| North America
in understanding the pulse of the North American hydroelectric industry,” said Marla Barnes, Vice President of Member and Industry Engagement at the National Hydropower Association. “It provides valuable insights into the key challenges and opportunities we face. The data from this survey informs industry stakeholders and plays a crucial role in advocating for policies that support a clean energy future.” “Each year, the annual Ear to River survey provides
the OWA with valuable information and insights regarding the key opportunities and challenges facing the waterpower industry. The report will continue to both guide and support our advocacy efforts in the future,” added Janelle Bates, Director of Communications and Member Relations at the Ontario Waterpower Association. The survey predicts a surge in pumped storage
projects, with almost 80% of respondents anticipating projects larger than 500MW in the next decade. However, hurdles such as high capital costs and regulatory challenges loom large. Regarding dam safety, the industry expects a shift
towards more advanced inspection methods, with over 60% anticipating the use of drones and robots in detailed inspections within the next three to five years. And in terms of investment, there’s a positive outlook with over 30% of US asset owners planning significant spending on refurbishments and upgrades in the next five years. The release of grant funding is anticipated to stimulate further investment, with grants identified as the most important government programmes for capital investments by over 70% of respondents. One of the central findings of the 2023 survey is the
persistent challenge of workforce shortage, with 56% of respondents identifying it as the most pressing issue for the hydro industry in the next three to five years. Tim Oakes, Business Sector Leader at Kleinschmidt, emphasised the need for greater promotion of hydropower as a career choice. “The 2023 survey results show that workforce remains the most pressing challenge for the industry and that we’re not doing enough to promote hydropower as an excellent career choice,” he said. Despite workforce challenges, the survey revealed that nearly 80% of respondents expressed satisfaction with working in the waterpower industry. However,
there’s a significant gap in promoting hydro as a career, with less than 30% of respondents entering the industry out of interest in waterpower. On the front of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives, progress is noted. While the 2022 survey indicated low participation in EDI, the 2023 results showed improvement, with approximately 80% of NHA respondents and 87% of OWA respondents reporting having EDI policies in place.
Marine MoU The National Hydropower Association has also been
collaborating with Marine Renewables Canada (MRC), in what has been described as a landmark move at leveraging marine energy for global net zero objectives. To solidify their commitment to collaborative advancement and knowledge exchange in marine energy development, the two organisations recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding Marine energy is described as holding immense
promise in decarbonising energy portfolios across the two countries. In the US alone there’s an estimated of 2300TWh annually, and harnessing just a fraction of this could supply 5.6% of total electricity generation. To put this in perspective, domestic installed hydropower and solar power capacity each contributed roughly 5.6% of total US electricity in 2023.
Canada boasts some of the globe’s most auspicious tidal, wave, river current, and offshore wind energy. Over the past decade, the nation has made substantial headway in nurturing its marine renewable energy domain, with ongoing tidal energy initiatives in the Bay of Fundy and endeavours to substitute diesel in remote communities with marine energy alternatives. Elisa Obermann, Executive Director of Marine Renewables Canada, voiced confidence in the collaboration, remarking: “At this stage in industry development, we need to work together to advance marine energy to a truly commercial clean energy solution.” “While progress is being made in the marine energy
sector, there are still challenges to growing the sector in the US and internationally,” Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of NHA acknowledged. “By working more closely with Marine Renewables Canada, we hope to collaborate on key challenges, build partnerships
Left: Bath County pumped storage station in Virginia. Recent surveys have predicted a surge in pumped storage projects across the US
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