President Trump suggested Tuesday that he may be looking to relax regulations to spur a resurgence in renewable energy from hydropower dams.

"They don't even talk about dams anymore," Trump said during an industry roundtable at the White House. "You know hydropower is a great, great form of power," but "we don't even talk about it because the permits are virtually impossible."

He used the roundtable to talk about federal over-regulation that is burdening development from building construction to developing new energy resources. It also marked one of the first times that Trump discussed a form of renewable energy in a positive light. He has been critical of wind and solar energy.

Hydropower is one of the only forms of renewable energy that can provide electricity around the clock, whereas solar and wind are far more intermittent. In recent months, however, wind has displaced hydropower as the lead source of renewable energy in the country.

Trump said hydropower is one of the "best" forms of power, but "we've come to a halt" in developing it.

He said he wants to cut the amount of time it takes to get a permit for any number of projects from 10 years to one year.