NREL Researchers Present at Waterpower Week in Washington

April 18, 2017 | By Jamie Wiebe | Contact media relations

National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) researchers will share their water power expertise at Waterpower Week in Washington, a three-day, co-located conference held in Washington, D.C., from May 1–3.

By combining the National Hydropower Association Annual Conference, the International Marine Renewable Energy Conference, and the Marine Energy Technology Symposium into one event, water power professionals may enjoy a unique opportunity to discuss the role of hydropower in U.S. energy, marine resources, and future challenges for the marine and hydrokinetic (MHK) and hydropower industries.

NREL researchers are participating in the following presentations and panels:

Monday, May 9, 9 a.m.

NREL’s Nathan Tom will co-host the “Modeling Wave Energy Converters with WEC-SIM for Performance” workshop along with Sandia National Laboratories’ Kelley Ruehl.

Monday, May 1, 2:15 p.m.

Senior Engineer Rick Driscoll will present results from Wave Energy Prize testing and offer an analysis of the data alongside Jesse Roberts and Anne Dallman of Sandia National Laboratories. 

Tuesday, May 2, 10:45 a.m. 

Nathan Tom will present his paper, “Balancing Power Absorption and Structural Loading for a Novel Fixed-Bottom WEC with Nonideal PTO,” co-authored by NREL engineers Yi-Hsiang Yu and Alan Wright.

Wednesday, May 3, 8 a.m.

Rick Driscoll and Kelley Ruehl will co-host the “MHK Community Outreach to Understand Data Product and Information Needs” breakfast workshop.

Wednesday, May 3, 9 a.m.

Laboratory Program Manager Al LiVecchi will serve on the panel “In Pursuit of Revenue Generation … Exploring Non-Grid and Non-Electric Markets in the Marine Energy Sector,” where he will discuss revenue generation innovation in the hydropower industry, including alternatives to standard power purchase agreements and niche and early-adopter markets that may provide more value to the end user. 

Tags: Water