Hydropower is getting fresh consideration from the US Department of the Interior. But there are no plans to build new hydroelectric dams to do this. Instead, a recent agency report has concluded that the department could generate up to one million megawatt hours of electricity annually by adding hydropower capacity at 70 of its existing dams and other water control structures.

Building new dams for hydropower is not generally regarded favorably. While they allow electricity to be generated without carbon emissions, there is unacceptable collateral environmental damage to both surrounding upriver areas which are flooded and to the downriver areas where the water flow is suddenly constrained.

But existing dams for flood control are already built and are not going to be removed anytime soon. And there is a hydroelectric potential at these dams which is presently going unused. The department's list includes 70 potential sites which are located throughout the western US.

The power generation would be done by private firms or other non-federal entities under a "Lease of Power Privilege Agreement," which gives a 40 year right for use of the facility to produce electric power. The department also states that this could provide power for 85,000 homes and will help reach the government targets to meet 80% percent of U.S. energy needs with clean sources by 2035.

images: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

via: EERE News

Asia's first commercial scale tidal power project is being built off the coast of India.  The project will initially have a capacity of 50 MW, but could eventually be scaled up to well over 200 MW.

London-based Atlantis Resources, the company responsible for the world's largest tidal turbine located in Scotland, is building the project in the Gulf of Kutch.  Construction is planned to start as soon as this year and should be completed by 2013.

A recent survey by Atlantis shows that the gulf has about 300 MW-worth of potential tidal power and the construction agreement between the company and India's Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd. allows for up to 250 MW to be developed there.

Tidal power is a strong, reliable and predictable source of renewable energy, but it hasn't been harvested as much as solar or wind power, mainly because of its high initial costs.  But it's starting to get more attention -- tidal turbines have been installed in rivers in both New York City and Paris and huge tidal power projects are being developed off of Scotland's coast.

via Business Standard

Image via Atlantis Resources