Join the ETIP HYDROPOWER general assembly to receive news about our activities, events and research & innovation in hydropower opportunities.
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Join the ETIP HYDROPOWER general assembly to receive news about our activities, events and research & innovation in hydropower opportunities.
Join UsResearch and Innovation
As part of our mission, ETIP Hydropower connects and amplifies hydropower research and innovation across Europe. We bring together EU-funded projects, share knowledge, and collaborate through dedicated initiatives to maximise impact for the sector.
Ongoing projects
The EU-funded STOR-HY project aims to push to a new frontier of pumped hydro energy storage concept while minimising costs and environmental impacts and increasing societal acceptance. It focuses on extending the lifespan and retrofitting of equipment through smart monitoring and control technologies. It also targets challenging locations, such as seawater and coal mines by developing technologies for harsh operating fluids. With advanced digital tools, the project improves operational efficiency, supporting a more resilient EU energy grid.
No results yet. Check back soon.
The iAMP-Hydro project will improve the digital operation of existing plants through the development of 6 expected results which will collectively form iAMP: a novel intelligent Asset Management Platform encompassing secure open and transparent data sharing protocols and three novel digital solutions. The full package of digital solutions will be validated at a diverse set of five real-world existing hydropower plants producing evidence for policy making to support the green and digital transition of hydropower.
Short-term Forecast of Inflows in a Reservoir using Seasonal ARIMA and ANN
Read more →Detection of Cavitation in a Centrifugal Pump-as-Turbine Using Time-Domain-Based Analysis of Vibration Signals
Read more →SHERPA project will develop and validate innovative technologies for refurbishing current HPPs, namely, AM metallic patches and coatings to minimize damage and enhance resistance to cavitation, new strategies to adapt rotational speed depending on the flow range, advanced air injection systems to improve water quality and efficiency; new runner designs adapted to E-flows increasing performance.
No results yet. Check back soon.
Hydropower plants are vital for renewable energy production. However, traditional systems can suffer from turbine fatigue and limited operational flexibility. Additionally, fish passage issues pose challenges for biodiversity and ecosystem health. As the demand for sustainable energy rises, enhancing hydropower’s viability becomes increasingly urgent. In this context, the EU-funded RevHydro project will address these challenges through the design and validation of innovative flow control devices. These devices, installed in the runner and draft tube, extend turbine operating ranges, reduce fatigue, and improve overall efficacy with minimal downtime during refurbishment. RevHydro also features an adaptive fish barrier that redirects fish to safe passages, contributing to environmental conservation.
No results yet. Check back soon.
The EU-funded STORE2HYDRO project offers a promising solution by retrofitting reversible pump turbine technology so that existing hydropower facilities can expand electricity storage capacity by over 22 TWh annually. Overall, the project aims to enhance storage efficiency without altering reservoir or river volumes, aligning with the European Green Deal. This initiative promises more flexible, cost-effective hydropower operations, crucial for integrating intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
No results yet. Check back soon.
The EU-funded H-HOPE project will develop a hydro energy solution that uses a novel technology to collect hydro energy from otherwise ignored open streams, piping systems and open channels. This solution will use innovations that make use of submerged oscillating bodies combined with piezoelectric materials and electromagnetic regulators to take advantage of these water flows. The result will be a reduction in CO2 emissions and harmful energy sources.
Energies (opens in new window)
Read more →Multi-Dimensional Feasibility Assessment of the Deployment of Vortex-induced vibration Energy Harvester to utilize hidden hydro potential in European water and energy infrastructure (opens in new window)
Read more →Addressing the Water-Energy Nexus: Renewable Energy Harvesting for Enhanced Monitoring and Sustainability in Water Networks (opens in new window)
Read more →Assessing enablers and challenges for the deployment of energy harvesters in water networks through stakeholder interviews (opens in new window)
Read more →The D-HYDROFLEX project will promote research excellence in digital technology for hydropower, ultimately leading to more efficient, sustainable, and competitive hydropower plants. The project aims to develop a toolkit that will digitally upgrade existing hydroelectric power plants using sensors, digital twins, AI algorithms, hybridisation modelling (power-to-hydrogen), cloud-edge computing, and image processing.
No results yet. Check back soon.
The EU-funded Di-Hydro project will develop tailored digital tools and intelligent algorithms to optimise operations, predict maintenance needs, and promote environmentally mindful power generation. This will be in line with the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement; the project’s integrated approach takes into account various factors such as plant digitisation levels, weather conditions, biodiversity, environmental concerns, and societal considerations.
Efficient Scheduling of Smart Building Energy Systems Using AI Planning (opens in new window)
Read more →A Multi-armed Bandit Approach for Electricity Reward of Smart Homes in a Smart Power Grid (opens in new window)
Read more →DEMSA: a DT-enabled Middleware for Self-adaptive Smart Spaces (opens in new window)
Read more →Automating the Evaluation of Interoperability Effectiveness in Heterogeneous IoT Systems (opens in new window)
Read more →CCDUIT: A Software Overlay for Cross-Federation Collaboration Between Data Spaces (opens in new window)
Read more →The EU-funded Hydro4U project will adapt European SHP technologies to meet Central Asia’s needs. Specifically, it will install and assess two demo plants with reduced planning and construction costs that do not compromise efficiency. The overall aim is to find innovative solutions that are fit-for-purpose and to demonstrate EU quality standards and create entry points in developing markets for the entire European SHP industry.
Contribution to Morphometrics and Ecology of Snow Trout (Schizothorax eurycephalus) and Stone Loach (Triplophysa ferganaensis) (opens in new window)
Read more →Integrating Open-Source Datasets to Analyze the Transboundary Water–Food–Energy–Climate Nexus in Central Asia (opens in new window)
Read more →Towards Hydraulic Design Optimization of Shaft Hydropower Plants: A 3D-CFD Application Based on Physical Models (opens in new window)
Read more →Ichthyological research in the koksu river, Uzbekistan to identify key fish species in the context of small hydropower development (opens in new window)
Read more →Completed projects
Sustainable energy sources like hydropower plants (HPPs) generate vast energy with minimal environmental impact. By utilising this clean energy solution, it is possible to effectively meet our energy demands without compromising the health of our environment. Unfortunately, HPPs can harm fish populations, migration routes and habitats. The EU-funded FIThydro project aims to evaluate HPPs’ impact on native environments in the EU. By collaborating with policymakers, the project seeks to develop a solution that addresses these concerns. The proposed solution involves using various tools, technologies and a decision support system. This approach enables HPP operators to maintain production rates while safeguarding fish populations and upholding environmental standards.
Evaluating Cost Trade-Offs between Hydropower and Fish Passage Mitigation (opens in new window)
Read more →Fishways as Downstream Routes in Small Hydropower Plants: Experiences with a Potamodromous Cyprinid (opens in new window)
Read more →Habitat Enhancement Solutions for Iberian Cyprinids Affected by Hydropeaking: Insights from Flume Research (opens in new window)
Read more →Multi-Species Assessment of Injury, Mortality, and Physical Conditions during Downstream Passage through a Large Archimedes Hydrodynamic Screw (Albert Canal, Belgium) (opens in new window)
Read more →Habitat Use by Pseudochondrostoma duriense and Squalius carolitertii Downstream of a Small-Scale Hydropower Plant (opens in new window)
Read more →Swimming Behavior of Downstream Moving Fish at Innovative Curved-Bar Rack Bypass Systems for Fish Protection at Water Intakes (opens in new window)
Read more →Hydropower is the backbone of Europe’s renewable electricity system. Already established in Europe, there is room for the hydropower market to flourish in other parts of the world. EU-funded HYPOSO project aims at supporting the European hydropower industry while fostering a sustainable development in selected target countries in Africa and Latin America, namely Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Cameroon and Uganda. The HYPOSO objectives will be achieved by a combination of tools, i.e. thorough market analyses, looking into unused hydropower potentials (in a GIS Map), political and legislative frameworks, financing hydropower in a smart way, capacity building, replicable business case studies and by bringing together representatives of the European hydropower industry and their counterparts and politicians from these five countries.
HYPOSO Map Viewer: A Web-Based Atlas of Small-Scale Hydropower for Selected African and Latin American Countries (opens in new window)
Read more →The increasing integration of renewables in the electrical power system requires the provision of large amount of flexibility to guarantee a secure and optimal operation of the European grid. Hydropower plants already provide critical grid support and ancillary services, namely: fast regulation and frequency control, fast start and stop times and ramping rates, fast transition from pump mode to generating mode, and fault ride through capability. The EU-funded XFLEX project aims to enhance the hydropower potential and its capability to provide flexibility services to the grid. To achieve this objective, XFLEX will demonstrate an innovative methodology for system integration of hydroelectric technology solutions and analyse their impact on the modern power market. These innovative solutions will also optimise maintenance intervals, decrease outage times and increase the availability of the entire European hydroelectric power plant fleet.
Power Plant Transients including Hydraulic Short Circuit Operation Mode (opens in new window)
Read more →Digitalization in hydropower generation: development and numerical validation of a model-based Smart Power Plant Supervisor (opens in new window)
Read more →Performance Analysis of Energy Balancing Methods for Matrix Modular Multilevel Converters (opens in new window)
Read more →Direct Arm Energy Control of the Modular Multilevel Matrix Converter (opens in new window)
Read more →Water saving options in hydropower by means of variable speed operation: A prototype study in a mid-head Francis turbine (opens in new window)
Read more →Optimal grid-forming control of battery energy storage systems providing multiple services: Modeling and experimental validation (opens in new window)
Read more →Impact of renewable energy generation on power reserve energy demand (opens in new window)
Read more →Increasing the operating range and energy production in Francis turbines by an early detection of the overload instability (opens in new window)
Read more →The potential of hydropower, the biggest renewable energy source globally, remains largely unexploited. Assessing operational costs and ecological impact for new opportunities, requires accurate information on key environmental variables. The EU-funded HYPOS project will address this need by providing a suite of data analysis applications integrating Earth Observation technologies and modelling for the hydropower industry. These include an online decision support tool for investment planning and monitoring, as well as a subscription portal combining satellite data over time, current measurements and detailed estimates for present and near future assessments. The project will add value at an international level, with reliable information on a wide range of water bodies and spatial scales. Sophisticated blue footprint analysis will be used for sustainable monitoring solutions.
Large-Scale Hydrological and Sediment Modeling in Nested Domains under Current and Changing Climate (opens in new window)
Read more →A Satellite-Based Tool for Mapping Evaporation in Inland Water Bodies: Formulation, Application, and Operational Aspects (opens in new window)
Read more →To decarbonise and slow the rate of global warming, we need to turn to renewable energy such as wind and solar. The current electricity grid, however, is still not able to handle the intermittent nature of these energy sources. Pumped hydropower energy storage can help to maintain and enhance grid flexibility and stability. The EU-funded ALPHEUS project will improve reversible pump/turbine (RPT) technology and adjacent civil structures needed to make pumped hydro storage economically viable in shallow seas and coastal environments with flat topography. It anticipates reaching round-trip RPT efficiency of 0.7 to 0.8 by combining the current state of the art and the expertise of project partners. ALPHEUS will also assess related social and environmental factors, such as fish life, local opinion, and land use.
System model development and numerical simulation of low-head pumped hydro storage (opens in new window)
Read more →Identification of wave breaking from nearshore wave-by-wave records (opens in new window)
Read more →Low-head pumped hydro storage: A review on civil structure designs, legal and environmental aspects to make its realization feasible in seawater (opens in new window)
Read more →Numerical analysis of an initial design of a counter-rotating pump-turbine (opens in new window)
Read more →Impact of Dual Variable Speed and Inlet Valve Control on the Efficiency and Operating Range of Low-Head Contra-Rotating Pump-Turbines (opens in new window)
Read more →Stress Response to Entrainment Flow Speed near Pump Inlet Fish Screens in Two Model Teleost Species, Anguilla anguilla and Oncorhynchus mykiss (opens in new window)
Read more →Optimization of pumped hydro energy storage design and operation for offshore low-head application and grid stabilization (opens in new window)
Read more →HydroFlex increases the value of hydro power through increased Flexibility. The commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been an important contributor to the increasing share of renewables in the European energy system. Variable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, as well as increased end-user flexibility and a market-oriented operation of power plants, results in larger fluctuations in the power system. Hydro power, due to its quick response and storage capability represents an important asset for grid balancing. HydroFlex aimed to make hydro power available in a time as short as possible by performing well-focused research and innovation actions on the key bottlenecks of hydro power plants that restricts their flexibility. The project started off by identifying the operating conditions of hydro power plants in the future energy system. Research focused on the flexibility of Francis turbines, the most common turbine type in Europe, and the configuration of synchronous generators and frequency converters that allow for variable speed operation. Variable speed operation increases the operating range of the turbines, reduces the fatigue loads, and allow for higher ramping rates and start-stop-cycles reaching up to 30 times per day. HydroFlex also addressed methods to mitigate the negative effects on downstream water courses that may result from higher flexibility of hydro power plants, by developing and testing a technology for active underground storage of water. To promote the research results to the hydro power industry, the scientific community and the public, the results have been presented in workshops, conferences, scientific journals, newspapers and various social media.
Study of Pressure Pulsations in a Francis Turbine Designed for Frequent Start-Stop (opens in new window)
Read more →Parameter based tool for Francis turbine guide vanes design using coupled MATLAB - ANSYS approach (opens in new window)
Read more →Constraints of Parametrically Defined Guide Vanes for a High-Head Francis Turbine (opens in new window)
Read more →Investigation of a Francis turbine during speed variation: Inception of cavitation (opens in new window)
Read more →Modelling the downstream longitudinal effects of frequent hydropeaking on the spawning potential and stranding susceptibility of salmonids (opens in new window)
Read more →A New Technical Concept for Water Management and Possible Uses in Future Water Systems (opens in new window)
Read more →Numerical Study of a Francis Turbine over Wide Operating Range: Some Practical Aspects of Verification (opens in new window)
Read more →If you are a European-funded hydropower project and would like to join our cluster, please contact us by writing at inunez@zabala.eu.