WATER POWER TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE
Twelve Technology Developers To Advance Hydropower Innovations Through New Testing Network

"The hydropower sector is developing innovative technologies to ensure this resource continues to provide reliable power to electricity grids and help meet U.S. energy goals for years to come," said WPTO Director Matthew Grosso. "With HyTN, we are helping developers advance these technologies faster by connecting them with U.S.-based test facilities and expertise." 

Hydropower accounts for nearly 27% of U.S. utility-scale renewable electricity generation and 5.7% of the country's total utility-scale electricity generation. U.S. hydropower facilities will need upgrades and new technologies will need to be developed so that this resource continues to help electricity grids remain reliable and stable, ensuring homes and businesses across the country have power when they need it.

The 12 selected technology developers are:

• Carpenter Technology Corporation, based in Philadelphia, will evaluate the performance of its advanced A-21 alloy at Argonne National Laboratory by testing the material in a controlled environment to identify potential shortcomings and opportunities for improvement. The A-21 alloy is a type of stainless steel that's extra strong and wear resistant, which could improve the reliability of bearings in hydropower systems. These bearings support and guide rotating machines like turbines. The A-21 alloy could help prevent corrosion, abrasive wear, and cracking/splitting of bearing components, which could mitigate repairs to turbines and reduce the amount of time they need to be offline for those repairs.
   
• Continuous Solutions, based in Portland, Oregon, will develop a novel generator and inverter system to efficiently produce electricity and regulate power in 10-to-100-kilowatt-scale microhydro turbine systems, which can provide reliable energy for remote areas, small communities, and off-grid applications. Continuous Solutions will test its technology at the Distributed Energy Technologies Laboratory, which is part of Sandia National Laboratories, focusing on electrical standards qualification, turbine design and validation, and system performance in various environmental conditions. 
   
• InPipe Energy Inc., based in Portland, Oregon, is developing an innovative, off-grid energy system that converts excess pressure in water pipelines into renewable electricity, offering a sustainable energy solution for remote locations or areas with limited access to an electricity grid. Researchers will use testing capabilities at Continuous Solutions to validate the technology's effectiveness in an off-grid setting. InPipe Energy will also integrate a battery to store the energy generated and demonstrate consistent energy production and storage.
   
• Kingsbury, Inc., based in Philadelphia, will work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to evaluate various surface finishes, lubricants, and materials for fluid film bearings used in hydropower units. In a fluid film bearing, a thin film of lubricant separates the stationary bearing and rotating shaft to produce a smooth, low friction motion. Through this testing, Kingsbury aims to improve the reliability, performance, and efficiency of generators for new and existing hydropower and pumped storage hydropower facilities.
   
• KW River Hydroelectric, Inc., based in Cincinnati, will evaluate the performance of a prototype crossflow turbine system that is designed to sit underwater at the base of a dam, allowing it to both generate electricity from water flowing over the dam and eliminate unsafe water current conditions below the dam. Testing at Verdantas' Hooper Facility will simulate real-world conditions to determine whether the prototype system performs as expected.
   
• Littoral Power Systems, Inc., based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, will work with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to evaluate the effectiveness of a louver a covering made of angled slats for water intake pipes that prevents fish from entering hydropower turbines. Testing will help verify the louver design for species of migrating fish common on the East Coast and provide data for fish and wildlife agencies evaluating hydropower projects.
   
• Optical Waters Inc., based in Amherst, Massachusetts, will work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to test optical fibers that emit ultraviolet light that can prevent the accumulation of plants, algae, and other microorganisms on surfaces underwater, a phenomenon known as biofouling. This chemical-free solution can reduce biofouling in hard-to-reach areas within hydropower systems, such as pipes and tight channels, improving efficiency and lowering maintenance costs at hydropower facilities.
   
• Prometheus Innovations, LLC, based in Lafayette, Louisiana, will evaluate and refine a multiuse composite polymer coating working with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. This coating is designed to minimize the environmental impacts of biofouling, including the accumulation of mussels on submerged surfaces. This coating can also optimize the performance of hydropower facilities by improving acoustic sensitivity and reducing fluid friction across the surface of submerged screens and pipes.
   
• Radmantis, based in Toledo, Ohio, will use Verdantas' Fish Passage Survival and Behavior Steel Testing Flume Facility to assess a device that uses artificial intelligence to classify and divert fish by species. Successful proof-of-concept testing will assist in further evaluating how selective fish passage can be incorporated at a hydropower facility.
   
• River Connectivity Systems, based in Bainbridge Island, Washington, is working with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to apply and test biofouling-resistant coatings on its River Connectivity System, a selective withdrawal screen that aims to minimize the environmental impacts of dams by reducing the spread of invasive species and improving downstream water quality.
   
• VBASE Oil Company, based in Pendleton, South Carolina, will work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to analyze environmentally acceptable turbine oil, hydraulic fluid, and gear oil as high-performance replacements for traditional lubricants currently used in hydropower facilities. The team will test these alternatives to understand if they can effectively prevent friction and wear in components. Using environmentally acceptable lubricants in hydropower facilities can reduce the risk of environmental hazards. 
   
• Verterra Energy Inc., based in New Brighton, Minnesota, will work with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to observe and characterize potential interactions of fish species with Verterra's modular hydropower technology, which has a turbine that is capable of producing power in shallow water conditions.

The HyTN voucher opportunity is funded by WPTO and managed by ENERGYWERX in partnership with DOE, a collaboration made possible through an innovative partnership intermediary agreement set up by DOE's Office of Technology Transitions.