Hydropower or hydroelectric power is a renewable and reliable energy source that serves national environmental and energy policy objectives. Twenty percent of all electricity in the world is produced by hydropower. The United States is the second largest producer of hydropower; Canada is the largest.
Hydropower is created from the kinetic energy of falling water. The energy is then converted into electricity via turbine (which can be as large as 800 megawatts). Of the more than 70,000 existing significant dams in the United States, 2,400 are being utilized for hydropower.
Hydropower is an emissions-free, renewable and reliable energy source. Hydropower's fuel-water is essentially infinite and is not depleted in the production of energy. As a source of energy, hydropower excels at preserving the stability and reliability of the electrical grid due to its unique operating characteristics.
A Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) for water-related projects was published in the Virginia Register of Regulations on August 15, 2011. Persons interested in serving on the water-related Regulatory Advisory Panel (RAP) were asked to contact DEQ by September 1, 2011. Pursuant to the "Small Renewable Energy Projects" statue, Permit by Rules for water-related projects will need to be final by July 2012. For updated information, see DEQ's Water Related Energy webpage.
Ocean Energy
The ocean’s tides and waves contain vast amounts of energy that can be used to create electricity. Wave action on U.S. coastlines has the potential to supply over 2,000 TWh/yr. Currently, the ability to harness ocean energy is underdevelopment. For more information, on ocean energy visit the links below.
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