Natel Energy

?? Join Gia Schneider and the International Hydropower Association (IHA) this Global Hydropower Day (next Friday) for an inspiring webinar that highlights the people behind the projects keeping the lights on around the world! In conversation with Debbie Gray, Senior Energy Policy Manager at IHA, Gia will share the unique story of how she and Abe Schneider founded Natel Energy, exploring the journey of innovation that has unlocked high-performance FishSafe hydropower. Together, they’ll discuss how others can support continued innovation in the industry, creating new opportunities for sustainable energy solutions. In addition to Gia and Debbie's conversation, the webinar will feature a global panel of expert speakers as they discuss insights on sustainability, workforce development, and innovation, and explore how hydropower can double by 2050 to meet net-zero goals. ?? Date: Friday, October 11, 2024 Global Hydropower Day ??? Panelists: - Anton J. Schleiss, Professor Emeritus at EPFL, Honorary President International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) - Curazon Landon, Senior Engineer ESG, Sarawak Energy - Gia Schneider, CEO & Co-Founder, Natel Energy - Hussaina Gummi, Assistant Manager HR, Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited - Moderator: Eddie Rich, CEO, IHA - In conversation: Debbie Gray, Senior Energy Policy Manager, IHA ?? Register: https://lnkd.in/gT-_geeR Let’s celebrate the stories that power our world and explore how we can inspire future generations to join the hydropower movement toward a sustainable, net-zero future. ?? ? #GlobalHydropowerDay #Hydropower #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #Renewables #NetZero #Webinar

Join Natel's FishSafe Runners—Sterling Watson, Kate Stirr, Abe Schneider, Betsy Pfeiffer, Gia Schneider, and Jessica Penrod—for a fun, casual 5k run across two of Portland's iconic bridges next Wednesday. ??♀? ??♂? Get your blood pumping before the National Hydropower Association's Clean Currents conference and take in the beautiful views of the Willamette River. ?? Wed, October 9 ?? Start & Finish at NE corner of the convention center at the "Dream Statue" ??? Steel Bridge > Willamette River > Hawthorne Bridge > Eastbank Esplanade > Convention Center ??♂? ~10+ minutes/mile, with potential groups for faster/slower runners! ?? This is an unsupported run—please bring your own water and nutrition. Let’s kick off Clean Currents with energy! Have questions? Contact Kate Stirr ([email protected]) for more info. Who's in? ?? ?? : Kate Stirr, Nick Arnold, Sterling Watson, Abe Schneider #CleanCurrents2024 #fishsafe #runner #hydropower #Portland

Our team is ready to dive into the National Hydropower Association’s Clean Currents conference next week in Portland, OR! We are looking forward to gathering with colleagues from around the globe to work towards implementing hydropower solutions that are high-performing, cost-effective, low maintenance, and truly FishSafe. ???? As hydropower sites in North America and Europe replace aging equipment and seek solutions that can enhance environmental outcomes for fish while maintaining efficient power production, Natel's FishSafe turbines offer a straightforward path to modernize existing sites while improving downstream fish passage. Learn more about how FishSafe turbine designs work and how they can benefit plant owners and fish populations in sessions featuring Gia Schneider, CCO,? Abe Schneider, CTO, and Sterling Watson, Principal Engineer alongside speakers from industry, conservation, and research communities. Visit us in Booth 1640 anytime to chat with Gia, Abe, and Sterling as well as CEO Bill Malus, VP of External Affairs Kate Stirr, VP of Project Services Pat Donahue,? Senior Manager of Development Services Jessica Penrod, Senior Manager Turbine Partners Will Shields, Senior Marketing Manager Betsy Pfeiffer, and Policy Manager Miles Hall? and learn more about how Natel’s FishSafe turbines enable 98-100% fish survival while offering a lower total cost of ownership by integrating environmental performance directly into turbine upgrades. ?? Opening Plenary - Gia Schneider, CCO, co-founder ?? Weds, Oct 8 ?? 8:15 am ?? Oregon Ballroom ?? Rehabilitation and Modernization Case Studies - Abe Schneider, CTO, co-founder ?? Weds, Oct 8 ?? 11:00 am ?? Panel Discussions Room ?? Tools for Optimizing Environmental Outcomes - Sterling Watson, Principal Engineer ?? Weds, Oct 8 ?? 3:45 pm ?? Panel Discussions Room Plus, join our team of FishSafe runners for a morning jog across Portland's historic Steele and Hawthorn bridges, Weds, Oct 8! ??♀? Check out the full event schedule here: https://lnkd.in/enZyTjbq See you in Portland! Booth 1640. ?? #CleanCurrents2024 #Hydropower #Biodiversity #CleanEnergy

On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, we honor the wisdom of Indigenous peoples and their deep connection to the land. This day is a solemn reminder of the injustices faced by Indigenous communities in Canada particularly within the residential school system, and is a call for meaningful action toward healing and reconciliation, not only in Canada but across the globe. As we confront the climate crisis, Indigenous knowledge offers invaluable guidance for serving as stewards and members of the natural world. Practices like traditional land and water stewardship and ecosystem management reflect a deep understanding of reciprocal relationships within the environment that are vital to reversing the decline of biodiversity and laying the groundwork for a clean energy future. These teachings challenge us to rethink how we approach resource development and environmental policy, emphasizing respect, reciprocity, and care for all living beings. We honor the resilience of Indigenous Peoples and their enduring contributions to the health and well-being of our planet and the ecosystems that sustain us. True reconciliation involves more than acknowledging the past; it requires centering Indigenous leadership in decisions about climate action and environmental stewardship. We stand in solidarity with those calling for the inclusion of Indigenous voices as leaders, not just stakeholders, in shaping a just and sustainable future for all. ?? Betsy Pfeiffer Skwelwil'em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area #NDTR #TruthAndReconciliation #ClimateResilience

WaterPower Canada | Hydroélectricité Canada member Natel Energy showcases their innovative FishSafe turbine designs, led by Natel Energy's Abe Schneider (Chief Technology Officer) and Sterling Watson (Principal Engineer, Fish Safety). This cutting edge design ensures fish-friendly hydropower operations while meeting modernization needs. Stream B: Climate Change, Environmental Affairs and Indigenous Relations sponsored by AtkinsRéalis 2B – Turbine Design for Safe Fish Passage #WaterpowerWeekCA #WaterWorks #ForwardTogether

Check out “Protecting Eels and Generating Hydropower: Understanding the Interplay” in the latest edition of the National Hydropower Association's Powerhouse! VP of External Affairs Kate Stirr shares an in-depth look at the challenges—and opportunities for success—that we face in balancing hydropower generation with the conservation of migratory fish species like American eels. As global hydropower capacity has more than doubled in the last six decades, migratory fish populations have declined by over 81%. Eels are especially vulnerable as they migrate downstream through hydropower sites because they do so when they are fully grown and because their narrow diameter makes them difficult to exclude from turbines. American eels play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem health—historically, they made up 50% of the biomass in some rivers and are crucial to water quality as hosts for mussels. The cultural significance of eels for Indigenous communities, like the Haudenosaunee, adds another layer to the urgency of protecting these species. While some individual eels may survive turbine passages, their cumulative survival rates through multiple dams and turbines remain low, and we need comprehensive strategies to mitigate these impacts. From physical exclusion screens and bypass systems to the use of FishSafe turbines, technological innovations are showing promise in ensuring higher survival rates. With so many hydropower sites due for modernization, now is the time to implement eel-friendly technologies. Doing so not only helps conserve these ecologically and culturally important species but also ensures that hydropower remains a sustainable, renewable energy source. Read more about how the hydropower industry can play a pivotal role in safeguarding eel populations and supporting biodiversity while meeting growing energy demands: https://lnkd.in/gkWcdXcY For more on downstream eel passage, view slides or watch a recording of presentations from NHA's Waterpower Week 2024 workshop entitled "Eels – Understanding their Importance and Enabling Safe Downstream Passage through Hydropower Sites." Speakers at that workshop included Kate Stirr, Abe Schneider, and Sterling Watson from Natel, as well as Kenneth Hogan, Sheila Eyler, Courtney Holden, Tekaherha Logan Lazore, Drew Trested, Steve Amaral, Bryan Sojkowski, P.E., and Alex Haro. Slides: https://lnkd.in/gnZMe7BE Recording: https://lnkd.in/gJNmUeGA #withhydropower #waterpower #eels #fishpassage #fishsafe #fisheries #hydropower

Our team is boarding flights and looking forward to seeing our Canadian colleagues at WaterPower Canada | Hydroélectricité Canada's Canadian WaterPower Week tomorrow! ???????? Many hydropower plants in Canada and the US are facing increased regulations to protect migratory species like the American eel. Many of these plants are also considering upgrades to replace outdated equipment. Natel's FishSafe turbines offer a straightforward solution, modernizing equipment while also providing safe downstream fish passage. Learn more about how FishSafe turbine designs work and how they can benefit plant owners in session 2B this Thursday, with Abe Schneider, CTO, and Sterling Watson, Principal Engineer. Visit us in Booth 22 anytime to chat with Abe or Sterling or with CEO Bill Malus, VP of Project Services Pat Donahue, or Senior Manager of Development Services Jessica Penrod, and learn more about how Natel’s FishSafe turbines enable 98-100% fish survival while offering a lower total cost of ownership by integrating environmental performance directly into turbine upgrades. ?? Turbine Design for Safe Fish Passage ?? Thurs, September 26 ?? 2 PM ?? Governor General Ballroom II See you in Ottawa! Booth 22. ?? #WaterpowerWeekCA #withhydropower #fishsafe #modernization #turbines #fishpassage #waterpower #canada #ottawa

Join CTO Abe Schneider and Principal Engineer Sterling Watson for Science and Nature UNtapped, a monthly speaker series from River Institute, next Tuesday, Sept 24. They’ll be in person at the Cornwall Public Library in Ontario and streaming live on Facebook. ?????? Hydropower has reliably powered human societies more than any other modern renewable energy source, but that power has often come at the cost of freshwater ecosystems. Many of the turbines in today's hydropower fleet have contributed to the decline of migratory fish populations throughout the world’s major rivers, including the St. Lawrence. But many of those turbines are also aging and due for upgrades. As hydropower projects across Canada and the U.S. undergo refurbishment and relicensing, there's a timely opportunity to incorporate fish-protective technology. Natel’s work has demonstrated that it is now possible to design and operate turbines that achieve over 98% survival for through-turbine passage of migratory species like the American eel—while attaining the high performance and form factor demanded by today’s hydropower industry. Abe and Sterling will explain the fundamentals of Natel’s turbine designs, demonstrate high long-term survival rates, and describe how Natel can work with hydropower project owners, hydropower turbine manufacturers, and communities to implement FishSafe turbine upgrades throughout the fleet wherever hydropower overlaps with migratory fish. ?? Tues, Sept 24 ?? 6:45-8:00 pm?ET ?? https://lnkd.in/gnv53JkY ??Program Room 1 & 2, Cornwall Public Library, 45 Second St. East, Cornwall ON K6H 5V1 #rivers #waterpower #fishsafe #fishpassage #eel #freshwater #ecosystems #tubines #hydropower

Next week, CEO Bill Malus, CTO Abe Schneider, Principal Engineer Sterling Watson, VP of Project Services Pat Donahue, and Sr Mgr of Development Services Jessica Penrod will be at Canadian Waterpower Week in Ottawa. Abe and Sterling will also present about Natel's FishSafe engineering and how we integrate environmental protection directly into the turbine design. ???? ?? Turbine design for safe fish passage ?? Thursday, September 26 ?? 2 PM ??Governor General Ballroom II This presentation will be part of Concurrent Breakout Session 2, Stream B: Climate Change, Environmental Affairs and Indigenous Relations. Stick around for the rest of this stream to catch a presentation from Michael Williams of Ducks Unlimited Canada and Kurt C. Kornelsen of Ontario Power Generation on how wetlands (and beavers) can help spark energy production. ???? Drop by booth 22 any time to meet our team and learn more about turbine upgrades with FishSafe turbines. By enabling 98-100% fish survival, Natel’s FishSafe turbines integrate the cost of improved environmental performance into the necessary cost of turbine upgrades, providing a lower total cost of ownership compared to conventional turbines with status quo fish passage mitigation measures. Our turbines are designed to protect fish without sacrificing power production, creating a straightforward and cost-effective upgrade option for plant owners. See you there! #WaterpowerWeekCA #waterpower #hydropower #fishsafe #sustainability #powerprodution #renewableenergy

If you're at the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting this week, be sure to catch Principal Engineer Sterling Watson's talk tomorrow, September 17, from 8:45-9:00 am. Sterling will present on "Hydropower Turbine Innovation at the Intersection of Science, Policy, and Engineering," as part of the "Partnering for Innovation and Fish Protection in the Clean Energy Transition" session, organized by Brian Bellgraph and Alison Colotelo from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Dana McCoskey of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The session will run all day long tomorrow in room 325AB and will explore how collaborations between diverse stakeholders are essential for balancing renewable energy development with ecosystem protection. Sterling’s presentation will focus on: ?? How interdisciplinary partnerships between science, policy, and engineering teams are key to developing and implementing FishSafe turbine technology. ?? The role of fish passage data in improving hydropower operations while protecting aquatic species like salmonids, eel, and sturgeon. ?? The importance of regulatory flexibility and collaboration to support the adoption of innovative solutions in hydropower. ?? Real-world examples of fish passage survival rates between 98-100% with Natel’s FishSafe RHT designs. Sterling’s talk will provide an optimistic view of how innovation and cooperation can deliver better outcomes for both energy and the environment. Don’t miss it! And keep an eye out for Natel co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Abe Schneider, who is also in Honolulu this week. #fisheries #hydropower #fishpassage #innovation #engineering #cooperation #partnership #fishsafe #sustainability #freshwater