Experts from across the hydropower sector gathered in Gaustablikk, Norway on May 21, 2025, for a full-day working meeting of IEA HYDRO Task 9. Hosted by Atle Harby and Linn Emelie Schäffer, the meeting brought together researchers and industry professionals to present their latest findings and strategize on the future direction of hydropower's role in energy systems—particularly in supporting flexibility, storage, and integration with other renewable technologies.

Presentations Highlight Flexibility, Storage, and Economic Valuation

The meeting began with updates from Task 9 leads before moving into a series of technical presentations focused on surplus energy, flexibility metrics, and valuation methodologies:

• • Luke Middleton opened with an analysis of surplus energy availability in modern grids.
  • Abhishek Somani expanded on this topic with a focus on flexibility metrics.
  • Linn Emelie Schäffer delved into how these metrics can be used to evaluate hydropower’s role.
  • Carl Andreas Veie discussed the concept of value factors for hydropower plants.
  • Seamus Garvey presented on medium-duration energy storage options.

Strategic Discussions on Ongoing and Future Tasks

In the second half of the meeting, members provided updates on various sub-topics within Task 9:

Status reports were shared on hydropower hybrids, flood control and drought management, and broader themes of flexibility and storage.

• • Yoichi Miyanaga presented insights from Japan on pumped storage hydropower, proposing a new sub-task to explore its full potential.
  • The group also discussed the concept of value-adjusted Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and questioned hydropower's exclusion from the IEA World Energy Outlook (WEO), suggesting future engagement with IEA Paris.
  • Updates on long- and medium-duration energy storage and collaboration with the IEA Wind Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) were also presented.

Looking Ahead: Focus Areas for Task 9

Task 9 members agreed to prioritize several key areas moving forward:

• • Continued focus on long-duration flexibility and storage, reinforcing hydropower’s value in stabilizing future power systems.
  • Development of hydropower hybrids and further exploration into their role in grid integration.
  • Enhanced collaboration with Wind TCP to explore cross-technology synergies.
  • Increased emphasis on the valuation of hydropower services, including market-based storage roles, spot and forward pricing, and reservoir level impacts.
  • Dissemination through workshops, webinars, journal articles, and factsheets to share findings and stimulate dialogue within the broader energy community.

For more information on the Task 9 and its work, check out their reports and website here.