Hydropower and pumped-storage growth in the United States is contingent on validation of the safety, environmental acceptability, reliability, and performance of innovative technology that can deploy with significantly reduced costs relative to existing technology. A network of one or more federally supported hydropower test facilities offering technology testing and validation capabilities may be one way to achieve such validation. This project will characterize the requirements for these testing capabilities; catalog the availability of these capabilities within existing test facilities and federal water infrastructures; and summarize findings in the form of a Hydropower Test Facility Scoping Study Report. Beyond hydraulic and related (sediment, biological, safety, and instrumentation and controls) testing, the full spectrum of hydropower and PSH technology testing needs may also include the means to test the major mechanical, electrical, civil/structural sub-systems of hydropower technology. Overall, widespread use of a federally-supported test facility will further WPTO’s goals of commercialization of new technologies and deployment by hydropower owners and operators.
