The hydropower sector has long been the backbone of renewable generation in the US, providing reliable, dispatchable power and critical grid services. Yet despite its foundational role, the field faces a growing challenge: an aging workforce and declining visibility among the next generation of energy professionals. Recognising this gap, researchers at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), funded by the US Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), have developed an innovative new tool designed to bring hydropower’s complexity to life in an engaging, interactive format.
The result is the Hydropower Market Game, a beta-stage simulation that challenges players to operate virtual hydropower plants, balance competing operational priorities, and navigate dynamic market conditions – all while maintaining environmental and system reliability constraints. Combining accurate system modelling with intuitive gameplay, the tool is the first of its kind to illustrate how hydropower functions in real-time grid operations and markets.
“This interactive game lets players explore how hydropower works, make operational decisions, and manage water,” said Dr. Quentin Ploussard, PhD, a researcher at Argonne Nation-al Laboratory and project manager for the Hydropower Market Game. “It’s designed as both an educational tool and a fun way to engage with real-world energy challenges.”
Aging workforce and an educational gap
The idea for the Hydropower Market Game, Ploussard explained, grew out of both professional observation and personal experience. When he attended his first hydropower conference seven years ago, he noticed that most attendees were in their 50s or older – a demographic reality that underscored the urgency of attracting younger talent.
“I realised that while hydropower is essential to our energy future, it’s been overlooked for decades,” he said. “Even in my own engineering education – in electrical and power systems – I never had a single course on hydropower. That gap really stuck with me.”
When the WPTO announced a 2024 “seedling” funding call for innovative, small-budget ideas, Ploussard and his team saw their opportunity. “We’d been talking about doing something interactive for years,” he said. “The seedling call finally gave us the right door to walk through. We decided: let’s do it, let’s make hydropower engaging again.”
How the Hydropower Market Game works
From the outset, the challenge was clear: balance realism with playability. Hydropower operations are inherently complex, influenced by inflows, reservoir levels, environmental flow requirements, market prices, and system constraints. To communicate that complexity in an accessible way, the team structured the game around progressive levels that mirror increasing operational and conceptual sophistication.
Players begin with a run-of-river plant, learning the fundamental relationship between flow and power generation. “That level introduces the core hydropower equation in its simplest form – more flow equals more power,” Ploussard explained.
As players advance, they encounter reservoir storage plants, where the hydraulic head becomes a key variable. “It helps players understand that production depends not only on flow but also on head,” said Ploussard. “It’s an intuitive way to learn the physics that underpin our industry.”
The next level introduces pumped storage hydropower, illustrating the system’s dual role as both a generator and an energy storage resource. Players learn how water can be moved uphill during periods of low demand and released later to meet peak loads, effectively operating as a giant water battery. This stage also highlights hydropower’s essential role in grid flexibility and reliability, particularly as variable renewable resources like wind and solar grow.
“Flexibility is a central theme,” Ploussard said. “Players see firsthand how dispatchable hydropower can respond quickly to changing grid conditions, and how storage allows energy to be shifted in time – that’s the backbone of grid stability in a renewable future.”
Beyond the physics of water and power, the Hydropower Market Game also introduces players to electricity market dynamics. Early scenarios task players with balancing local electricity supply and demand, mirroring the real-time operational challenge faced by grid operators. As they progress, the objectives shift toward market participation, requiring players to respond to price signals rather than direct load following.
The fictional setting – the town of Blue Rapid, Colorado – serves as a simplified microcosm of US grid operations. “Of course, in reality, these processes occur on a much larger scale,” Ploussard acknowledged. “But conceptually, the mechanics are the same. Hydropower plants must continually adjust generation to match demand or optimise revenue, all while respecting physical and environmental constraints.”
This dual emphasis on technical accuracy and gamified learning reflects a broader educational strategy: help players build intuition for system behaviour rather than rote technical detail. “We don’t expect people to walk away calculating head losses or turbine efficiencies,” he said. “But we do want them to understand the trade-offs between water, energy, and environment that operators face every day.”
Representing real-world constraints
While the team worked hard to maintain an accessible learning curve, realism remained a guiding principle. Environmental flow requirements are integrated into the scheduling challenges, meaning players must maintain flow rates within allowable limits and manage reservoir levels responsibly. Empty a reservoir too quickly, and you’ll run out of water; exceed ramping limits, and penalties apply.
This, Ploussard said, mirrors a central truth of hydropower operations: “It’s not just about maximising revenue. It’s about respecting operating constraints – minimum flows, ramping limits, and environmental considerations. Players quickly see that if they focus only on profits, they’ll fail operationally.”
The current beta version focuses primarily on power generation, grid operation, and basic water management, but the team is already thinking about future expansions. “We don’t simulate fish passage or recreational use directly, because those are complex systems on their own,” Ploussard said. “But we’re exploring connections to other DOE-funded games, like Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Fish Trail, which focuses on ecological impacts. In the future, linking these experiences could create a more holistic hydropower education suite.”
Engaging the next generation – and the current one
Although the Hydropower Market Game was conceived primarily as a workforce development tool, its appeal has extended far beyond the classroom. “Our main target audience is high school students – roughly ages 14 to 17,” Ploussard said. “That’s the stage when students start thinking seriously about careers. They have the math and science background to understand basic concepts, and they’re also open to inspiration.”
However, industry professionals have also responded enthusiastically. “We’ve seen strong engagement from people already working in hydropower who enjoy seeing their field represented in a modern, interactive way,” Ploussard noted. “It’s rare to find something that resonates equally with students and experts.”
For educators, the game provides a visual and hands-on way to teach energy literacy, bridging the gap between textbook theory and system operation. For industry, it’s a potential outreach and training tool that can demystify hydropower’s role in the grid for non-specialists and policy audiences alike.
“Think of it as Hydropower 101 packaged in a serious game,” said Ploussard. “It gives players an intuitive grasp of how river flows generate electricity, how reservoirs are managed, and how hydropower integrates with the broader energy system.”
Beta testing and community feedback
Currently available as a beta release, the Hydropower Market Game is being actively tested by users from across the hydropower community, including students, educators, researchers, and plant operators. The development team is seeking broad feedback to refine both technical accuracy and user experience.
“We don’t want to limit the kind of feedback we receive,” said Ploussard. “Everything is valuable – gameplay, visuals, clarity, usability. We’re a small team, fewer than ten people, so the best design choices often come from collaborative input.”
Feedback can be submitted directly through the project’s official webpage or by email. While the current seedling project phase is wrapping up, the collected insights will inform a potential Phase 2 of development, pending future funding.
“Right now we’re focused on fixing bugs and ensuring smooth cross-platform play,” Ploussard said. “But if we secure funding for a second phase, we want to expand the game based on community feedback – deeper markets, more realistic hydrology, and more interaction with other energy resources.”
Global reach of the Hydropower Market Game
Though developed in the US, the Hydropower Market Game has already found a global audience. Since its beta launch in mid-2025, it has been downloaded more than 400 times across 50 countries, with particularly strong engagement through professional networks.
“We honestly didn’t expect such international reach,” Ploussard said. “We thought most of our audience would be in the US, but hydropower is a global industry, and people everywhere are looking for creative ways to teach and communicate what we do.”
Interest on social media has also been strong. A LinkedIn post announcing the beta received hundreds of positive reactions and shares, particularly from engineers and educators eager to test the platform in classrooms and training sessions.
For Ploussard, these early metrics are less about numbers and more about impact. “The real success for us would be seeing the game used in STEM programs, classrooms, and industry outreach events,” he said. “If it helps both students and professionals better understand hydropower’s role in the grid, then we’ve achieved our goal.”
Potential for expansion
As the energy system evolves toward more integrated, multi-resource portfolios, the Hydropower Market Game could also evolve to reflect this reality. Ploussard and his colleagues are already envisioning how future versions might include hybrid scenarios, where hydropower interacts with other renewables such as solar or wind, or even with thermal and nuclear assets in a full market context.
“Integrating other generation types would make the market representation even more realistic,” he said. “It would also help players understand the complementary roles of different technologies – how hydro supports solar and wind, and how flexible assets stabilise the grid.”
These potential expansions underscore a broader trend in the sector: the need for systems thinking. As hydropower becomes increasingly valued for its flexibility rather than raw energy output, tools that simulate these interactions can play a key role in both training and policy understanding.
Building a bridge between research and engagement
For Argonne and NREL, the Hydropower Market Game also serves as a model for translational research communication, turning complex modelling and operational concepts into interactive learning experiences. Behind the game’s simple interface lies real hydropower physics and market logic, drawn from decades of research on system operations, dispatch optimisation, and energy-water nexus modelling.
“We want to make research accessible,” Ploussard said. “The game sits at the intersection of science, education, and outreach. It’s not just a game, it’s a conversation starter.”
That conversation, he believes, is essential to sustaining innovation in a mature industry. “Hydropower has been around for over a century, but its story is still unfolding,” he said. “As we integrate more renewables, its flexibility and storage capabilities become even more critical. Yet many people, even in engineering, don’t really understand how it works. If this game helps change that, then we’ve succeeded.”
Looking ahead
With early feedback pouring in and international interest growing, the project team is now focused on consolidating results and preparing for potential continuation funding. The WPTO seedling framework was designed precisely for such innovative proofs of concept – small projects that demonstrate high-impact potential.
“Our current phase was really a one-year proof of concept,” Ploussard explained. “We wanted to show that this kind of interactive, technically grounded game could work. The next step is to expand and refine it, and ideally make it a sustained educational platform.”
Future updates could include enhanced hydrological modelling, expanded market mechanisms, and integrations with classroom lesson plans or professional certification programs. “Ultimately, we’d love to see it embedded in engineering curricula,” he said. “Hydropower deserves a seat at the table when students learn about energy systems.”
Asked what excites him most about the project, Ploussard didn’t hesitate.
“Two things,” he said. “First, the reaction from the hydropower community – seeing their field represented in a fun, educational way. And second, the excitement from students. Teenagers don’t want to read fact sheets, they love video games. Seeing them light up about learning real-world engineering through play is incredibly rewarding.”
That intergenerational resonance, he noted, is rare. “It’s not often you build something that speaks equally to professionals and to students. That’s what makes this project so special.”
Indeed, for an industry that has powered the nation for over a century, finding new ways to connect with the next generation may be the most powerful innovation of all.
Get involved in the Hydropower Market Game
The Hydropower Market Game (Beta) is now available for download via the project’s official webpage. Argonne and NREL are actively seeking feedback from the hydropower community to inform future development. Educators, students, and professionals alike are encouraged to explore the tool and share their experiences.
Project page: https://www.anl.gov/hydropower/hydropower-game
Users can submit comments directly through the project’s online survey or by emailing the Argonne research team (qploussard@anl.gov)
Fish trail game from PNNL: https://www.pnnl.gov/projects/fish-trails
