Markets and Trends Report

front cover of 2023 hydropower market report

Overview/Objective

The U.S. Hydropower Market Report (HMR) is the only regularly updated source of comprehensive information on the status and direction of U.S. hydropower. This public report serves the hydropower community, including industry stakeholders and policymakers, by detailing the latest capabilities, development activities, and performance, price, and supply chain trends.

First published in 2015, the HMR was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to fill a gap in publicly available, comprehensive data on the U.S. hydropower fleet. The report tracks activities throughout the lifecycle of U.S. hydropower plants, including new project permitting and construction, license transfers, relicensing, and license surrenders. It also documents trends in the performance of the fleet, accounting for the range of facilities from large, federally owned, multipurpose water resource projects to small, privately owned plants.

As a leader in hydropower research and host of the HydroSource water-energy data repository, DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) compiles and publishes the report for the DOE using data from a combination of public and commercial databases.

Implementation Strategy

ORNL produces the HMR using a systematic approach to collect, aggregate, and analyze data on hydropower infrastructure across the United States. The report integrates information from public and private sources to create a detailed picture of the nation's hydropower fleet, including operational metrics, development projects, and lifecycle activities.

Results

Four full reports have been published in 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2023, and updated summary slides are published annually. All HMR materials are available through ORNL's HydroSource data hub, providing easy access for industry, policymakers, and researchers. Executive summaries are distributed at key hydropower community events, such as Waterpower Week, and key findings are shared with the public through press releases, social media, and ORNL’s website.

Impact

The HMR serves as an unbiased, objective reference for U.S. hydropower development, prices, and trends, offering critical information for strategic planning, policy proposals, and industry decision-making. The report informs research and development planning within the DOE’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office and plays an essential role in public outreach by enhancing the understanding of hydropower’s contribution to the US electric grid.

Hydropower provides nearly 6% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation while providing flexibility and resilience to the grid. The HMR supports these efforts by offering insights that help stakeholders make informed decisions about hydropower’s role in the evolving energy landscape.