closed

GFO-22-306 – Precipitation Enhancement and Environmental Research for Hydropower Generation (PEER-Hydro)

CA Energy Commission · 25484

Eligibility details

This solicitation is open to all public and private entities with the exception of local publicly owned electric utilities. In accordance with CPUC Decision 12-05-037, funds administered by the CEC may not be used for any purposes associated with local publicly owned electric utility activities.

Matching funds & resources

Source matching-funds field: 5%. Match funding is required in the amount of at least 5% of the requested project funds.

Matching funds and leveraged resources are different requirements. Read the description and reviewed rules below before determining resource commitments.

About this opportunity

Hydroelectric power is an important source of zero-carbon, dispatchable power in California. It is a critical element of the state’s electricity system and in-state generation, providing peaking reserve, spinning reserve, and load following capacity, as well as transmission line support. The percentage of the state’s electricity supplied by hydropower varies, as hydropower resources are strongly dependent on snowmelt runoff and rainfall. Between 2012 and 2021, in-state hydro-production, including imports, has provided an average of 9 percent of the total electricity use. As the state continues to contend with drought and other climate-driven impacts on water and hydropower resource availability, as well as develop more sustainable water management practices (CA Water Action Plan, 2014), the proposed research will identify opportunities for increasing and sustaining hydropower generation. Specifically, the research will contribute to more effective precipitation enhancement (cloud seeding) strategies and will provide better information and tools to reduce the environmental effects of hydropower operations.

Funding geography: No local publicly owned electric utilities.

Funding instrument: Grant. Issuing jurisdiction: California. This is not a geographic eligibility determination.