Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), in an editorial on Thursday, said that a newly-minted hydropower law is a key component of an “all-of-the-above” strategy that will help America eventually become energy independent.
“America is in the midst of an energy renaissance,” Upton said. “Thanks to vast new energy discoveries that can be utilized by combining tried-and-true techniques with exciting new technologies, America is shedding old ideas of energy scarcity and entering an era of energy abundance. All we need are the policies in place to embrace this opportunity.”
One of those policies became a law earlier this month when President Barack Obama signed the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013. Upton chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, which approved the bipartisan legislation to expedite and facilitate the development of new hydropower projects across the country. Upton said the new law reduces red tape so renewable resources like hydro can come online to power communities.
Hydropower is the largest source renewable energy in the United States, Upton said, accounting for approximately 8 percent of the nation’s electricity generation portfolio. Upton said estimates indicate that hydropower development could produce up to 60,000 megawatts of new hydropower capacity and create more than 700,000 jobs by 2025.
The new law streamlines the permitting process for conduit hydropower projects that generate less than five megawatts, such as projects located on canals and tunnels, as well as for certain other small hydropower projects under 10 megawatts.