te...
Example Executive Branch

FERC policy statement on pumped storage in transmission markets

FERC issued a 2017 policy statement affirming that storage resources (including pumped storage) can serve as transmission assets, and therefore receive multiple revenue streams in organized markets.
Example States and State Governments

California’s AB 33

California’s AB 33 (2016) requires the CPUC to evaluate the potential for all types of long-duration bulk energy storage resources, including pumped hydroelectric storage, to help integrate renewable ...
Resource Executive Branch

DOE report, New Stream-reach Development: A Comprehensive Assessment of Hydropower Potential in the United States

DOE’s 2014 report identifies approximately 65 GW of new stream reach hydropower development at more than 3 million U.S. streams.
Example States and State Governments

Colorado’s HB 1052

This April 2021 legislation approved the inclusion of pumped hydroelectric energy generation in the definition of “eligible energy resources” for purposes of meeting Colorado’s renewable energy standa...
Resource Executive Branch

DOE report, An Assessment of Energy Potential at Non-Powered Dams in the United States

DOE’s report, An Assessment of Energy Potential at Non-Powered Dams in the United States, assesses the energy potential at the US’s 80,000+ non-powered dams, which provide a variety of services rangin...
Resource Congress

Proposed HR 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015

Proposed HR 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015, would have prescribed requirements for: (1) concurrent federal and state hydropower license application reviews, (2) i...
Example Private Entities

Low Impact Hydropower Institute

The Low Impact Hydropower Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to reducing the impacts of hydropower generation through the certification of hydropower projects that have committ...
Example Executive Branch

HydroWIRES

DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office has launched a new grid research initiative—Hydropower and Water Innovation for a Resilient Electricity System (HydroWIRES)—to understand, enable, and improve hyd...
Example States and State Governments

Oregon’s Existing Water Rights Expedited Process

Oregon’s H.B. 2785 encourages micro and small hydropower development by alleviating some of the costs associated with hydropower permitting. H.B. 2785 established an expedited water rights review proc...
Example Executive Branch

FERC rule on pumped storage in RTO and ISO markets

In 2018, FERC issued a final rule to allow energy storage resources (including pumped storage) to more fully participate in organized electricity markets by removing barriers to these resources in the...
Example Congress

Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013

The Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-23) increases from 5,000 to 10,000 kilowatts the size of small hydroelectric power projects which FERC may exempt from its license requ...
Example Congress

America’s Water Infrastructure Act

The America’s Water Infrastructure Act, among other things, requires expedited review and decision-making on proposed projects at non-powered dams.
Example Executive Branch

FERC policy statement on pumped storage in transmission markets

FERC issued a 2017 policy statement affirming that storage resources (including pumped storage) can serve as transmission assets, and therefore receive multiple revenue streams in organized markets.
Example Executive Branch

FERC Order 890

FERC Order 890, Preventing Undue Discrimination and Preference in Transmission Service, required that non-generation resources be evaluated on a comparable basis to services provided by generation res...
Resource Congress

Proposed HR 8 of 2015

Proposed HR 8 of 2015, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act, would have (among other things) authorized FERC to extend license terms beyond 50 years when approving a project upgra...
Example Executive Branch

Vermont’s Small Hydropower Assistance Program

Vermont’s Act 165 (S.148) directs the state to enter into a MOU with FERC to simplify the regulatory review process for small hydropower projects. After consulting with Colorado on their experience co...
Resource Congress

2017’s Proposed S. 1460

2017’s proposed S. 1460 would have reformed the hydropower licensing and permitting program by statutorily designating FERC as the lead agency, for purposes of NEPA review, for all licenses and permit...
Resource States and State Governments

Report, Maine Hydropower Study

The Maine Hydropower Study, a 2015 resource study focused on conventional small hydropower, identified 110 MW through efficiency upgrades at existing hydropower facilities and non-powered dams within ...
Example States and State Governments

Maryland RPS

Maryland’s RPS includes small hydroelectric power plants of less than 30 megawatts.
Example Executive Branch

FERC Order 890

FERC Order 890, Preventing Undue Discrimination and Preference in Transmission Service, required that non-generation resources be evaluated on a comparable basis to services provided by generation res...
Resource States and State Governments

Colorado Hydropower Potential Reports

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s 2013 report, Recommendations for Developing Agricultural Hydropower in Colorado, estimated that 175,000 acres of the state’s irrigated farmland is suitable for...
Resource Congress

Proposed Community and Hydropower Improvement Act (S.1521, 2023)

In 2023, the Community and Hydropower Improvement Act (S.1521) was introduced in the U.S. Senate. This bill modifies requirements for hydropower projects, including by accelerating and coordinating th...
Resource Congress

Proposed HR 2872 of 2017

Proposed HR 2872 of 2017, the Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act, would have established an expedited licensing process for issuing and amending licenses and preliminary ...
Example Congress

Energy Policy Act of 2005

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 outlined processes for natural gas pipeline certification. The legislation granted jurisdiction to the courts to take action where an agency fails to take timely action, ...
Resource Congress

Proposed HR 2872 of 2017

Proposed HR 2872 of 2017, the Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act, would have established an expedited licensing process for issuing and amending licenses and preliminary ...
Example States and State Governments

Colorado RPS

Colorado’s RPS includes new hydroelectricity with a nameplate capacity of 10 megawatts or less, and existing hydropower of 30 megawatts or less.
Resource Executive Branch

DOE report, Energy Storage Technology and Cost Characterization Report

DOE’s 2019 report, Energy Storage Technology and Cost Characterization, defines and evaluates cost and performance parameters of six battery energy storage technologies and four non-BESS storage techn...
Example Congress

FAST Act

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act outlined regulatory process improvements to encourage timely agency decisions through the publication of agency status reports under the federal permitt...
Example Congress

American Water Infrastructure Act

The American Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 created a fast-track procedure for the licensing of efficiency upgrades at hydropower facilities, as well as modernization activities and upgrades that ar...
Example Executive Branch

Colorado’s Streamlined Federal Permitting Assistance Service for Small Hydropower

In 2010, Colorado and FERC entered into an MOU to encourage the development of small hydropower. The MOU required the state to prescreen proposed hydropower projects and submit the exemption applicati...
Example States and State Governments

California RPS

California requires that the state’s retail electricity suppliers obtain 50% of their annual electricity sales from renewable resources, which includes hydroelectric facilities of 30 MW or less, by 20...
Example Executive Branch

FERC rule on pumped storage in RTO and ISO markets

In 2018, FERC issued a final rule to allow energy storage resources (including pumped storage) to more fully participate in organized electricity markets by removing barriers to these resources in the...
Example Congress

2013 Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act

The 2013 Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act authorized all small (5 MW and under) Bureau of Reclamation conduit facilities for hydropower development. This l...
Resource Executive Branch

DOI report, Site Inventory and Hydropower Assessment of Reclamation Owned Conduits

The Bureau of Reclamation’s 2012 report, Site Inventory and Hydropower Assessment of Reclamation Owned Conduits, found that more than 373 canals and conduits under its authority have the potential for...
Resource Congress

2017’s Proposed HR 3043

2017’s proposed HR 3043, the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act, would have designated FERC as the lead agency for coordinating all federal authorizations and reviews related to hydropower license ap...
Resource Congress

Report, Challenges and Opportunities for New Pumped Storage Development

The National Hydropower Association’s report, Challenges and Opportunities for New Pumped Storage Development, surveys the potential for hydropower pumped storage to support greater grid reliability, ...
Example States and State Governments

Connecticut RPS

Connecticut’s RPS includes run-of-river hydropower facilities that began operating after July, 1, 2003 and have a generating capacity of not more than 30 megawatts.
Example Executive Branch

Army Corps of Engineers and FERC MOU on reducing red tape

The Memorandum of Understanding Between United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Non-Federal Hydropower Projects (2016) was adopted in order to spur change...
Resource Foreign

IEC Technical Standards

IEC TC 114, Marine energy – Wave, tidal and other water current converters, was established in 2007 to develop international, consensus-based standards for the marine energy industry. The largest mari...
Resource Executive Branch

DOE report, Hydropower Vision

DOE’s 2016 report, Hydropower Vision, estimates that hydropower in the US could grow by 50% by 2050, driven by a significant increase in pumped storage, as well as existing project upgrades and poweri...
Example Congress

American Water Infrastructure Act

The American Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 created a fast-track procedure for the licensing of efficiency upgrades at hydropower facilities, as well as modernization activities and upgrades that ar...
Example States and State Governments

Delaware RPS

Delaware’s RPS includes hydroelectric facilities that have a maximum design capacity of 30 megawatts or less.
Example Executive Branch

MHK pilot project licensing at FERC

In 2007, FERC introduced a new pilot licensing process for small-scale hydrokinetic projects to allow developers to test new hydrokinetic technologies, including connection with the interstate grid, o...