Hydropower energy has the potential to become a solution to the long-standing energy and environmental challenges faced by developed economies. On account of increasing energy demand and minimal environmental effect, hydropower energy has evolved as an effective source of power supply in recent years. Speculating potential growth, many nations worldwide are now pouring in funds for their hydropower energy sector. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has reportedly taken a similar move recently by announcing USD 24.9 million funding to use groundbreaking, industry-leading technology solutions to advance hydrokinetics and marine industry and enhance hydropower's ability to act as a flexible grid resource. Reports suggest that innovative hydropower technologies could enhance the affordability of marine and hydropower energy. Moreover, selected projects would strengthen manufacturing competitiveness in the United States and build department-wide initiatives to enhance the capability of technologies to deliver value to the grid. These projects were selected across four areas of interest- Low-Head Hydropower and In-Stream Hydrokinetic Technologies, Hydropower Operational Flexibility, Marine Energy Centers Research Infrastructure Upgrades, Advancing Wave Energy Device Design. Moreover, projects awarded under hydropower operational flexibility are expected to quantify the flexible capabilities of waterpower and improve operational strategies to enhance such flexibility to better serve a developing grid. Projects awarded under low-head hydropower and in-stream hydrokinetic technologies would focus on the development of standard modular hydropower (SMH) technology and current energy converters (CECs) technology. For the record, CEC technologies yield kinetic energy from rivers without using dam or diversion while SMH technologies use dams or diversions with turbines to develop head-differences in water elevation-and generate electric power. Speaking on the funding, Mark W. Menezes, Under Secretary of Energy, said that hydropower is an invaluable national resource of energy and these technologies would make it a competitive clean energy option to invest in the Blue Economy. He added that these investments signal the commitment of this Administration towards an 'all-of-the-above' energy policy to benefit the whole nation. Source Credit - https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-announces-249-million-funding-selections-advance-hydropower-and-water-technologies