The U.S. hydropower industry can lead in the creation of 700,000 jobs by 2025, according to a new industry study.
The National Hydropower Association said the industry can add 60,000 megawatts (MW) of clean, renewable energy to the nation’s electric grid by 2025–enough to serve 17 million households, or the equivalent of all the homes in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago combined.
The U.S. hydropower industry currently employs approximately 300,000
people and has 100,000 MW of installed capacity. NHA said the industry can add new capacity through new technologies, efficiency
improvements, and research and development.
“The hydropower industry is prepared to double its current capacity of
clean, domestic, renewable waterpower resources,” said NHA President
Andrew Munro of Grant County (WA) Public Utility District. “Hydropower
offers tremendous potential for America to double is renewable energy
production, provide reliable electricity for American families, and
create thousands of new jobs.”
The report states that hydropower also helps foster the growth of other renewable energy resources by providing load firming and energy storage that can help maximize the benefits of solar and wind resources, too.
At a recent green jobs event in Pennsylvania, US Energy Secretary Steven Chu called hydropower’s dual roles “an incredible opportunity” to expand the country’s clean energy resources.
“As Secretary Chu points out, both hydropower and pumped storage serve the country in many different ways. Current hydropower capacity alone helps us avoid 225 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, so the contributions are significant,” said NHA Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci.
NHA is calling on Congressional leaders to:
- Enact a national RES that recognizes and supports hydropower
- Support long-term tax incentives that give hydro parity with other renewables
- Accelerate licensing for pumped storage and small hydro
- Expand federal R&D funding for hydropower technologies
The jobs study is available at the link below.
In September, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $14.6 million in funding for 22 advanced water power projects.
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