Increasing U.S. Hydropower Testing Capabilities

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) offers several tools and resources for hydropower developers to ensure their testing needs are met. Currently, the Hydropower Testing Network (HyTN) is accepting applications for its second round of support, where developers will be provided with vouchers for, and matched with, appropriate testing facilities. Applications are due by July 23. The office is also holding a webinar on Thursday, July 30 that will summarize their efforts over the last six months to quantify and validate the hydropower testing needs of the industry in the United States.  

Hydropower is one of America’s most reliable sources of energy, supplying 27% of U.S. renewable generation and 88% of all utility scale energy storage. It is also one of the country’s oldest sources of energy and many hydroelectric facilities are over 50 years old. These facilities need modern upgrades to increase their energy output and reliability. Even with younger facilities, innovative technologies can increase generation, ensuring an affordable, reliable, and secure electric grid for all Americans. 

However, there are difficulties associated with testing and operationalizing cutting-edge hydropower technology solutions. Hydropower owner-operators are reluctant to take on the risk of being first adopters, no matter how much promise a technology shows. Seeing this need, H2O sought to form a better understanding of the specific testing needs of hydropower developers in the United States.  

In October 2022, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) gathered and presented feedback from hydropower stakeholders on the topic of hydropower testing infrastructure. The resulting report, Needs and Opportunities for Testing of Hydropower Technology Innovations, identified and validated four potential barriers that prevent access to testing technologies: 

• Access to full-scale testing: Full-scale testing is necessary to validate small hydropower innovations. 
• Validation of environmental mitigation technology: Effective environmental mitigation technologies must be introduced and validated to keep pace with environmental performance standards. 
• Hydropower flexibility testing: Hydropower technologies must be tested for flexible operations over extended durations to ensure hydropower’s value in the evolving grid. 
• Advanced materials development and testing: Advanced materials and manufacturing for hydropower components will require new and updated testing and validation procedures to enable innovative designs. 

With these barriers in mind, H2O developed two technical assistance programs to support the development of innovative hydropower technologies across the nation and is continuing to investigate ongoing testing gaps to ensure all needs are met and hydropower continues to provide flexible, reliable electricity across the country. 

Hydropower Testing Network 

The Hydropower Testing Network currently has 21 testing providers, which offer more than 65 testing capabilities.

H2O launched HyTN in 2024 to raise the technology readiness of hydropower innovations and help U.S. companies transition from the lab to the marketplace. The first round of HyTN solicited applications from test facilities to create a network of 18 facilities from across the country that could implement targeted testing activities to help develop advanced hydropower technologies.  

In 2025, HyTN then matched 12 technology developers with test facilities in the network to advance new hydropower technologies. The proposed projects tested and evaluated advanced alloys, new lubricants, innovative turbine and generator systems, devices to prevent biofouling, and techniques for observing and diverting fish species. 

In 2026, a second round of HyTN projects will build off the previous success with an expanded network of 21 test facilities to ensure affordable, reliable energy at the speed and scale required to support a growing economy and American households. Applications will be accepted through July 23. 

Water Power Technical Collaboration Program 

In 2024, H2O also launched the Water Power Technical Collaboration Program (TCP) with ORNL. This program seeks participants for short-term collaborative projects to accelerate the development of innovative water power technologies, leveraging advanced manufacturing and materials (AMM). Here, water power technologies of interest include those that apply to hydropower plants, pumped storage hydropower, and marine energy.  

The Water Power TCP provides selected participants with access to the DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL, including its world-leading experts in AMM research and cutting-edge equipment and capabilities to demonstrate the application of AMM to water power technologies. The program allows companies to explore innovative and daring ideas with minimal investment and limited risk. Project applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

Further Testing Needs 

Stakeholder input and outreach have greatly informed H2O’s understanding and analysis of hydropower testing needs. To further validate the recommendations from the 2022 report and gather feedback on how those needs have evolved, H2O staff met with stakeholders from industry, academia, the National Labs, other federal agencies, and more throughout early 2026. Now, H2O is ready to share the consolidated recent feedback with the hydropower industry. 

The U.S. Hydropower Testing Webinar will be held on July 30, 2026, from 2–3:30 p.m. ET. Attendees will hear a summary of stakeholder engagement activities to date and the results of that engagement. They will also have the opportunity to provide input on additional testing needs and gaps as well as inform H2O’s strategic planning around hydropower testing. H2O is asking all stakeholders with feedback on the hydropower technology testing process to register here. 

The HyTN voucher opportunity is funded by H2O 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 Commercialization.

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