In a 402-9 vote, the House reaffirmed that hydropower should be considered a renewable energy resource. That makes it eligible for credits toward the Renewable Energy Portfolios (RPS), research and other incentives for renewable energy.
The vote came during debate of H.R 3321, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act, on an amendment offered by Representative William Sali (R-ID) seeking support for both large- and small-scale conventional hydropower technologies.
The House also passed H.R. 2776, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2007, which extends tax credits for hydropower and the new ocean, tidal and instream hydrokinetic technologies.
Among its many provisions, H.R. 2776 provides for a 4-year extension of the Production Tax Credit, inclusion of ocean, tidal and instream hydrokinetic technologies under the PTC, and extension and additional funding for the Clean Renewable Energy Bonds CREBs program for public power.
The hydropower industry estimates that about 23,000 MW of new energy could be brought online by 2025. The National Hydrogen Association wants Congress to go even further by providing credit rate parity for hydropower and waterpower resources. Hydropower receives half of the credit that other renewables receive.
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