Commonwealth Hydropower Grant

The Commonwealth Hydropower Grant aims to enhance energy output from small hydropower facilities in Massachusetts, promoting modernization and environmental sustainability. With a funding pool of $300,000, the program supports feasibility studies and construction projects that improve energy efficiency or capacity. Eligible applicants include commercial, industrial, and non-profit entities that can demonstrate control over project sites and water rights. This initiative focuses on generating local clean energy while providing economic benefits to Massachusetts communities.

The Challenge: Maximize the Output of Small Hydropower
Massachusetts has numerous small hydropower facilities dating from the Industrial Revolution through the twentieth century. Many can benefit from modernization to extract more energy while minimizing adverse environmental impacts on their host waterways. Water and wastewater conduits also represent an opportunity to capture energy from water. Commonwealth Hydropower seeks to maximize these opportunities to generate local clean energy.
About Commonwealth Hydropower
Commonwealth Hydropower is designed to cost-effectively increase the energy output of MA RPS-qualified hydropower through upgrades to existing facilities or the construction of new “conduit” facilities. Upgrades may increase installed capacity or improve the efficiency of the facility.
The Commonwealth Hydropower program provides $300,000 in grant funding for feasibility studies and construction projects. Grant size is determined in part by the incremental energy production that the proposed upgrades will enable, as modeled using MassCEC’s methodology. Successful applicants propose projects that provide economic benefits to Massachusetts entities or workers.

Eligibility

An Eligible Applicant may be a commercial, industrial, institutional, non-profit, or public entity. The Applicant must demonstrate long-term site control over the project location and the rights to the water used to power the system. If the Applicant does not own the dam or conduit associated with the project, a letter of support from the dam or conduit owner is required. Eligible facilities must meet criteria related to qualification for the Massachusetts Renewable Portfolio Standard and eligible projects must meet cost-effectiveness criteria.