The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released the first-ever report, The 2014 Hydropower Market Report, to quantify the current size, scope and variability of hydropower supplies in the United States.
According to the report, hydropower provides approximately seven percent of the US electricity supply-enough to power more than 20 million homes-and has experienced significant growth industry-wide. Within the last decade, the industry has supported more than 55,000 direct domestic jobs across the country, and helped offset 200 million metric tons of carbon emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions from more than 42 million passenger vehicles.
“This report outlines the diversity of our nation’s hydropower fleet, shows its tremendous contribution to the US clean energy mix, and points to promising future growth,” said Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy David Danielson.
Hydropower can be rapidly integrated with other renewable energy sources into the electric grid, contributing to the administration’s goal of doubling the nation’s renewable energy supply again by 2020. The report says, the hydropower manufacturing supply chain spreads across 38 states, with more than 170 companies producing one or more of six major hydropower components: turbines, generators, transformers, penstocks, gates, and valves.