Bureau of Reclamation Small

Hydropower and Hydrokinetic

Development and Research

Success Stories

Small Hydro Canada 2014

Reclamation Overview

• Largest water

wholesaler in US

• 187 Water Resource

Projects

– 337 Reservoirs

– 476 Dams

– 8,116 Miles of

Irrigation Canals

• Second largest

producer of

hydroelectric power

in U.S.

– 53 Hydroelectric

Power Plants

– Capacity: 14.6

million kW

– Annual Generation:

Over 40 billion kWh

Reclamation Owned and Operated

Hydropower Plants

Initial Driver - New Energy Economy

• Administration Goal –80%

of America’s Electricity

from clean sources by

2035

• 31 States with Renewable

Energy Portfolios – Most

include Hydropower

• New Energy Economy –

Reclamation Needs to

Lead in Integrating Energy

& Water Policies

4

Memorandum of Understanding

• Implemented to support the development of

sustainable hydropower

• Signed March 24, 2010

• Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy,

Department of the Interior

Memorandum of Understanding

• MoU available online at:

• http://www.usbr.gov/power/SignedHydropowerMOU.

pdf

• Two-Year Progress Report available online at:

• http://www.usbr.gov/power/hydropower-

mou/HydropowerMOU.pdf

Hydropower Permitting and Licensing

on Reclamation Facilities

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission (FERC)

or

Lease of Power Privilege

(LOPP)

FERC Development

• Non-federal development on Federal dams/conduits

• Licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

• Reclamation involvement limited

• 50 Online

• 9 In Development

• 27 Preliminary Permits

Lease of Power Privilege

• Reclamation’s Hydro Permitting

Program (Non-federal development

on Federal dams/canals

• Where Reclamation was authorized

development

• 9 Online

• 5 Preliminary Leases

• 9 In preliminary stages

• Guidelines available at:

– www.usbr.gov/recman

Hydropower Plants

Existing FERC or Lease of Power Privilege Projects

Hydropower Plants (In Development)

FERC Permits/Licenses or Lease of Power Privilege

Hydropower Plants

Combined

Lease of Power Privilege

PL 113-24 (HR 678)

• BUREAU OF RECLAMATION SMALL CONDUIT

HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL JOBS

ACT (PL 113-24) Signed into law August 9, 2013

PL 113-24 (HR 678)

• Jurisdiction for canal development moved from

FERC to Reclamation

• Preference given to Irrigation Districts

• Codification of NEPA Categorical Exclusion Process

• RECENT DEVELOPMENT

Jordanelle

• Online 2008

• 13,000 kW

• 57 GWH

16

Upper and Lower Turnbull

• Online 2011

• 2 Plants

• 7800 kW and 5300 kW

• 14.7 and 10.6 GWH

Klamath C Drop Canal

• Online 2012

• 900 kW

• 2.9 GWH

Carter Lake

• Online 2012

• 2600 kW

• 10 GWH

Uncompahgre South Canal

• Online 2013

• 2 Plants

• 4,000 kW and 3,500 kW

• 14.3 and 12.6 GWH

Ridgway

• Online 2014

• 7000 kW

• 22 GWH

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Others

• Arrowrock

– Online 2010

– 15000 kW

– 75.9 GWH

• Arena Drop

– Online 2012

– 385 kW

– 1.6 GWH

22

• Esquatzel

– Online 2012

– 900 kW

– 5.14 GWH

• Fargo Drop

– Online 2013

– 1100 kW

– 3.17 GWH

WaterSmart Grant Development

WaterSmart Grants

• Three Sister’s Irrigation District

- 950 kW

• Pershing County Water

Conservancy District - 750 kW

• Boise Board of Control – 839 kW

• Consolidated Irrigation Company –

500 kW

• Sacramento Suburban Water

District – 200 kW

• Fremont Irrigation District – 2500

kW

• Cub River Irrigation District – 456

kW

MOU Technology Development &

Deployment

Technology Development & Deployment

• DOE and Reclamation announced

funding opportunity for research

and development projects to

advance hydropower technology on

April 5, 2011.

• Designed to support innovative

technologies that can produce

power more efficiently, reduce costs

and increase sustainable

hydropower generation at sites not

previously considered practical.

• Grant Award topics include:

• Advanced Small Hydropower

• Advanced Pump Storage

• Environmental Mitigation

Technology Development &

Deployment • Awarded ~$17 million for 16 projects in 11

states on 9-6-2011

• Includes three projects on Reclamation

facilities (two projects jointly funded by

DOE/Reclamation)

– Natel Hydroengine

– Turbinator

– Archimedes Screw

Hydrokinetic Testing

Hydrokinetics

– Hydrokinetic projects generate power from the flow of

rivers, canals, ocean currents or waves.

– Many new hydrokinetic technologies and vendors for

river and canal deployment

– Opportunity to demonstrate viability and determine

impacts

Hydrokinetics

– Hydrokinetic Technology Testing at Roza Canal

• Working with technology developers, R&D and DOE

• Evaluate impacts to canal operations

• Evaluate operating characteristics of the technology

Background – Hydrokinetics

• Hydraulic impacts to canals are unknown

– Irregular water surface (flow measurement structures,

diversions, deliveries)

– Free-board limitations

– Increased pumping costs

– Decreased hydropower

production

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Research Objectives

• Roza Main Canal near Yakima, WA (2013 – 2015)

– Manufacturer: Characterize performance

– Sandia National Laboratories: Characterize near field

hydraulics

– Reclamation (Yakima Field Office & Hydraulics Group):

Quantify operational impacts

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• Overall Team

Objective: Develop a

predictive modeling

tool to determine where

and how hydrokinetics

can be used.

Roza Main Canal

• Located near Yakima, WA

• Supply for Roza Irrigation District

(72,000 acres)

• 11 miles from diversion to power

plant

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Shakedown Monitoring & Test Plan -

2013 • Monitoring

– Water Surface Elevation at key locations

• Measure changes with hydrokinetic in flow

• Calibrate numerical model of canal system

– Canal Flow

• Hydrokinetic vs. Baseline Testing

– Water Surface Elevation up and downstream of

Hydrokinetic unit

– Velocity up and downstream of Hydrokinetic unit

– Canal Flow

– Power plant efficiency testing

34

2013 - Water Surface Test Results

Top of Lining

Free-Board

35

Power Plant Measurements

36

Lessons Learned & Future Work

• Lessons Learned

– Velocity: Larger boat and more efficient tagline system

– Water Surface: Hobos worked well; need to secure

logger within angle; consistent sampling interval

– Power Plant: no impact - performance testing not

necessary; will monitor throughout 2014 test season

• Future Work (through 2015)

– Test 1 unit at multiple load settings and canal flow.

– Test additional HK units in series

– Refine numerical model to use as a predictive tool

37

Thank You!

Kerry McCalman

kmccalman@usbr.gov

Power Website:

http://www.usbr.gov/power

LOPP Website:

http://www.usbr.gov/power

/lopp