Impacts

NREL water power research is advancing the hydropower and marine energy industries and bringing new tools, data, and analysis in wave energy and hydroelectricity to enable a future clean power grid.

Water team stands in group outside laboratory.

NREL's Fiscal Year 2022 Water Power Achievements

The NREL water power team tallied up the most popular events, news stories, and videos published over the past year.

The Current Newsletter

Subscribe to The Current newsletter and catch up on the latest news, events, and more from NREL's marine energy and hydropower team.

Watch more on the NREL Water Power playlist.


Three people smile side-by-side.

Meet the Staff Powering NREL's Water Power Research and Development

The research and advances in hydropower and marine energy at NREL is only possible thanks to the hard work of the staff beneath the surface.
Read the profiles in our Beneath the Surface Q&A interview series.


Water Power Awards and Honors

Katherine Abderhalden
2023 President's Award, NREL (for exceptional performance in helping the water power team succeed over the past year)​

Libby Arnold, Kiki Carpenter, Brittany Enos, Taylor Mankle, Kathleen Morton, and Betsy Stratton
2022 Staff Award, NREL (for Outstanding Service Group in Water Power prizes and competitions)​

Rebecca Fao
2023 Chairperson's Award, NREL (for outstanding and sustained contributions by an NREL individual)​

Ben McGilton
2023 President's Award, NREL (for outstanding performance in bringing new work in marine energy hybrid systems)​

Amanda Morton
2023 President's Award, NREL (for consistent and exemplary contributions to the Water Power and energy justice prize portfolios)​

Mayank Panwar
2023 Power Systems Engineering Center President’s Award, NREL (for contributions to the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium RADIANCE project in Cordova, Alaska)

Educational Resource

A computer visualization of an island.
Explore the virtual NREL-developed Renewable Energy Discovery Island to see water power in action.
Scott Jenne works on marine energy wave device.
"My work in wave-powered desalination has been the most rewarding work in my 12-plus years at NREL. At the end of the day, access to drinkable water is something that people from all walks of life understand and care about. Wave energy could make a real impact on the lives of people in coastal communities and maritime industries around the globe."

Scott Jenne
NREL Researcher


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