News Releases

JULY 14, 2015 – Hydro Green Energy, LLC (HGE), a renewable energy company with patented hydropower technology, today announced that it has received a 50 year major License from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its 5.25 MW low environmental impact hydroelectric project at the Braddock Locks and Dam near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“Hydro Green Energy recognizes this as a watershed moment in its history.  We believe we possess a disruptive technology that can change the low head hydropower industry,” said Michael P. Maley, President & CEO of Hydro Green Energy.  “The Braddock Locks and Dam on the Monongahela River in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area is an optimal location to showcase our technology at an existing non-powered dam.  Braddock will provide zero emission, base-load, renewable energy for Pennsylvania.  We have received tremendous support from the State.”

HGE is expediting the licensing efforts for 8 additional projects located in the Northeast, Midwest and the South at United States Army Corps of Engineers’ Locks and Dams.  These projects will be next in line for construction as Hydro Green prepares for tremendous growth.

“HGE's first project was on the upper Mississippi River at a USACE Lock and Dam,” said Mr. Maley.  “We are particularly pleased to partner again with the United States Army Corps of Engineers so we can bring clean and reliable power to thousands of electricity consumers in Pennsylvania without impacting the Corps’ primary mission of navigation with this existing non-power producing navigational lock and dam.  We look forward to being in a position to begin construction in the coming months.”

Hydro Green Energy is a privately held company.  Hydro Green Energy’s patented hydropower technologies are deployed at existing infrastructure to create cost-effective, renewable electricity in an environmentally-responsible manner.  HGE has 20 issued U.S. and international patents on its technology with additional patents pending.  HGE is presently working with other developers and municipalities in the U.S. and internationally to license the technology which is capable of reducing project costs by 40-50% compared to conventional hydropower systems.

March 15, 2013 - Hydro Green Energy (HGE), a privately-held hydropower development company, today announced the filing of a draft license application at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the proposed 22 MW Claiborne Lock & Dam hydropower project.  The project, which will operate in run-of-river fashion, is expected to generate approximately 105,000 MWh annually, enough power for 9,100 homes. The project will avoid 133,035,000 pounds of carbon emissions annually while delivering clean, renewable, reliable power to Alabama's electricity consumers.

HGE filed a Notice of Intent and Preliminary Application Document (NOI-PAD) with FERC in August 2012 and conducted numerous stakeholder consultations while preparing the draft license application.  HGE expects to file a final license application by the end of 2013 and hopes to begin construction in late 2014 or early 2015. The Claiborne Lock & Dam ranks 8th on the U.S. Department of Energy's Top 100 Non-Powered Dams in the United States.

In September 2012, HGE filed a final license application for the proposed 4 MW Braddock Locks & Dam Project near Pittsburgh, PA.  HGE expects FERC to issue an operating license for the Braddock Project in July 2013 and is aiming to begin construction in late 2013 or early 2014.

Hydro Green Energy, which maintains headquarters in Westmont, IL, focuses on developing new, low-impact hydropower projects, the rehabilitation of existing hydropower assets no longer in service and the addition of new hydropower at underperforming projects.  At certain sites, HGE deploys its proprietary modular hydropower system. HGE is actively developing new hydropower projects in the United States and Latin America.

WESTMONT, IL (September 17, 2012) – Hydro Green Energy (HGE), a renewable energy company with proprietary hydropower technology, today announced that it has filed a license application at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its proposed 3.75 MW low-impact hydropower project on the Monongahela River near Pittsburgh, PA. 

“The filing of the license application represents another milestone for Hydro Green Energy on this exciting hydropower project,” said Michael P. Maley, President & CEO of HGE.  “We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with our State and Federal stakeholders to ensure the efficient development of our innovative, clean and low-impact project.” 

The Braddock Project will serve as HGE’s first power project since the deployment of its Hastings Project, which was the nation’s first FERC-licensed, grid-connected hydrokinetic power project.  At the Braddock Project, HGE will deploy its second generation hydropower technology, which is designed to minimize the environmental impacts and development timelines of traditional hydropower installations.

In September 2011, HGE was awarded $1.8 million in competitive grants from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for advanced research, development and deployment of its low-head hydropower turbine and modular hydropower system.  The DOE grants, which are being utilized at the Braddock Project, will help HGE complete the design of its hydropower turbine, known as the “modular bulb turbine (MTB),” and assist in the installation of the hydropower system. 

The Braddock Project, located at a non-powered navigational dam operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), is expected to generate over 24 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, enough clean power for approximately 2,300 homes annually.  HGE seeks to deploy the project in late 2013. 

The FERC license application was formally submitted by Lock+™ Hydro Friends Fund XLII, a wholly-owned project development subsidiary of Hydro Green Energy.

HOUSTON, TX – At a hearing today in Washington, DC, Wayne F. Krouse, Chairman and CEO of Hydro Green Energy, LLC, a renewable power company operating in the waterpower sector, spoke to members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee about the potential business development and economic growth opportunities facing this country through the implementation of new clean energy policies, such as climate change legislation.  Mr. Krouse focused on the job creation resulting from the company’s first power project in Hastings, Minnesota, as well as projected job creation that will occur with the company’s growth and development of its many renewable power projects across the nation.

“I am here to state very clearly that properly structured policies, such as climate change legislation that recognizes and financially values the many benefits of our nation’s new waterpower technologies, particularly their carbon-free profile, will act as a huge driver for growth and development of this clean technology sector,” said Krouse.  “Recent policies have helped ensure our traction in the marketplace, as well as interest from the investment community, but additional policies are needed now, especially as the U.S. continues to struggle to emerge from the economic crisis, with venture capital and debt finance largely remaining on the sidelines.”

Hydro Green Energy has developed a number of patented waterpower technologies that generate clean, renewable electricity in a variety of settings.  Hydro Green Energy’s Hastings, MN hydrokinetic power project is the only hydrokinetic facility with a federal operating license and is the only U.S. hydrokinetic power project exporting electricity to the U.S. power grid for sale.

Hydro Green Energy, a venture capital funded start-up company, is exploring the commissioning of a manufacturing facility and is presently developing 15 waterpower projects in Alaska, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Texas and Wisconsin.  These projects will amount to over 500 MW of clean, domestic, renewable power. 

Hydro Green Energy is presently finalizing the Series-B term sheet it has in hand and recently received the distinguished 2009 President’s Award from the National Hydropower Association.

HOUSTON, TX – At a ceremony today in Washington, DC, Hydro Green Energy, LLC, a renewable energy company operating in the waterpower sector, was presented with the President’s Award by the National Hydropower Association (NHA).  This prestigious award is given to an NHA member company that has “blazed new pathways to strengthen and invigorate the hydropower industry.” 

“Hydro Green Energy is honored to be presented with the President’s Award and greatly appreciates the support it has received from the National Hydropower Association and its leadership since joining the Association in 2006,” said Wayne F. Krouse, Chairman and CEO of Hydro Green Energy.  “The Hastings hydrokinetic power project was a remarkable achievement for this young and growing renewable energy company and only the first of many projects.  To be recognized by NHA for our efforts in advancing the nation’s new waterpower technology sector is indeed humbling and deeply satisfying.”

Hydro Green Energy has developed a number of patented waterpower technologies that generate clean, renewable electricity in a variety of settings.  The company’s hydrokinetic power systems generate electricity exclusively from moving water (river currents, tidal currents) without having to first construct dams, impoundments or conduits.  The company’s hydrokinetic technology platform is also deployable downstream from existing hydropower projects (a system called Hydro+™), which bolsters clean energy output at the site in an environmentally-sound manner. 

In Minnesota, Hydro Green has partnered with the City of Hastings to install a two-turbine Hydro+™ project downstream from the City’s 4.4 megawatt run-of-river hydropower plant at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lock & Dam No. 2.  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the project by a 5-0 vote on December 13, 2008.  The Hastings project is the only hydrokinetic facility with an operational license from FERC and the only U.S. hydrokinetic power project exporting electricity to the U.S. power grid for sale.

Hydro Green Energy has also developed a patented technology that allows for power generation at existing non-powered lock and dam infrastructure.  Known as Lock+™, this patented technology is a power-generating lock gate that is deployed in the downstream portion of an auxiliary or active navigational lock, thus converting the facility into a renewable waterpower facility.  Hydro Green’s technology is also deployable in the cooling water discharge systems at thermal power plants (coal, nuclear) for energy recovery or energy efficiency purposes and is called Efficiency+™.

Hydro Green Energy holds U.S. Patent # 6955049, two international patents and has over 100 U.S. and International Patents pending on the Company's core technologies.  Hydro Green Energy is presently finalizing the term sheet it has in hand for its Series-B funding, which will allow the company to aggressively move forward on its U.S. and international project pipeline, vigorously defend its intellectual property, continue technology innovation and add several executive level, engineering and regulatory employees. 

HOUSTON, TX – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved by a 5-0 vote the licensing and installation of the nation’s first ever, commercially-operational hydrokinetic power station.  The City of Hastings, MN will soon rely on broadly patented technology from Hydro Green Energy, LLC to generate clean, emissions-free hydrokinetic power from the Mississippi River.

“The Commission has made history with the Hastings Order.  Hydro Green Energy fully applauds all of the Commissioners for their leadership, as well as their commitment to ensuring that the United States enjoys a cleaner and more secure energy future,” said Wayne F. Krouse, Chairman and CEO of Hydro Green Energy.  “Hydro Green Energy is a proud partner of the City of Hastings and is anxious to deploy its technology.  What’s more, it’s only fitting that this project is located in the Mississippi River, America’s most well known river.”

Hydrokinetic power refers to the generation of electricity from moving water without impoundments or diversionary structures that are typically used at conventional hydropower facilities.  Hydro Green Energy’s technology operates in open rivers, tidal areas and oceans.  Its broadly patented technology (U.S. Patent # 6,955,049), which is the first surface-suspended system in the industry, is also deployable downstream from existing hydropower facilities (known as Hydro+™), which allows for new, environmentally-friendly power generation within the existing project footprint. 

The City of Hastings is installing a Hydro+™ project at its 4.4 megawatt run-of-river hydropower plant on the Army Corps of Engineers’ Lock & Dam No. 2.  The power generated by the two hydrokinetic units, which each hold a nameplate capacity of 100 kW, will be placed on the electric power grid through Hastings’ existing electrical infrastructure.  The Corps approved the project on November 18.  “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been an outstanding partner in this process and we thank the Corps for its attention and willingness to support the development of new technologies,” stated Krouse.

One turbine will be installed in December and one in April 2009.  The hydrokinetic power station, which will sit entirely within the Corps of Engineers’ property and in a no-public access zone, was featured earlier this year on CNBC’s Powering the Planet and on a November 18 segment on PBS’s Nightly Business Report.  The City filed its license application with FERC in April of this year.

Once the project is operational, extensive water quality, fish survival and avian studies will be performed by Hydro Green Energy.  While all modeling and simulations point to no water quality and possibly no fish mortality impacts, Hydro Green Energy believes only rigorous, precise scientific studies will settle these issues once and for all and allow the industry to move forward in a more timely and orderly manner.  To advance the understanding of hydrokinetic technologies for all stakeholders, the comprehensive study results will be made public as swiftly as possible, another first in the industry. 

“We are committed to demonstrating how our patented technology interacts with the environment and are working to ensure that we possess the premier technology in the hydrokinetic power industry from a marine life and environmental standpoint,” said Krouse.  “Modeling shows that our turbine is extraordinarily environmentally-friendly, but we want real world results to validate our simulations and look forward to sharing those results.” 

The Hastings Project has resulted in 61 green jobs in seven states over the past two years.  This will only be replicated on a larger scale as the company and its project portfolio grows.  “Despite the great economic and employment uncertainty facing the United States workforce, Hydro Green Energy is providing work for Americans, creating local economic development and presenting exciting new opportunities to America’s skilled workforce,” said Krouse.  “We greatly look forward to expanding these opportunities in the coming years.” 

The Hastings Project sits in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, a unit of the national park system.  The U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Energy in November signed a Memorandum of Understanding and publicly announced a new program that will help the National Park Service showcase sustainable energy practices. 

In announcing the program, which is known as Energy SmartPARKS, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne said, "this partnership will deploy energy efficient and renewable energy technologies throughout the national park system.  We have the power to not only improve conditions in the parks, but also demonstrate for the public the impacts and benefits of green energy innovations."  Joining Secretary Kempthorne was Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, who stated, "our national parks are a showcase of this country's natural beauty and historical significance.  With this agreement, we're ensuring that these parks are also models of energy efficiency and clean energy technologies." 

“The Hastings Project fits squarely into the program announced by the Departments of Energy and Interior.  I hope the Departments celebrate our achievement and will work closely and cooperatively with the City and Hydro Green as we monitor the performance of our technology and work to deploy additional projects,” Krouse said.  “We hope Secretaries Kempthorne and Bodman, as well as the incoming secretaries of the Obama Administration, will soon visit Hastings so they can see firsthand how hydrokinetic power technologies will play a key role in our nation’s future clean energy and economic strategies,” added Krouse.

Located approximately 20 miles south of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the City of Hastings was founded in 1857.  It has long relied on its rivers for commerce and prosperity.  The Hastings City Council unanimously approved the partnership with Hydro Green Energy on four occasions.  The project also enjoyed the support of U.S. Representative John Kline, whose district is home to the project, as well as Governor Tim Pawlenty, who has enacted several strong renewable energy policies in the State of Minnesota. 

“The City of Hastings, a town founded by pioneers, has tapped into its pioneer roots to take a clear leadership position in the renewable energy world,” stated Krouse.  “We owe a deep debt of gratitude to Mayor Paul Hicks and Public Works Director Tom Montgomery for their leadership, vision and hard work, and to Governor Tim Pawlenty and Representative John Kline for their strong support.”

Hydro Green Energy closed its $2.6 million Series-A funding round in April, which was led by the Quercus Trust, a prominent investor in alternative energy companies with intellectual property.  Hydro Green Energy is presently negotiating its Series-B funding, which the company expects to soon close. 

Series-B funding will be dedicated to growing the company, advancing Hydro Green’s many projects and an aggressive defense of the company’s intellectual property.  Hydro Green Energy is presently developing hydrokinetic power projects in Alaska, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York and Texas.