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 Underappreciated Role
- Hydropower is a significant source of clean energy in the U.S., providing over 100 GW of power and 96% of energy storage.
- Despite this, it's often overlooked in clean energy discussions and policy.
Hydropower as Clean Firm
- Hydropower acts as a firm, dispatchable clean energy source, balancing variable renewables like wind and solar.
- It's crucial for grid stability but often overshadowed by discussions of other clean firm sources.
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.