WASHINGTON, PA (September 11, 2023) – Washington & Jefferson College’s Center for Energy Policy and Management (CEPM) will host “Clean Hydropower from the Three Rivers,” a free webinar Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 11 a.m., as part of its Energy Lecture Series.
The webinar is free and open to the public.
It will feature Michael Rooney, vice president of project management for Rye Development, a leading developer of new low-impact hydropower energy generation and storage in the United States.
Hydropower is one of the oldest and largest renewable energy sources, which uses the natural flow of moving water to spin propeller-style blades that then turn a generator, creating electricity. Hydropower currently accounts for 28.7% of total U.S. renewable electricity generation and about 6.2% of total U.S. electricity generation.
Hydropower is an around-the-clock, carbon-free, renewable energy source and qualifies for renewable energy tax credits.
Rye Development, a Florida-based developer of hydropower projects, has plans to modernize existing dams along the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers, which are used for navigation to add power-generating capabilities. The clean power generated is then sold to customers, including Allegheny County, the University of Pittsburgh and most recently, a leading national data-storage company.
Rye Development plans to invest nearly $1 billion in the region over the next decade for a total of 10 projects.
The company also has several closed-loop pumped storage projects in other areas of the country. Closed-loop pump storage relies on the construction of two reservoirs – a lower one and an elevated one – that recirculate water. Water is pumped into the upper reservoir using renewable energy when wind and solar systems produce more electricity than is needed and then released into the lower reservoir through a generator to provide electricity during peak demand.
Rooney will explain the concepts of hydropower and pumped storage and provide details of the company’s plans to deploy hydropower throughout the region. He has a successful track record of stakeholder engagement, public policy analysis and project management.
Before joining Rye as vice president of project management, Rooney spent 10 years in the nonprofit and higher education sectors, focusing on issues ranging from international development to environmental education.
Most recently, he managed a diverse grant-making portfolio for the Hillman Family Foundations, which included leading the foundation’s energy and environment grant portfolio.
Rooney holds a Master of Public and International Affairs degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
To register, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/clean-hydropower-from-the-three-rivers-tickets-710274529237.
The webinar is approved for Continuing Legal Education in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. For more information, contact the Washington County Bar Association at wcba@washcobar.org.
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pennsylvania, is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit wedq.ngskmc-eis.net, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
