Volts Time to stop taking hydropower for granted?
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Dec 13, 2024 Malcolm Woolf, CEO of the National Hydropower Association, teams up with Connor Nelson, an insightful author focusing on hydropower's impact in the clean energy sector. They discuss the crucial yet often overshadowed role of hydropower in stabilizing the energy grid amidst the rise of renewables. Delving into the lengthy relicensing challenges and inadequate market compensation, they emphasize the urgent need for reforms. The conversation also highlights opportunities for enhancing hydropower capacity, ensuring it remains a foundational part of America's clean energy future.
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Hydropower's Essential Grid Services
- Hydropower offers essential grid services like spinning reserve, voltage control, and Black Start capability.
- These services, vital for reliability, are often undercompensated in current market structures.
Hydropower's Role in Black Start
- Malcolm Woolf recalled hydropower's crucial role in restarting the grid after the East Coast blackout 20 years ago.
- This highlights hydropower's Black Start capabilities, essential for grid resilience.
Hydropower Relicensing Challenges
- The upcoming wave of hydropower relicensing poses a risk to the existing fleet, despite most facilities applying for renewal.
- The onerous, decade-long process and potential for costly upgrades can deter operators, leading to shutdowns.