Getting some respect for hydropower
Washington Ag Today July 30, 2010 Hydropower may finally be getting the respect its supporters believe it deserves under two bills introduced in the U.S. Senate by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski. Karen Bonaudi, assistant executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, explains what the Hydropower Renewable Energy Development Act of 2010 does. Bonaudi: “And it is something that farmers in particular have been waiting for for a long time. It actually names hydropower as a renewable energy source. You may recall that hydropower was not considered renewable at first. And we believe it was a move by environmental groups to kind of discredit the energy producing dams that they see as a threat to fish.” And the significance of having hydropower designated by law as renewable? Bonaudi: “If hydropower is indeed renewable, then it becomes qualified for all kinds of support down the road.” A second piece of Senate legislation, the Hydropower Improvement Act, directs the Department of Energy to offer grants for existing hydro facilities’ efficiency and capacity improvements, to add generation at dams that currently do not have it, and to develop hydropower in existing conduits like irrigation canals. Washington Senators Murray and Cantwell are cosponsors of that bill. That’s Washington Ag Today. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I’m Bob Hoff for Northwest Aginfo Net. ?
