WASHINGTON DC (March 14, 2007) – A soon-to-be released report by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) reveals the short-term and long-term potentials of water energy to the U.S. renewable energy supply.
The EPRI report will be part of the keynote address at the opening session of the National Hydropower Association's annual conference, which kicked off today in Washington, D.C. Doug Dixon, project manager of the report, gave those in attendance a sneak peak of the key findings to the report, which is to be officially released by the end of March.
Dixon's address focused on EPRI's estimate of water power's potential and what can be achieved by 2025. During the EPRI study, investigators reviewed conventional hydroelectric plants and the new technologies using energy from tides, ocean waves and currents. EPRI estimates that 23,000 MW of additional capacity can be brought online by 2025, Dixon said.
Producing power from all forms of water is a key interest for NHA. The association recently launched its Ocean, Tidal and New Technologies Council, a consortium of member companies delving into the research, development, regulation and deployment of the emerging hydro technologies. Several of the conference sessions will focus on "new hydro," and its place in the renewable energy plans for the country.
"Hydropower in all of its forms - conventional, ocean and wave energy, hydrokinetic and tidal power - offers a new whole vision for this industry, and a tremendous opportunity for our nation to meet growing energy demand with a clean, domestic choice," said Linda Church Ciocci, NHA executive director.
Dixon opened the session, "The Power of Moving Water." He is a senior project manager at EPRI and the program manger of EPRI's Hydropower Environmental Issues Research Program, as well as EPRI's Clean Water Act Fish Protection Program for Thermal Power Plants. Dixon has been with EPRI since 1997 and has more than 30 years of professional experience in environmental science and energy-related research. He received his bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo and his Ph.D. from the College of William & Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science.
NHA's annual conference runs from March 15-17, 2007 at the Capital Hill Hilton in downtown Washington D.C. More than 400 representatives and delegates from member companies, as well as federal and local agencies and partnering organizations are attending.
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), with major locations in Palo Alto, Calif., Charlotte, N. C., and Knoxville, Tenn. was established in 1973 as an independent, nonprofit center for public interest energy and environmental research. EPRI brings together member organizations, the Institute's scientists and engineers, and other leading experts to work collaboratively on solutions to the challenges of electric power. These solutions span nearly every area of power generation, delivery, and use, including health, safety, and environment. EPRI's members represent over 90 percent of the electricity generated in the United States. International participation represents nearly 15 percent of EPRI's total R&D program.
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Contact: Angel Brownawell, 202-682-1700, ext. 14
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