On the morning of Thursday 21 November 2024, after Hydro 2024 Conference in Graz (Austria), a meeting was organized by the Task 9 of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) on Hydropower.

Some key messages are reminded hereunder:

TCP Coordination Group on Energy System Flexibility 

One of the central discussions of the session highlighted the importance of integrating innovative measures to improve energy system flexibility. The need for enhanced collaboration across three key components of the energy system was emphasized:

1. 1. Supply with TCPs: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Mitigation, BioEnergy, SolarPACES, and others.
   2. Distribution/Storage/Transformation with TCPs: ISGAN, Energy Storage, and more.
   3. Demand with TCPs: 4E, User, and others.

The session stressed the need to strengthen cooperation, particularly on emerging energy shifts such as Power to Heat (P2H) and Power to Fuels (P2F). Looking ahead, opportunities for collaboration include the IEA Wind TCP and IEA Hydropower TCP ExCo Meeting, which will take place from May 19-23, 2025, in Oslo and Gaustablikk, Norway.

For more information, visit the conference page.

LDES & VRE

Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) faces significant challenges with curtailment and spillage of Variable Renewable Energy (VRE). In 2023, 2% of the total NEM demand was curtailed or spilled, with a forecasted 15-20% of VRE energy expected to be curtailed annually as VRE output increases. This leads to inefficiencies, as seen in a case where 15.6 GWh of energy was spilled over three days, followed by a 19.2 GWh deficit, causing price inflation.

The session posed critical questions: How can we ensure new VRE investments despite these high levels of waste? Can we leverage Value-Adjusted Levelized Cost of Energy (VALCOE) as a tool to better assess these issues?

In conclusion, the discussions pointed to the need for better metrics to evaluate capacity increases, storage, and flexibility services, particularly from hydropower. Task 9 is tasked with further developing the VALCOE concept to improve these evaluations.

Hydropower in the European Union: current activities at the JRC

A presentation on hydropower in the EU discussed the use of existing databases to assess energy storage capacities in Reservoir-Based Storage Hydropower (RSHP) and Pumped-Storage Hydropower (PSH) systems.

Key data highlighted included:

• Theoretical EU storage capacity: 6.6 TWh for PSH and 54.7 TWh for reservoirs.
• Reported EU storage capacity: 2.2 TWh for PSH and 23.8 TWh for reservoirs.
• Seasonal storage potential: 50 TWh via open-loop PSH and 173 TWh considering cascade effects, with costs under 50 USD/MWh.
• Despite the large storage potential, 90% of new reservoirs are currently deemed uneconomic under existing market dynamics and environmental constraints.

Following extensive discussion, it was suggested that a new task dedicated to PSH could be formed within the IEA Hydropower programme, addressing technical, financial, and regulatory aspects. This proposal will be further explored in the upcoming IEA meetings.

For more information, see the 2024 Clean Energy Technology Observatory Hydropower Report.

Updates from Japan on Pumped Storage Hydropower

Japan expressed interest in assessing the value of pumped storage power generation and improving its business feasibility. The proposal will be submitted in detail at the next ExCo meeting.

World Bank’s Focus on Hydropower

The World Bank is prioritizing hydropower as a clean energy technology to support the global transition to net-zero emissions. As part of the IEA’s Net Zero Scenario, the World Bank projects the deployment of 7,000 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 to meet the Paris Agreement's climate goals. In 2024, the Bank supported the development of 11.3 GW of hydropower capacity, with an additional 10.7 GW in the pipeline.

The Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) works to remove barriers to transformational hydropower projects and assist in hydropower asset upgrades to meet future flexibility demands. 

Environmental Constraints in Hydropower Scheduling

Linn Emelie Schäffer presented research on incorporating environmental constraints in hydropower scheduling models. The study showed that including environmental considerations, such as flood and drought management, could improve economic performance by up to 2.6%. As market conditions change, the importance of incorporating flexibility into decision support tools is becoming increasingly evident.

On 12 December 2024, ETIP HYDROPOWER hosted the webinar titled “Hydropower Plant and Battery Coupling: Advantages and Challenges”. The session, which took place from 15:00 to 16:30 CET, focused on the integration of battery storage technologies with hydropower plants, exploring how this coupling can enhance energy efficiency, operational flexibility, and sustainability.

The webinar featured experts from the field of hydropower and energy storage. Their presentations highlighted the potential of combining hydropower with battery systems to create more resilient and adaptable energy solutions.

Key contributions included:

• Jean-Louis Drommi, Expert Engineer at Electricité de France’s Hydro Engineering Center, presented his work on the electrical aspects of hydro projects, including his involvement in innovations like variable speed solutions, hybrid systems, and improving flexibility in hydropower plants. With over 35 years of experience at EDF, Drommi discussed the technical opportunities and challenges of integrating battery storage into hydropower plants to improve grid stability and efficiency. [ACCESS THE PRESENTATION HERE]
• Eduardo Prieto Araujo, Serra Húnter Associate Professor at the Electrical Engineering Department, UPC, shared his insights on the control of power converters for high-voltage DC (HVdc) applications and the interaction between power electronics and renewable energy systems. Prieto Araujo’s research, which includes the co-founding of eRoots, a spin-off company focused on modern power systems, highlighted how power converters and battery storage can help optimise the operation of hydropower plants, making them more flexible and responsive to fluctuating energy demands. [ACCESS THE PRESENTATION HERE]
• Javier Olarte, Technology Transfer Director at CICenergiGUNE and CEO of Battery Care, brought over 35 years of experience in battery systems and energy storage. Olarte discussed the latest advancements in battery technologies and their potential for integration with hydropower plants, particularly focusing on stationary applications and long-term storage. He also explored the role of battery systems in enhancing the overall performance and sustainability of hydropower plants. 

The webinar highlighted the critical role of innovation and collaboration in advancing hydropower-battery integration. Speakers discussed the benefits of hybrid energy systems, such as improved operational flexibility, the ability to store excess energy, and enhanced capacity to meet peak demand, all while reducing emissions and promoting sustainability.

This session reinforced the growing importance of energy storage technologies in Europe’s clean energy transition, with hydropower and battery coupling offering a promising path toward a more flexible and resilient energy system.

You can rewatch the session on our YouTube channel or via the miniature below:

Celebrate the beauty of winter and hydropower with ETIP HYDROPOWER’s "Hydropower Through the Winter Lens" competition. Capture the magic of snow-covered landscapes, icy reflections, and the resilience of hydropower in harmony with nature.

Themes to Explore:

• Snow and Ice Around Hydropower Plants
• Seasonal Reflections in Water
• Hydropower in Winter Landscapes
• Lights and Energy: End-of-Year Magic
• Wildlife and Hydropower in Winter

Submission Details:
Deadline: 18 December 2024, 11:59 PM CET
Format: JPEG/PNG, 300 dpi, max 10 MB
Submit to: inunez@zabala.eu or janiregarcia@zabala.eu

For more details on participation and submission guidelines, please click here

Winning photos will feature in our end-of-year greetings and on our website. Share your vision of hydropower’s winter magic!

On 6 December 2024, the latest session of the webinar series “Boosting Hydropower: Best Practices for Research” brought together experts and researchers to share recent developments in hydropower technology. Organised by the ETIP HYDROPOWER project, the event highlighted key innovations and introduced findings from the 2024 Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO) report.

Three European-funded research projects—new Solutions for Hydropower plants to Enhance operational Range, Performance and improve environmental impAct (SHERPA), Revolutionary Refurbishment for an Efficient and Eco-friendly Hydropower (RevHydro), and INNOVATIVE STORAGE TECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONS IN HYDROPOWER (STOR-HY)—were showcased, each addressing challenges related to hydropower plant efficiency, sustainability, and adaptability. Project highlights were:

• • Ademir Suárez from Iberdrola Spain outlined SHERPA’s objective to refurbish existing hydropower plants to expand their operational range. The project seeks to accommodate lower water flows while ensuring economic viability and minimising environmental impact. ACCESS THE PRESENTATION HERE.
  • Michel Cervantes from Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, presented RevHydro’s work on developing technologies to enhance plant efficiency and reduce environmental impact. The initiative focuses on addressing challenges faced by ageing hydropower plants due to evolving energy demands, climate changes, and technological advancements. ACCESS THE PRESENTATION HERE.
  • Alexandre Presas of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain, introduced STOR-HY’s efforts to extend the lifespan of pumped storage hydropower plants. The project also explores retrofitting equipment with smart monitoring systems and tackling storage applications in challenging environments such as seawater and former coal mines. ACCESS THE PRESENTATION HERE.

OTHER KEY CONTRIBUTIONS:

The webinar also included presentations by Emanuele Quaranta from the Joint Research Centre (JRC), who shared insights from the Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO) Hydropower 2024 report, highlighting hydropower’s role in the EU’s clean energy transition and a research paper on "Considerations on the existing capacity and future potential for energy storage in the European Union's hydropower reservoirs and pumped-storage hydropower". ACCESS THE PRESENTATION HERE.

In addition, Anton Schleiss from the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), also provided an overview of ETIP HYDROPOWER’s contributions to innovation and policy support in the sector. ACCESS THE PRESENTATION HERE.

The session reinforced the importance of research and innovation in ensuring the continued relevance of hydropower within Europe’s energy landscape. The projects presented demonstrated how modernisation, environmental responsibility, and resilience are integral to the future of the sector.

The webinar series remains a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration, supporting hydropower’s contribution to achieving the EU’s clean energy objectives. You can rewatch it on our Youtube channel or via the miniature below:

ETIP Hydropower will host a webinar titled “Hydropower Plant and Battery Coupling: Advantages and Challenges” on December 12, 2024, from 15:00 to 16:30 CET. This session will address the integration of battery technologies with hydropower plants, examining their impact on energy efficiency, operational flexibility, and sustainability.

The webinar will feature: 

Jean-Louis Drommi, an expert engineer at Electricité de France, Hydro Engineering Center. He manages all electrical aspects of hydro projects both at design stage and maintenance. He develops innovation project such as variable speed, hybrid solution, flexibility improvement. He has been working at Electricité de France since 1987, in Hydro and Nuclear Division.

Eduardo Prieto Araujo, a Serra Húnter Associate Professor with the Electrical Engineering Department, UPC. In 2021, he was a Visiting Professor with the Automatic Control Laboratory, ETH Zürich. In 2022, he co-founded eRoots, which is a spin-off company of CITCEA-UPC, focused on the analysis of modern power systems. His research interests include renewable generation systems, control of power converters for HVdc applications, interaction analysis between converters and power electronics-dominated power systems.

Javier Olarte, with 35+ years in battery systems and energy storage, holds a Ph.D. in Control Engineering from UPV-EHU and is Technology Transfer Director at CIC energiGUNE and CEO of Battery Care. He co-chairs WG6 on Stationary Applications at Batteries Europe and previously chaired WG2 on Energy Storage at ETIP SNET.

Registration is open! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/723401028994704477

The HydroES 2025 Symposium on Hydropower and Environmental Sustainability with the theme "Hydropower, Innovation & Resilience" will bring together stakeholders from the water and hydropower sectors on September 17-18, 2025, in Grenoble, France. The event will showcase advancements in technical, scientific, and innovative solutions. ETIP HYDROPOWER will feature a special session during the symposium. Participants are encouraged to present their research, and submissions are welcome until December 13, 2024, via the official website (click here).

Hydropower facilities contribute to the reduction of the impacts of climate change, including extreme events, floods and droughts, which tend to be increasingly exacerbated. It is a local energy, which cannot be relocated, anchored in the territories and its facilities play a key role in the management of water resources for the satisfaction of multiple uses such as drinking water supply, irrigation, navigation, tourism, and in the management of the electricity system through its flexibility. It makes it possible to compensate for the intermittency of other renewable energies and to stabilise the network in the event of the fortuitous unavailability of other means of production.
 
Hydropower must therefore respond to multiple technical, societal and environmental issues and challenges. We must continually innovate to seek the best balance, to reconcile the various uses, to preserve aquatic environments and biodiversity, to adapt to climate change, and putting science, societal services and the living at the heart of the debates.
 
This symposium will be organized in 4 sessions and a technical visit:

 
1. Climate Change (Adaptation & Mitigation):
Pressures on water resources (melting glaciers, water temperature, drought, etc.), resilience strategies in face of extreme events, revision of engineering practices in project design, technological innovation, etc.

2. Energy Transition and Water Resource Management:
Energy efficiency, new hydrometeorological forecasting tools, optimization of water production and resources, flexibility and role of hydropower in the energy mix, reduction of the carbon footprint and role of hydropower (gravity development and WWTP) in the energy transition, marine energies, Reconciling uses and consultation, the solutions of the future, etc.

3. Digital Transformation and Modernization of Operations & Maintenance (O&M):
Evolution of O&M practices (remote control of development chains, plant 4.0, digital twins, etc.), role of new sensors, existing communication protocols for facility monitoring and environmental monitoring, new generation of modeling systems capable of integrating new data sources, artificial intelligence (IA) and Big Data: best practices for operational implementation and decision support.

4. Issues and Challenges of the Hydroelectric Fleet:
Ageing of structures and equipment, sediment management, fish farming continuity, new legal, environmental and social constraints, etc.

Special Technical Visit
The event will conclude with a technical visit on September 19, 2025, allowing up to 40 participants to observe hydropower operations firsthand, providing practical insights into the technologies and strategies discussed during the symposium.

On 6 December 2024, from 13:30 to 15:00 CET, the latest session in the webinar series “Boosting Hydropower: Best Practices for Research” will present the latest advances in hydropower technology. Organised by the ETIP HYDROPOWER project, this session will introduce three EU research projects and highlight the main conclusions of the 2024 report “Hydropower and Pumped Hydropower Storage in the European Union”.

Featured Projects and Presenters:

• SHERPA: Ademir Suárez from Iberdrola Spain will present SHERPA, which aims to develop and validate innovative technologies for the refurbishment of existing hydropower plants in order to extend and/or adapt their operating range to include lower water flows, without compromising their lifetime, economic viability, and environmental and impact.
• RevHydro: Michel Cervantes from Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, will introduce RevHydro, an initiative intended to develop and implement technologies that address the efficiency, environmental impact, and operational challenges faced by hydropower plants, especially ageing ones, due to changes in energy demand, climate conditions, and technological developments.
• STOR-HY: Alexandre Presas from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Spain, will present the STOR-HY project, which focuses on extending the lifespan of pumped storage hydropower plants and retrofitting equipment through smart monitoring and control technologies. It also targets challenging areas for storage application such as seawater and coal mines.

The webinar will also feature contributions from Emanuele Quaranta of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), who will present the main findings of the Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO) Hydropower 2024 report, and Anton Schleiss from the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), will be presenting ETIP HYDROPOWER.

This webinar will provide an opportunity to learn about the latest research developments in hydropower across Europe.

How to Join:

Interested participants can register for the webinar HERE.

You can find the agenda also HERE. 

ETIP HYDROPOWER recently held two workshops at the AQUAWATT Conference, an event focused on hydropower’s contribution to renewable energy and climate resilience. AQUAWATT gathers stakeholders from the hydroelectric industry, government, research institutions, and associations to discuss advancements and collaboration opportunities in hydropower.

The first workshop, held on October 29 and titled “The Role of Hydropower in the Energy Transition Process” included presentations from Jean-Jacques Fry on ETIP HYDROPOWER’s current projects, Matteo Bianciotto on the XFLEX HYDRO Project, and Emanuele Quaranta on the importance of pumped hydro storage for renewable energy goals.

The second workshop, “Dams and Reservoirs: Climate Change Adaptation and Public Awareness Strategies”, took place on October 30. Antonella Frigerio provided an overview of ETIP HYDROPOWER’s Working Groups and discussed the impacts of climate change on water and energy security. Emanuele Quaranta spoke on the WEFE (Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem) nexus in reservoir management, and Sera Lazaridou highlighted public awareness efforts, including the “Dam Day: Reservoirs for Europe” initiative.

These sessions reflect ETIP HYDROPOWER’s efforts to promote sustainable hydropower and climate adaptation solutions through European-wide knowledge exchange.

Matteo Bianciotto, Senior Policy Manager at the International Hydropower Association (IHA) and part of the Secretariat for the ETIP HYDROPOWER project, participated as a speaker at ENLIT’s session titled “ETIPs as Catalysts for EU Sustainable Competitiveness.” The session focused on how European Technology and Innovation Platforms (ETIPs) can channel promising research and innovation (R&I) from academia and industry to the European Commission (EC) to strengthen Europe’s industrial and technological leadership.

The discussion highlighted the importance of identifying technologies that can be manufactured within the EU without relying on critical raw materials, thereby enhancing supply chain resilience, technological sovereignty, and Europe’s overall competitiveness. The session also explored strategies for optimizing ETIPs' role, including effective knowledge transfer, collaboration frameworks, and impact assessment methodologies. Insights were shared across key sectors like energy storage, wind, hydropower, photovoltaics (PV), and concentrated solar thermal (CST).

Key Points from Matteo Bianciotto’s Remarks:

Bianciotto emphasized hydropower’s unique role in Europe’s energy transition, presenting it as a sector of strategic importance:

• Europe as a Center of Excellence for Hydropower R&I: Europe is well-positioned to lead research and innovation in hydropower, supported by a robust supply chain based entirely within the EU. He stressed that Europe’s hydropower sector is not dependent on critical raw materials sourced from outside the EU, reinforcing its importance in promoting technological sovereignty.
• Hydropower’s Evolving Role: Hydropower’s traditional role as an energy producer is evolving, with increasing demand for flexibility services in the energy grid. This shift is driving innovation in digitalization, hybridization, and technologies like variable speed turbines and hydraulic short-circuit operations, along with river monitoring systems.
• ETIP HYDROPOWER’s Role: Bianciotto highlighted ETIP HYDROPOWER’s efforts to harmonize research across the sector, optimize resources, and ensure the widespread understanding and maximization of R&I benefits. The Research and Innovation Agenda (RIA) and Strategic Industry Roadmap (SIR) developed by ETIP HYDROPOWER serve as key tools guiding these efforts. The platform has fostered collaboration through thematic webinars, working groups, roundtables, and its annual ETIP HYDROPOWER Day.
• Opportunities in an Aging Fleet: He pointed out that Europe’s aging hydropower fleet presents both opportunities and challenges. With growing demand for storage capacity, new pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) projects and reservoir expansions are underway. These initiatives offer showcase opportunities for EU equipment suppliers, technology providers, consulting firms, and universities to demonstrate cutting-edge technologies.
• Balancing Clean Energy and Environmental Goals: Research and innovation in hydropower are addressing not only technical and operational challenges but also sustainability goals. Bianciotto stressed the need for the sector to balance its role in the clean energy transition with nature restoration targets.
• Remunerating Flexibility: One of the key challenges in unlocking hydropower’s full potential is ensuring that flexibility services are adequately remunerated. Bianciotto noted that this issue has been a focus for ETIP HYDROPOWER, as flexible hydropower plays a critical role in supporting the EU’s energy system.

The session, along with Bianciotto’s insights, underscored the critical role ETIPs like ETIP HYDROPOWER play in advancing Europe’s sustainable competitiveness and technological leadership, while contributing to the EU’s Green Deal and strategic autonomy.