HydroVision International 2015

Session 6J: Renewable Energy Markets for Hydropower: Fact or Fiction? - Panel Discussion (Room B119)

17 Jul 15
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Tracks: Track J: Technical Papers

Speaker(s): Julie Peacock, Energy Policy Analyst, Oregon Department of Energy; Jennifer Martin, Executive Director, Center for Resource Solutions; Brendan McCarthy, State Government Affairs, Portland General Electric Co.; Dana Hall, Attorney, The Law Offices of Dana Hall, LLC; Michael Sale, Senior Technical Advisor, Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI); James Critchfield, Director, Green Power Partnership, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Green energy markets are dynamic and fluid, and hydropower’s role in them is complex. Renewable portfolio standards have inconsistent definitions for hydropower eligibility and sometimes exclude hydropower altogether. Voluntary markets rely on the Green-e independent consumer protection program for verification of renewable energy products. What does “renewable” mean in the context of green markets, and does hydropower meet those definitions? Are current market structures designed appropriately to create incentives for more green hydropower? What do hydropower operators need to know about market structures and environmental impacts to access green markets? Join this engaging session to uncover the facts about how hydropower can play in today’s compliance and voluntary markets.