The Energy Department's Water Power Program has issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) of $9.8 million for up to 12 projects to develop innovative technologies that will reduce capital costs and deployment timelines. This FOA supports the Water Power Program's HydroNEXT initiative to lower costs, improve performance, and promote environmental stewardship across two resource classes: existing non-powered dams and closed-loop pumped-storage hydropower. Only 3% of nation's dams currently generate electricity. The non-powered dam technology projects will help tap this resource by supporting the development of low-head, modular designs that can reduce infrastructure and construction costs and operate flexibly over a range of flow conditions at existing dams. The pumped-storage projects will study the feasibility of innovative concepts for closed-loop pumped-storage hydropower systems.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the FOA on EERE Exchange to learn more.