Regulatory Analysis: Navigating the Policies That Drive Development

NREL's regulatory knowledge and public utility commission support helps break down the barriers normally experienced when navigating hydropower development and impact.

Aerial photo of water flowing through a hydropower plant.

Hydropower Regulatory Analysis and Stakeholder Support

Hydropower projects must navigate a series of federal, state, tribal, and local approvals to receive authorization for construction. The Hydropower Regulatory and Permitting Information Desktop (RAPID) Toolkit offers a solution to the complex system of federal and state regulations that must be addressed to secure hydropower project approval. The RAPID Toolkit provides easy access to federal and state permitting information, best practices, and reference material for conventional hydro, micro hydro, and pumped storage development projects.

In related work, NREL helps stakeholders understand the time, cost, benefits, and associated risk and uncertainty of hydropower licensing and associated regulatory approvals (e.g., Clean Water Act Sec. 401 Water Quality Certification, Endangered Species Act, and National Historic Preservation Act of 1966), as well as the causal factors behind those costs/timelines and the impact of the licensing process on the hydropower market, economics, and deployment.

In October 2021, NREL published An Examination of the Hydropower Licensing and Federal Authorization Process, which categorized the factors that can impact the time, cost, and risk of launching new or refurbishing old hydropower projects. The findings will help decision makers identify areas for reform and reduce uncertainty for future hydropower development.