Water Power Technologies Office Highlights Funding, Technical Assistance, and Prizes During Stakeholder Webinar

At its latest semiannual stakeholder webinar on May 9, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) highlighted funding, technical collaboration opportunities, and prizes, along with recent accomplishments. 

The meeting kicked off with an introduction of WPTO acting director Matthew Grosso. He takes on this role after leading WPTO’s operations for more than eight years.

“What I hope to bring to this role is really centered around three things,” said Grosso. “One is continuity for the work that’s already in progress at WPTO and another is engagement. It's extremely important to me to be able to speak with our stakeholders and get your input.” 

Finally, Grosso added, “I bring intent. We want to get funding out to industry, to researchers to advance these technologies, and to help these industries move forward.” 

Grosso then shared a few of the WPTO-supported projects featured in the office’s 2022–2023 Accomplishments Report. He also discussed WPTO’s $200 million budget for Fiscal Year 2024, which represents a 12% increase from the previous fiscal year and the office’s largest budget to date. 

He concluded by highlighting an opportunity from the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP), which provides technical assistance for remote and island communities looking to transform their energy systems and increase their energy resilience. Applications are due July 10, and communities must consult with an ETIPP regional partner or lead before applying.

Hydropower Program Manager Corey Vezina then called attention to several hydropower funding and technical collaboration opportunities. For example, WPTO recently announced a technical collaboration opportunity for industry partners interested in developing innovative hydropower technologies using advanced materials and manufacturing. This opportunity will provide selected participants with access to DOE’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Concept abstracts are being accepted on a rolling basis. Interested applicants should visit the ORNL website for more details.

Vezina also highlighted a recent announcement on renewed funding for the National Alliance for Water Innovation, DOE’s innovation hub for desalination that is funded by WPTO and the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office. “We're convening technology developers, water managers, and communities to identify opportunities for optimizing water supply management,” said Vezina. “We’re excited about opportunities to work with other offices and look at the broader context of water security.”

Next, Marine Energy Program Manager Tim Ramsey discussed the three projects selected through WPTO’s U.S. Tidal Energy Advancement opportunity, funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Two projects were selected to receive a combined $6 million to begin developing a tidal energy research, development, and demonstration pilot site, while a community-led river current energy research and development project was selected to receive $9.5 million.   

Ramsey also highlighted the five students selected for the 2024 Marine Energy Graduate Student Research Program. Applications for the 2025 program are expected to open in the fall. “I encourage you to keep an eye out for this program if you're interested either as a student or as a potential host facility,” Ramsey noted. 

He then turned to two open marine energy opportunities:

• The Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) program is accepting applications for its latest request for technical support through June 28. 
• The first phase of the Power at Sea Prize is open for submissions through July 26. This prize will award up to $1.7 million to competitors to advance technologies that use marine energy to power ocean-based activities. 

WPTO Strategic Innovation and Outreach Program Manager Beth Hartman then discussed WPTO’s notice of intent to provide nearly $5 million in funding for programs that accelerate the commercialization and adoption of water power systems and solutions. This proposed opportunity is expected to open soon. 

She highlighted the five projects (three marine energy and two hydropower) selected for nearly $1.2 million in funding through an opportunity with the Minority-Serving Institutions STEM Research and Development Consortium. This funding is part of WPTO’s Seedlings for Universities initiative, which aims to seed research and development activities in academic institutions that do not have significant existing water power research portfolios.

Hartman also shared the Hydropower Investment Landscape report, which provides a comprehensive analysis of both the risks and opportunities for investing in small- to medium-sized hydropower and pumped storage hydropower projects.

She then showcased the winners of several recent prizes and competitions including:

• The 22 winning submissions in WPTO’s Make A Splash Photo and Video Contest.
• KelpNext from the University of Michigan, which took home WPTO’s $22,000 technology bonus prize in the Office of Technology Transitions’ EnergyTech University Prize. 
• Northern Arizona University, Johns Hopkins University, and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, which took first, second, and third place, respectively, in the 2024 Hydropower Collegiate Competition. (Learn more about these and additional winners!)

Hartman also previewed the final event for the 2024 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition, which took place later in May. The University of New Hampshire was the overall winner, repeating its win from the 2023 competition. Purdue University took second place, and Oakland University and Oregon State University tied in third place. Learn more about this year’s winners.

“It's a huge priority for Secretary of Energy Granholm, and we are dedicated to making sure that we’re doing everything that we can to move this industry forward,” he added.

Open Opportunities at a Glance

• Applications for TEAMER’s latest request for technical support are due June 28, 2024.
• The deadline for communities to apply to receive technical support through ETIPP is July 10, 2024. 
• Submissions for the first phase of the Power at Sea Prize are due July 26, 2024.
• Concept abstracts for the hydropower and advanced manufacturing technical collaboration opportunity are being accepted on a rolling basis until funds are expended.

Webinar Timestamps

• 0:00—Introduction by Maxine Hillman, Moderator
• 4:05—Matthew Grosso, WPTO Acting Director 
• 11:25—Corey Vezina, WPTO Hydropower Program Manager
• 20:24—Tim Ramsey, WPTO Marine Energy Program Manager
• 35:13—Beth Hartman, WPTO Strategic Innovation and Outreach Program Manager
• 43:05—Opportunities and Upcoming Events, Maxine Hillman
• 46:14—Q&A
• 1:11:57—Remarks by Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• 1:15:05—Additional Q&A and Closing

Stay in the know with WPTO! In addition to attending these semiannual webinars, stakeholders can learn more about WPTO’s Hydropower and Marine Energy programs. Subscribe to the bimonthly Hydro Headlines and Water Column newsletters and the comprehensive, monthly Water Wire newsletter to get information on funding opportunities, events, and other news.