| U.S. Department of Energy Invests Nearly $15 Million to Enhance Hydropower's Ability to Support Electricity Grids | | | The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced nearly $15 million for nine research and development projects to increase hydropower's ability to respond to changing demand on the electric grid. This ability to operate flexibly allows hydropower facilities to help balance electricity grids with an increasing amount of variable renewable resources such as wind energy and solar power, ensuring communities have power when they need it. "Hydropower is our oldest form of renewable energy and plays a crucial role in providing stable, reliable electricity to homes and businesses across the country," said Jeff Marootian, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "This investment will enhance hydropower's capabilities to reliably integrate more renewable energy technologies into the power system." Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 27% of U.S. utility-scale renewable electricity generation and approximately 6% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation. Hydropower facilities contribute significantly to the flexibility and stability of power grids by providing electricity immediately or storing potential energy for periods of greater demand. Facilities can ramp up or down and start and stop quickly to ensure communities stay up and running. | | | |
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