Timothy Welch of the Water Power Technologies Office: Funding Research Into the Future of the U.S. Hydropower Industry
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) funds important hydropower, marine energy, and freshwater hydrokinetic research at U.S. national laboratories, private companies, and universities. Its hydropower portfolio covers new technology, hydropower’s relationship with the electric grid, fleet modernization, environmental mitigation, and data science. In this interview, WPTO Hydropower Program Manager Timothy […]
Kids in the Creek: A Hands-On Education in Water Resources Management
Kids in the Creek is a north-central Washington State educational program supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The program consists of a 3‑day educational field experience at Entiat National Fish Hatchery that brings students from local high schools together to interact with local waterways; learn about the environment; and discover the ways […]
Volume 2 Issue 8 September 2021
Hydropower: A Critical Part of the Energy Transition By Kris Polly As we move further into the 21st century, it is becoming clearer and clearer that hydropower will play a central role in the transition to a more renewable, carbon-free grid. And that means that large-scale projects to rehabilitate hydro fleets and advance new hydro […]
GE Renewable Energy: Teaching Future Generations About Hydropower
General Electric (GE) is one of the largest corporations in the United States, with business lines ranging from power to aviation to healthcare. One of its business lines, GE Renewable Energy, is involved in a push to achieve a carbon-free grid by 2050. Some of GE Renewable Energy’s Denver-based employees have recently begun a school […]
Lignum Vitae LLC: Growing Environmentally Safe Water-Lubricated Bearings From Trees
It may come as a surprise to learn that some of the best industrial bearings in the world are made not of space-age synthetic materials but of the wood of a tropical tree. Lignum vitae is a hard wood with a distinctive resin that makes excellent water-lubricated bearings. With increasing concerns about the pollution that […]
Vigor Industrial: Specialized Steel Fabrication for the Hydro Industry and Beyond
Vigor is a diversified industrial business that serves a wide variety of markets, including ship repair, marine vessel fabrication, aerospace and defense, bridge construction, nuclear facilities, and the hydropower industry. Its products for the hydropower industry include gates, water control systems, fish control structures, and hydroelectric facilities. In this interview, Brian Akin, Vigor’s director of […]
Rye Development: Proving the Long-Term Value of Pumped Hydro
Rye Development LLC is a lead developer in new hydropower generation and energy storage. Rye is committed to offering low-impact hydropower and pumped storage as environmentally safe and high-value solutions. With many projects soon to be under construction across the United States, Rye is working with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its Argonne […]
Herbie Johnson: Rehabilitating Southern Company’s Hydro Fleet
Southern Company is one of the largest producers of electricity in the United States, with 42,000 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. It has 9 million customers and businesses nationwide, with electric utilities in three states and natural gas distribution utilities in four. Approximately 2,800 MW of Southern Company’s power is generated by hydropower, making it […]
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Guidebook for Hydropower Projects
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has funded a team of five national laboratories to develop a valuation guidance for pumped storage hydropower. The team has developed and recently published a guidebook to assist developers of prospective pumped storage hydropower projects and other stakeholders in evaluating the services these facilities can provide. Two of the […]
Volume 2 Issue 7 July/August 2021
Safety, Strategy, and Specialization By Kris Polly Hydropower facilities use technology to serve society. These specialized facilities—with their myriad specialized subcomponents—not only provide power for immediate use, they also provide community-shaping recreation opportunities and allow for long-term planning. To enable their success, hydropower professionals focus on making sure that facilities operate safely, fit into a […]