CRWA in the NewsMass. eyes capitalizing on hydropowerNECN, Friday, February 27, 2009 Peter Howe reports Click here to view the video of this story. Massachusetts officials have some big new plans to expand renewable energy, and at least one is going back to the future: hydropower. In a new study, officials estimate there could be 54 dams around the state that are suitable for small-scale hydroelectric generation. One dam included on a state list of what officials consider the 20 most promising state-owned sites for small hydropower development is the Cochrane Dam between Needham and Dover, Mass. Officials calculate that a generator at that dam could produce enough power for about 200 average sized homes over the course of a year. Not a huge amount, but the idea of the list is that 200 homes here and 200 homes there, before long it adds up to an appreciable amount of renewable energy. State environmental secretary Ian Bowles was directed by legislators to evaluate green energy potential on state land. "What could we erect in terms of solar wind hydropower on state owned facilities, and the results are remarkable," Bowles said. "A lot of opportunities." Currently, Massachusetts government facilities produce electricity equal to 8,400 homes yearly demand. The study found that, potentially, state land could power nearly 400,000 homes.
"They have to meet some strict environmental criteria," Bowles said. Like ladders for fish to swim upstream and other wildlife protection. "It's not like 'sure no problem'," Kate Bowditch said. "By the same token, I don't think we should write it off out of hand." Environmentalist Kate Bowditch is with the Charles River Watershed Association. "There's just a lot of research that would need to be done," Bowditch said. But her group is open to discussing the net environmental benefits. "New England was built on hydropower," Bowditch said. "There are 20 dams on the Charles River. So it makes sense to think about whether we have opportunities like this in Massachusetts."
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