[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 217 (Wednesday, November 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78795-78797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27054]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development of 
Hydropower in Undeveloped Stream Reaches of the United States; Request 
for Information

AGENCY: Water Power Technologies Office, Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Request for information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: The Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), within the 
Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing this request for information 
(RFI) to invite input from the public regarding challenges and 
opportunities associated with hydropower development in undeveloped 
stream-reaches. Through this RFI, the WPTO is also seeking input on the 
focus and structure of a potential funding opportunity to support 
research and development of advanced and/or non-traditional 
transformative hydropower technologies and project designs capable of 
avoiding or minimizing environmental and social effects of new cost-
competitive hydropower development in undeveloped stream-reaches of the 
United States.

DATES: Responses must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (ET) on 
Friday, December 16, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically to 
[email protected] as Microsoft Word (.docx) attachments to an 
email, and no more than 6 pages in length, 12 point font, 1 inch 
margins. It is recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 
25 MB be compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery. Please 
include in the subject line ``Comments for RFI''. Only electronic 
responses will be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions may be directed to: Rajesh 
Dham, Water Power Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, Phone: (202) 287-6675, 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

I. Background
II. Purpose
III. Request for Information Categories and Questions
IV. Guidance for Submitting Documents

I. Background

    Through its HydroNEXT initiative, WPTO's Hydropower Program (the 
Program) invests in the development of innovative technologies that 
lower cost, improve performance, and promote environmental stewardship 
of hydropower development across three resource classes:

 Existing non-powered dams (NPD)
 Pumped storage hydropower (PSH)
 New stream-reach development (NSD)

    Under a Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Funding Opportunity Announcement 
(FOA) DE-FOA-0001455 titled, ``Innovative Technologies to Advance Non-
Powered Dam and Pumped Storage Hydropower Development,'' the Program 
made federal funding available to research and develop innovative 
solutions for NPD and PSH development. In FY 2017, the Program seeks to 
overcome challenges associated with furthering the development of 
hydropower in new stream-reaches.
    Development of hydropower in new stream-reaches refers to new 
projects in stream segments and waterways that do not currently have 
hydroelectric facilities. New stream-reach development projects are 
subject to more scrutiny than projects for other hydropower resources 
(i.e. NPDs, refurbishments) because such development can have more 
extensive environmental and social effects, particularly if 
construction of a dam or diversion is required. Construction of 
barriers in a natural waterway can affect fish migration, channel 
geomorphology, sediment transport, habitat connectivity, water quality, 
and flow regimes. The unique nature of new stream-reach development can 
also add cost, time, and uncertainty to the development process. These 
factors have hindered the development of this resource in recent 
decades.
    To realize sustainable and responsible hydropower development and 
to protect the integrity of existing streams, the Program is seeking 
information regarding transformative and/or innovative hydropower 
technologies that reduce or eliminate environmental concerns and are 
financially viable.

II. Purpose

    The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback from industry, 
academia, research laboratories, government agencies, and other 
stakeholders on issues related to development of hydropower in new 
stream-reaches. EERE is specifically interested in information on the 
costs/benefits and environmental effects associated with such 
development, and possible solutions to address the related challenges. 
EERE is also seeking input on the focus and structure of a potential 
funding opportunity to support research and development of advanced 
and/or non-traditional transformative hydropower technologies and 
project designs capable of avoiding or minimizing environmental and 
social effects of new cost-competitive hydropower development in 
undeveloped stream-reaches of the United States. This is solely a 
request for information and not a Funding Opportunity Announcement 
(FOA); EERE is not accepting applications.

III. Request for Information Categories and Questions

A. Category 1: New Stream-Reach Development (NSD) Challenges and 
Opportunities

    To accelerate the deployment of sustainable and responsible 
hydropower in new stream-reaches while protecting their social and 
environmental value, EERE is seeking input on the main challenges and 
potential opportunities for developing this resource.
    Specifically, we welcome feedback on the following questions:
    (1) How can advances in technology more readily address 
environmental challenges associated with hydropower development in 
undeveloped streams?
    (2) What are the technical challenges associated with new stream-
reach

[[Page 78796]]

development? How can DOE help address these challenges?
    (3) How can modularization of power train and civil works 
components affect project costs? How can standardized equipment build 
familiarity and assist with regulatory review of proposed new stream-
reach development projects?
    (4) With recent advancements in additive manufacturing, it has 
become increasingly easy to embed sensors and other smart technology 
into equipment. How can this advancement be used to build smarter 
machines and change the way stakeholders address environmental 
concerns?
    (5) What other challenges is the hydropower community facing with 
regards to new stream-reach development? How can DOE help to address 
those challenges?

B. Category 2: Transformative Hydropower Innovations

    The DOE's 2016 Hydropower Vision analysis \1\ found that deployment 
of 1.7 gigawatts (GW) of new stream-reach development is possible by 
2050 based on a scenario in which technology advancements lower capital 
and operating costs, innovative market mechanisms increase revenue and 
lower financing costs, and environmental considerations are taken into 
account. Further, alternative scenarios explored in the Hydropower 
Vision analysis also showed new stream-reach development could increase 
by an additional 15.5 GW by 2050 if a substantial level of 
transformative technological innovation were developed to successfully 
address the cost and environmental considerations associated with new 
stream-reach development.
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    \1\ The 2016 Hydropower Vision analysis involved more than 50 
modeled scenarios, each examining the effects of key variables or 
combination of variables that influence the deployment of hydropower 
facilities in electricity market competition with other generation 
sources. http://energy.gov/eere/water/articles/hydropower-vision-new-chapter-america-s-1st-renewable-electricity-source.
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    We are seeking input on the following questions related to this 
issue:
    (1) What type of transformative innovations (either in power train 
components or plant system designs) could hold the key to reducing or 
avoiding environmental effects typically associated with development of 
new stream-reaches?
    (2) How can Federal investments in research and development help 
increase benefits and reduce costs for new stream-reach development? 
What areas of investment would be most impactful?
    (3) Are other industries using technologies, equipment, or 
techniques that could be applied to hydropower to increase benefits 
and/or reduce new stream-reach development project costs, timelines, 
and environmental effects? Please provide examples.

C. Category 3: Potential Funding Opportunity

    EERE seeks input on the focus and structure of a potential funding 
opportunity to support the development of environmentally-sustainable 
hydropower development in new stream-reaches. EERE welcomes feedback on 
the approach outlined below.
    The objective of this potential research is to develop advanced 
and/or non-traditional transformative hydropower technologies and 
project designs capable of avoiding or minimizing environmental and 
social effects for new cost-competitive hydropower development in 
undeveloped stream-reaches of the United States. Potential projects 
should be capable of reducing the environmental and social effects of 
civil works and other disturbances resulting from the development of 
hydropower in undeveloped stream-reaches. Of particular interest are 
projects that do not require the use of a dam to create the head 
differential necessary to generate hydropower.
    Following a two-phase process, potential researchers should be able 
to demonstrate--through research, analysis, and engineering design--
that the proposed systems can meet the following metrics:

1. Environmental and Social Impact \2\
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    \2\ Environmental and Social Impact refers to how construction 
and operation of a project affects geomorphology, water quality, and 
the function of streams in supporting social objectives (e.g., 
recreation) and species reproduction.
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2. Technical Feasibility
3. Cost Competitiveness
Phase 1 (12 Months)
    Research the available hydropower potential and develop innovative 
and transformative design strategies that include ways to increase head 
for cost-competitive and environmentally sustainable hydropower 
development. Such designs should include the following features:
     Transformative diversionary structures without the use of 
a solid dam: examples include side intakes or side-channel intakes and 
headrace canals, and trench weirs with suitable water conveyance 
systems
     Alternative water conveyance systems using innovative 
technologies (such as advanced tunneling methods, intakes, alternative 
pipe materials and manufacturing, and tailrace systems) to increase 
power density and reduce component and system costs
     Use of low impact, modular, and scalable hydropower 
technologies as applicable to achieve cost reductions
    Researchers should consider multipurpose use of the hydropower 
facility that may help to reduce the cost allocation to hydropower 
development.
    Further, awardees will perform desktop studies using available data 
to identify probable locations on undeveloped stream-reaches for 
potential application of their innovative/transformational design 
strategies. These studies will help to identify the most favorable 
sites and inform reconnaissance and feasibility studies in Phase 2.
Phase 2 (12-18 Months)
    With respect to the most favorable sites identified in Phase I, 
researchers should perform: (A) Reconnaissance studies, and (B) 
Feasibility studies.
A. Reconnaissance Studies
    Reconnaissance studies are performed with the aim of determining if 
further feasibility studies are warranted. These studies should:
1. Scope the extent of study necessary for hydropower site development 
and preliminary economic analysis
2. Develop a preliminary layout (plan and cross-section)
3. Assess the head and flow (site hydrology)
4. Determine the type of turbine-generator for the head and flow for 
the purpose of obtaining typical equipment costs
5. Estimate preliminary power potential
6. Evaluate the transmission requirements at a high level for power 
take-off
7. Assess potential environmental and social impacts and related 
mitigation
8. Develop a high level cost estimate
9. Estimate potential revenue streams
10. Determine economic feasibility including possible financing costs
11. Include a report to document reconnaissance findings
B. Feasibility Studies
    Feasibility studies are performed with the aim of determining if an 
investment commitment should be made without actual ground disturbance 
and the requirement of permit(s). These studies will include the 
following activities:

1. A firm-up of the project layout to include alternate sites based on 
actual preliminary site investigations
2. Confirmation of the project parameters such as:

[[Page 78797]]

    a. Head
    b. flow duration and unit flow
    c. number and type of units
    d. installed capacity
    e. water conductor system and ancillary equipment and other 
physical work
    f. transmission routing and associated equipment needs
3. Identification of site development needs
4. Evaluation of power purchase alternatives
5. Potential environmental and social impact studies and related 
mitigation
6. Detailed preliminary cost studies
7. Evaluation of possible multi-use of the facility
8. Determination of economic feasibility including possible financing 
costs
9. Preparation of a report to document feasibility findings

    Researchers should perform reconnaissance studies for at least six 
selected locations for project development, with the aim of performing 
feasibility studies on the three most promising sites. We anticipate 
that DOE would make a Go/No-Go decision after Phase 1 based on the 
environmental performance, costs, and applicability of the proposed 
technology or design strategy.
    EERE welcomes input on the approach outlined. Specifically, we 
welcome feedback on the following questions:
    (1) Is the focus outlined above the optimal approach for supporting 
sustainable development of hydropower in undeveloped streams? If not, 
what improvements would you suggest?
    (2) Please share comments on other items not considered here that 
you believe EERE should address as it develops a strategy to advance 
new stream-reach development.

IV. Guidance for Submitting Documents

    DOE invites all interested parties to submit responses by not later 
than 5:00 p.m. (ET) on December 16, 2016. Responses to this RFI must be 
submitted electronically to [email protected] as Microsoft Word 
(.docx) attachments to an email, and no more than 6 pages in length, 12 
point font, 1 inch margins. Only electronic responses will be accepted.
    Respondents are requested to provide the following information at 
the start of their response to this RFI:
     Company/institution name;
     Company/institution contact;
     Contact's address, phone number, and email address.

    Issued in Washington, DC on November 3, 2016.
Jim Ahlgrimm
Acting Director, Water Power Technologies Office, Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2016-27054 Filed 11-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P