Community Highlights

Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) currently accounts for roughly 96% of all utility-scale energy storage in the United States, and a new approach developed by RheEnergise could make PSH appropriate for more applications. Instead of using water, the RheEnergise approach uses an inexpensive proprietary fluid that is 2.5 times more dense than water. The higher density fluid can generate the same amount of power as a traditional pumped storage hydropower facility while using significantly smaller tanks and requiring less elevation change. That makes the approach a better fit for landscapes with less elevation and smaller footprints. Designed to provide long-duration energy storage of up to 50 MW at individual projects, the high-density hydro approach can be co-located with other energy projects and leverage existing grid infrastructure. It’s an innovative, cost-effective approach to energy storage that could unlock more opportunities for PSH development to support the grid. 

Learn more from RheEnergise.

The future of hydropower is dependent on a well-trained, diverse workforce that is ready to meet industry needs. Hydro School, hosted by Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is one example of hydropower educational outreach that is key to workforce development. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office, INL’s Hydro School summer camp engaged students from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe to participate in a week-long program. The camp included two days in the classroom, one day in the field, and one day visiting a local hydropower plant, the Idaho Falls Power Hydropower Plant. Students learned about hydropower basics, technologies and applications, and potential career paths, and had opportunities to participate in open dialogue about the their perspectives on natural and cultural resources related to hydropower.  

Learn more about Hydro School. 

Improving fish passage is key to supporting certain migratory fish populations and minimizing the environmental impacts of hydropower facilities. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) worked with Duke Energy to implement new fish passage technologies at hydropower facilities in North Carolina, during the relicensing process for the Yadkin-PeeDee Hydroelectric Project. 

The new fish passage options were tailored to support American eel, American shad, and blueback herring—species that have experienced population declines in part due to habitat loss. A custom, stainless-steel eelway was added at Blewett Falls Dam, along with an “attraction flow”—a stream of water containing the scent of eels in the eelway—to draw eels towards the entrance of the passage. To support other fish species, inflatable gates were installed across the dam to better control water spill during fish migratory season and a new notch was cut in the dam to support downstream fish passage. In total, these new fish passage technologies have restored access to over one thousand miles of additional habitat in the watershed for eel, shad, and herring. 

Learn more from NOAA.

Modernizing the U.S. electric grid means integrating new technologies that are typically connected to the internet. This growing network of integrated systems and technologies—often called the Internet of Things—increases opportunities for security compromises, making cybersecurity a key focus for energy infrastructure, particularly hydropower facilities. 

A new tool developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) aims to provide tailored cybersecurity for hydropower plants. The Cybersecurity Situational Awareness Tool for Hydropower (CYSAT-Hydro) is a data-driven, hardware-agnostic cybersecurity tool designed to protect facilities from becoming access points for hackers and malicious actors. The tool uses artificial intelligence to detect anomalies in technology networks, then sends detailed information about cyberattacks to hydropower operators in real time to help restore functionality post-cyberattack. 

Learn more about CYSAT-Hydro from NREL.

Navigating the hydropower regulatory process is challenging, and can become particularly complex for federally-recognized Tribes which are sovereign nations. In 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) released clear guidance outlining the role of Tribes during the FERC environmental review process. The new guide highlighted FERC’s commitment to promoting a government-to-government relationship between FERC and Tribes, and specified how Tribes can engage with and participate in FERC’s review of proposed energy infrastructure projects on their land. According to the updated guidance, Tribes can become involved in the process at any time, but are encouraged to participate as early and often in the process as possible. Establishing clear guidance for Tribal participation in the FERC environmental review process directly contributes to improving understanding of and access to the hydropower regulatory process. 

Learn more from FERC.

Wildfires can affect hydropower facilities by altering water quality and timing of runoff. Forest restoration efforts can mitigate these damaging effects and result in more water supply—further benefiting hydropower by increasing the total potential revenue from water power generation. But it is challenging to accurately estimate the value of added water supply from forest restoration efforts for hydropower facilities. 

Researchers from Blue Forest Conservation, University of California Davis, and The Nature Conservancy simulated the effects of forest restoration in a California reservoir system and found that it could increase average annual water runoff to rivers in the watershed. That additional water supply would boost hydropower electricity generation and potentially increase revenue equivalent to 8-15% of the initial forest restoration costs. It’s an example of how improving the valuation of power and non-power hydropower services would have benefits for hydropower and beyond. 

Learn more about the research from Blue Forest. 

The U.S. Department of Energy launched an incentives program for infrastructure improvements at hydropower facilities. The program, Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives—also referred to as Section 247 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005—was funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It made over $550 million dollars available in 2024 to eligible hydropower facilities to invest in infrastructure enhancements that increase grid resilience (including the addition of energy storage capacity), advance dam safety, or support environmental improvements. Through this incentive program, 293 hydropower facilities across 33 states received funding to improve their facilities. The effort directly supports the safety, security, and functionality of hydropower facilities throughout their lifetime, including modernizations necessary for hydropower to continue providing valuable services. 

To learn more, visit the program website. 

Turbine maintenance often means costly downtime and time-consuming work, particularly when trying to inspect hard-to-reach areas of turbines. GE’s Hydro Solutions’ underwater roboticized turbine inspection vehicle is an option designed to enable quicker turbine inspections without dewatering the equipment. The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) technology requires few personnel to deploy, which can help reduce the time and cost of inspections. It enables facilities to conduct on-demand inspections of turbines to visually evaluate erosion, cavitation, corrosion, or impact marks. It is an example of an innovative technical advancement that provide real-time insights into the health and performance of hydropower facilities, supporting hydropower’s ability to meet changing energy needs.

Learn more from GE.  

The National Hydropower Association elevated the visibility of hydropower as a renewable energy source through its digital advertising campaign, Hydropower: The Solution That’s Right in Front of You. The campaign took a storytelling approach that leveraged engaging photos and videos to appeal to a broad audience on social media and streaming platforms. The materials highlighted how hydropower provides clean and reliable energy, supports other renewables, has a long record of success as well as room for future innovation, and provides additional value through recreation opportunities. The impactful campaign reached millions and had a largely favorable impression, boosting hydropower’s visibility as a renewable energy and communicating its myriad value to a wide audience. 

Learn more about the campaign from NHA. 

Long-lived hydropower infrastructure must be kept well-maintained and periodically modernized to ensure functionality and safety—particularly in the face of altered rainfall patterns and flood risk due to climate change. To inform emergency and safety planning in the state of California, a consortium of researchers funded by the Yuba Water Agency, California Department of Water Resources, and the National Science Foundation developed ARkStorm 2.0, which simulates possible 1000-year extreme storm and flood scenarios. Based on historic megastorm events in California, ARkStorm 2.0 also incorporates the effects of climate change and advanced climate and hydrological science to improve simulations of these possible weather events. The information in ARkStorm 2.0 about extreme storm and flood scenarios can help inform dam safety investments and emergency planning, to prepare for extreme weather events that can lead to spillway damage, downstream erosion, and even dam failure. 

Learn more about ARkStorm 2.0.