Knowledge Symposium on Hydropower Research Gaps – Event Highlights

On September 22, PEN@Hydropower and EERA JP Hydropower co-hosted the Knowledge Symposium on Hydropower Research Gaps, bringing together researchers, experts, and stakeholders from across Europe.

The symposium provided a platform to discuss the future of hydropower and research priorities in Europe, structured around four thematic sessions. The event sparked engaging discussions, highlighted innovative approaches, and underlined the importance of hydropower in the clean energy transition.

Session 1: Flexibility & Storage

Speakers explored how hydropower can increase its flexibility and support grid stability. Topics included mode transitions in pump-turbines, the role of digital twins in start-up impact analysis, and improved methods for lifetime assessment.

Session 2: Environment & Biodiversity

The second session examined how hydropower can coexist with healthy ecosystems. Presentations focused on mitigating gas supersaturation, designing bypass passages for fish migration, and restoring habitats through hydraulic modelling.

Session 3: Climate Change & Mitigation

This session tackled hydropower’s dual role: adapting to climate risks while contributing to mitigation. Discussions covered greenhouse gas accounting, socio-environmental tradeoffs, and the impact of droughts on generation using new datasets and modelling tools.

Session 4: Critical Infrastructure & Resilience

The final session highlighted hydropower as a cornerstone of resilience. Speakers discussed decentralized energy storage, hidden energy harvesting opportunities, and hydropower’s role in supporting secure and adaptable energy systems.

We extend our gratitude to all speakers for sharing their expertise and sparking important dialogue:
Nathan Veuthey, Elie Saroufim, Eduard Doujak, Sebastian Muntean, Ludwig Kuhn, Serhat Kucukali, Frida Niemi, Liv Randi Hultgreen, Maria Ubierna, Epari Ritesh Patro, Jignesh Shah, Benjamin Graff, Tasniem Jawaid, Daniel Patauner, Marko Hočevar, and Jochen Aberle.

The symposium confirmed that hydropower remains central to delivering flexibility, storage, and resilience, while also raising critical research questions around biodiversity, climate adaptation, and infrastructure security.

We look forward to continuing this dialogue and building new partnerships to address these challenges together.

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