Hydroelectric Power

If your property features flowing water across a drop in elevation, you may have the capacity to generate hydropower—clean renewable electricity produced when moving water turns a turbine that spins a generator. While it's rare for commercial sites to have adequate resources—and the state and federal permitting processes are complex and lengthy—hydroelectric projects have been successfully installed in a variety of locations in Oregon.

We're here to assist with your hydroelectric project and answer any questions you may have. Call us at 503.445.7611 or contact Jed Jorgensen.

Details
Eligibility
Steps
Forms
Resources

Energy Trust Incentives

We offer the following cash incentives and technical assistance for hydropower generation:

Project Development Assistance: Energy Trust may provide support for expert project development assistance including, but not limited to the following: grant writing assistance, feasibility studies, final design, permitting, utility interconnection, construction management, etc. Energy Trust may pay up to 50% of the cost of hiring a consultant to provide expert assistance for these activities, up to a maximum of $40,000.

Hydroelectric installations: Incentive levels are based on a project’s costs in comparison to the market value of the energy produced (above-market cost). There is no cap or fixed percentage of the amount of above-market costs we will pay. In return for our funding contribution, we ask for a negotiated share of the project’s Renewable Energy Certificates, which are held in trust for the ratepayers who contribute to Energy Trust.

Tax Credits, Grants and Loan Guarantees

State and federal tax credits, grants, and loan guarantees can play an important role in making projects financially viable. Consult your tax professional to learn how tax credits and rules apply to your project. This information does not constitute tax advice and cannot be used to avoid tax penalties. Read more about these opportunities.

All projects must be less than 20MW in nameplate capacity and must deliver power to either Portland General Electric or Pacific Power. Hydroelectric projects cannot be located in an environmentally protected area as defined by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council or any other Federal or State entity.

Projects that would deliver power to Pacific Power and that are requesting an Energy Trust incentive greater than $150,000 must compete for Energy Trust funding. For more information about eligibility and the competitive funding process, contact Jed Jorgensen at 503.445.7611.

Step 1: Let’s talk. If you have a hydropower resource and are interested in using it to generate electricity, contact Jed Jorgensen at 503.445.7611.

Step 2: Get the help you need. Depending on your project’s complexity, you may need to commission a feasibility study or get expert assistance to move through permitting or utility interconnection. Energy Trust may provide up to $40,000 in support for these and other types of project development activities, and we can help you identify engineers or other experts with experience in the area where you need assistance.

To apply for this kind of assistance from Energy Trust, applicants must complete and submit an Energy Trust Project Enrollment Application (Form 910E – PDF | Doc), a Request for Funding (Form 930RF – PDF | Doc) and a Substitute W-9 (PDF).
If the application is approved, the participant will receive a "Project Enrollment Approval Notice" and a copy of the approved funding request from Energy Trust.
If you are chosen to receive assistance from Energy Trust, you and your selected consultant will work together to complete the pre-approved work by its deadline.
After the work is completed, the participant submits a Completion Certification (Form 940C – PDF| Doc) along with proof that the work was completed and the consultant was paid in full.

Step 3: Once your project is well along in the development process, the next step is to apply for an incentive from Energy Trust. A complete project application must be received before construction begins. For projects that receive funding, payment begins upon project completion. In most cases, Energy Trust makes payments over the first few years of a project's operating life, contingent upon its electricity production.

To apply for an incentive:

Contact Jed Jorgensen to request a Project Application. Projects that would deliver power to Pacific Power and that are requesting an Energy Trust incentive greater than $150,000 must compete for Energy Trust funding. All other eligible projects will be processed on a first come, first served basis.

Use the following project enrollment forms to apply for Energy Trust cash incentives:

Project Development Assistance Forms

Form 910E (PDF | Doc): Project Enrollment Application
Form 930RF (PDF | Doc): Request for Funding
Form 940C (PDF | Doc): Completion Certification
Substitute W9 (PDF)

Forms for Hydropower Projects

Contact Jed Jorgensen at 503.445.7611.

Learn more about the basics of hydropower

Not sure if you have enough head (pressure) and flow (moving water) to generate hydroelectricity? Unsure what those terms mean? Take a few minutes to learn the basics of hydropower.

Download Intro to Hydropower, Parts 1-3 (1Mb pdf; Reprinted with permission. © 2008 Home Power Inc.). This article includes explanations of the terminology and system components involved in hydropower and gives simple techniques for estimating the capacity of hydrological resources, particularly streams.

Download Energy Trust's Hydroelectric Permitting and Interconnection Guidebooks

For first time developers, the permitting and utility interconnection processes for hydropower projects can seem especially daunting. The guidebooks below have been written for both new and experienced developers and are intended to serve as a roadmap to state and federal permitting requirements and to the utility interconnection process. To get further insight into the federal permitting process, be sure to download the example project listed below.

Guide to Federal Permitting Processes