National Hydropower Association

Today marks the start of NHA's Alaska Regional Meeting in Juneau! Hosted by Alaska Electric Light and Power Company, Alaska Energy Authority, and Juneau Hydropower Inc., the event, which runs from August 28-29, features exciting networking opportunities, sessions covering issues critical to Alaska's energy development, and notable regional and national speakers like Willie Phillips, Chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. On the agenda for today, a select number of attendees had the opportunity to take part in a scenic flyover of proposed #hydropower developments, as well as other incredible sights. In addition, attendees will be touring Alaska Electric Light and Power Company's Gold Creek Hydroelectric Project, which is a small run-of-river plant that produces 1-2% of Juneau's gross power generation annually. Tonight, attendees will ascend Mount Roberts - a height of almost 1,800 feet - via Goldbelt Tram. Upon arriving at the top, guests will take part in the regional meeting's welcome reception! To learn more about water power developments in Alaska and the regional meeting, follow the link: https://bit.ly/3YPjHzs

Now here’s something I didn’t expect – climate change is predicted to increase hydropower production across the continental United States, at least through 2059. That’s the perhaps surprising conclusion of a new analysis by DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL), which combined climate modeling with hydrology data. For you climate modelers and/or utility system planners, hydropower production is expected to increase by about 5% between 2020-2039, and increase about 10% from 2040-2059. Only one part of the country – the Southwest – saw an average decrease in hydropower generation of between 3-6%.

NHA thanks Governor Greg Gianforte for joining neighboring Idaho and Alaska in declaring August 24th Hydropower Day in Montana! #HydroPowers over 800,000 homes across Big Sky Country, making this resource critical to keeping the lights on. We're grateful to Governors Gianforte (MT), Little (ID) and Dunleavy (AK) for providing this well-deserved recognition of water power's current contributions and future potential in their respective states. #HydroDay

ICYMI: On Monday, POWERHOUSE published an article by Jennifer Daw & Adam M. Kanter of National Renewable Energy Laboratory titled "How Resilient is Your Workforce?" The article, which addresses the workforce challenges facing #hydropower, offers insight into the importance of understanding knowledge loss (when information between long-time and new employees isn't passed on), as well as the tools designed to address similar obstacles. Additionally, readers will learn more about tools designed to address knowledge loss, and organizations can formulate strategies to preserve critical information while ensuring the next generation of employees has strong foundations for lifelong careers. Read the article here: https://bit.ly/3Z2CiIr

🌟 Mark Your Calendar! 🌟 Next week, on September 5, 10:30am ET, join us for a special webinar with DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm discussing our new report on the U.S. hydropower supply chain. We’ve identified five major gaps and developed actionable strategies to address them, ensuring a robust supply chain for the future of renewable energy. 🌿🔋 This is your chance to hear directly from experts and learn how we can overcome these challenges to enhance our hydropower capabilities. Don’t miss out! 🔗 Register now for the webinar! https://lnkd.in/e7pixtAF Together, we can drive forward America’s clean energy goals! #Hydropower #EnergyInnovation #SustainableFuture #CleanTech #DOE #EnergyWebinar

Recognizing that the ‘silver wave’ in #hydro industry retirements is coming quickly, the water power industry has created spaces and programs promoting water power’s fulfilling career opportunities. Professionals entering the water power workforce need spaces to collaborate and network. NHA’s Future Leaders of Waterpower (FLOW) group is made up of early career and new-to-waterpower professionals working toward a future of clean, sustainable energy, driven by water power and guided by values of equity and justice. As a community of talented, diverse professionals supporting each other through sharing knowledge, events, and experiences. FLOW brings up-and-coming leaders together to leverage resources, opportunities, and connections that advance careers and the whole waterpower industry. As more water power workers retire, the importance of ensuring successful knowledge transference between new staff and those leaving the workforce is paramount. To address this and other needs, NHA developed a professional course titled "Hydropower System Principles," which provides PDH and will be offered in a 1-day overview format on October 8th during #CleanCurrents (October 7 - 10) in Portland, Oregon. #HydroDay #HydroPowers

As we celebrate #HydroDay, the theme #HydroPowers resonates now more than ever, underscoring the dynamic role water power plays in shaping our renewable energy landscape. From the surging tides to the flow of our rivers, hydro, in all its forms, powers our journey toward a clean energy future, offering innovative solutions to meet the demands of our growing energy needs. 2024 has already been a landmark year for marine energy in the U.S. as the sector has seen in-water deployments, state support and federal government engagement. These activities are a testament to the sector’s collective vision and dedication. Some exciting developments in the marine energy space just this year include: - The U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office released a Notice of Intent for a $112.5 million opportunity establishing a multi-year funding program titled Oceans of Opportunity. - Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-CA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced the Marine Energy Technologies Acceleration Act – a potential $1 billion investment in the advancement of marine energy technologies across the country. - Senator Lisa Murkowski championed marine energy and expressed the near-term need to adjust the permitting process for the technologies during a Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee meeting. - Following the passage of marine energy-focused legislation in CA, the California Energy Commission has been working on a report to inform the state’s government about the potential for marine energy technology development off its shores. - In-water marine energy technology deployments, some of which can be seen at the video below. We are excited by these developments as multi-year funding opportunities, increased focus on in-water demonstrations accompanied by environmental monitoring and state support have been organizational priorities for several years. We look forward to the progression and continued critical investment into these technologies, and the compliment of Federal support demonstrates how hydro in all its forms ensures a renewable future for all. In-water deployment video can be seen here: https://bit.ly/3Mg03VY

The future of the United States’ water power industry is dependent on workers. With almost a quarter of the active #hydropower workforce eligible for retirement by 2030, the industry must invest in the workforce of tomorrow to ensure the United States’ goal of securing a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035. The Foundation for Water and Energy Education (FWEE) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory were selected to receive NHA’s 2024 Outstanding Stewards of America’s Waters for their work in the public education category. Both organizations run programs focused on connecting children with engaging, educational water power content – a critical component in helping develop future industry employees. Whether it was FWEE’s Hydropower and Career STEM Academy or PNNL’s Salmon Summit, the important work of building early interest in water power, as well as overlapping fields, is paramount. Engaging with college and university students is also a key component of building the future water power workforce. The Hydropower Foundation's Waterpower Clubs are developing a network of college and university chapters focused on water power. Spanning the U.S., the Waterpower Clubs offer students career training and mentorship opportunities, access to exclusive scholarships, and guided tours inside water power facilities. To help further draw students into potential water power careers, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory run the Marine Energy and Hydropower Collegiate Competitions, which provide student groups with the opportunity to tackle real problems facing water power, connect with industry leaders, and learn about potential careers in the field. #HydroDay #HydroPowers

Thanks to Governor Mike Dunleavy of #Alaska and Governor Brad Little of #Idaho for officially proclaiming today #HydroDay in their respective states! #HydroPowers 489MW of installed energy capacity and more than 133,000 homes in Alaska, and it also powers 43% of Idaho's total in-state electricity generation which helps make Idaho's renewable energy share the fifth highest for any state. We thank the governors for providing this well-deserved recognition to the hydro community in these two great states, and we're grateful to our members who helped secure them.