💧 A workshop led by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and Natel explored strategies for ensuring efficient hydropower production alongside safe downstream eel passage.
📆 Fall events roundup — where we've been and we're we're going.
🌎 Community engagement — Natel is leading a grant funded by the US Department of Energy to develop outreach strategies for educating the public about hydropower, its relationship with freshwater ecology, and its benefit to a renewable grid.
In collaboration with researchers at UC Davis, Natel completed a study assessing the effects of turbine passage on white sturgeon. Researchers examined growth rates, avoidance behaviors, and stress levels following fish passage through Natel’s Restoration Hydro Turbine (RHT), and also compared survival outcomes between RHT passage and conventional turbine passage across a range of velocities, up to 27.6 m/s (62 mph!).
Are FishSafe™ runners right for your project? We'll work with you to assess how FishSafe™ runners can help meet performance and fish safety requirements at your old or new hydropower site. Feasibility studies for can be completed in 3-6 months.
Natel's FishSafe™ turbine designs won the Best in EnergyTechaward from this year's Global Tech Awards, which celebrate the most innovative, creative, and impactful technology solutions across industries worldwide.
Gia Schneider was featured on the Green New Perspective podcast. Gia and host Dunya Jovanović discussed how FishSafe™ turbines can support the hydro industry as it adapts to a changing planet.
Principal Engineer Sterling Watson won the inaugural Rising Star award, presented by the National Hydropower Association's Future Leaders of Waterpower group at the Clean Currents conference in Portland this year.
International Water Power & Dam Construction magazine profiled co-founder and CCO Gia Schneider. Gia shares her passion for innovation in the renewable energy space anddiscusses how FishSafe™ turbines can help the hydropower industry accelerate sustainably.
POWERHOUSE published an overview of an NHA workshop organized by USFWS and Natel at which representatives from industry, agencies, and First Nations shared effective strategies to protect eel populations while maintaining hydropower production.
Events Roundup
We are riding a wave of energy from a productive conference season this fall!
October took us to the National Hydropower Association's CleanCurrents—where Gia Schneider took to the plenary stage to emphasize the importance of innovation in advancing the hydropower industry. Also at Clean Currents,Abe Schneider shared case studies in modernizing existing sites with FishSafe™ turbines, Sterling Watson spoke about tools— including FishSafe™ runners and computational models—that help enhance environmental performance, and Kate Stirr led a "FishSafe™ Runners" fun run around the Portland waterfront. Read our full recap here.
Waterpower Canada's Canadian WaterPower Week last month was a productive gathering and a welcome opportunity for our California team to visit CEO Bill Malus on his home turf. Abe Schneider and Sterling Watson spoke about the opportunity to maintain performance and improve environmental outcomes in Canada with FishSafe™ turbines.
At September's AmericanFisheries Society Annual Meeting in Hawaii, Abe and Sterling caught up with fisheries researchers and stakeholders from around the world and shared a presentation on why collaboration is essential for both fish protection and achieving the energy transition.
Meanwhile, at Business Hydro 2024 in Grenoble, France,Harry Driscoll discussed how Natel FishSafe™ designs can support both retrofits and new build across Europe.
Next up
Look for Abe, Sterling, and Harry in stand 20 at Hydro 2024 in Graz next month!Sterling and Abe will will give a technical presentation about Natel's hydraulic design process and will speak directly to the opportunity that FishSafe™ turbines present for upgrading the European fleet and improving environmental performance. Reply to this email or find us on LinkedIn to set up a meeting in Europe!
Community Engagement
Natel was selected by the US Dept of Energy's Water Power Technologies Office for $1.3M in fundingto educate the public about hydropower, its relationship with freshwater ecology, and its benefit to a renewable grid. Stay tuned for updates about how Jessica Penrod, Miles Hall, Betsy Pfeiffer, and Kate Stirr are working with partners in the Twin Cities, MN to develop engaging learning opportunities!
