Rethinking Hydropower: PEN@Hydropower to Conclude with Final Dialogue in Brussels
On 7 September 2026, the COST Action PEN@Hydropower (CA21104 – Pan-European Network for Sustainable Hydropower) will gather stakeholders at AT60 – the House of the Austrian Economy in Brussels for its final event: the Rethinking Hydropower Dialogue.
The event will mark the culmination of four years of collaboration across the PEN@Hydropower network, bringing together perspectives from research, industry, policy and government to reflect on the changing role of hydropower within Europe’s energy system.
Rethinking hydropower in a changing energy system
Europe’s energy system is increasingly being shaped by the effects of climate change. Heatwaves, drought and water scarcity are already affecting electricity production, while competition for water resources is placing greater pressure on the relationship between energy generation, ecosystems and wider societal needs.
Hydropower has historically been a cornerstone of electricity generation in many European countries. Yet prolonged periods of drought and extreme heat can significantly reduce hydropower production. At the same time, declining river levels can affect other forms of electricity generation, including nuclear, coal and gas-fired plants that depend on sufficient water availability for cooling.
These challenges underline the growing importance of the Water-Energy Nexus and the need to consider water, energy, climate resilience and environmental sustainability as interconnected issues.
Meanwhile, the transition towards net zero, electrification and the continued digitalisation of European economies are expected to increase electricity demand further. The question is therefore no longer simply how Europe produces more renewable electricity, but how it develops an energy system capable of balancing security of supply, flexibility, water availability, environmental protection and societal expectations.
Four years of European collaboration
Since its launch, PEN@Hydropower has provided a platform for addressing these questions through collaboration between academics, industry representatives, policymakers, governments and other stakeholders from across Europe.
Through its five Working Groups, the Action has supported extensive knowledge exchange, scientific collaboration, training, stakeholder dialogue and discussion around the technological, environmental, economic and policy dimensions of sustainable hydropower.
One of the key outcomes of this collective work is the newly published book Rethinking Hydropower, which brings together insights generated across the network.
The book will provide an important foundation for the discussions in Brussels, offering an opportunity to revisit some of the central questions explored during the Action and consider how they should inform the future development of European hydropower.
From stakeholder perspectives to future policy
The public programme will begin at 09:45 with a welcome from Eduard Doujak, followed by two major dialogue sessions.
From 10:00–11:30, the Rethinking Hydropower – Multi-Stakeholder Exchange will explore the different expectations, priorities and demands surrounding hydropower. The discussion will bring together multiple stakeholder perspectives and consider how the sector can respond to an increasingly complex operating environment.
Following the lunch break, the dialogue will continue from 12:30–14:00 with Rethinking Hydropower – Vision Exchange: Challenges, Politics and Policies.
Under the theme “From Vision to Policy: How Can We Address These Challenges and Meet Society’s Needs?”, participants will look ahead to the policy choices and strategic priorities that will influence the future role of hydropower in Europe.
Speakers for both sessions will be announced separately.
The public sessions will also be accessible online via Zoom:
Public Zoom:
https://tuwien.zoom.us/j/66353951845?pwd=svrrr6TUA22LgPmzlseZbHHfdYEfDV.1
The afternoon will conclude with a closed Core Group Meeting for PEN@Hydropower members, dedicated to the Action’s final outputs and administrative matters.
A final dialogue — and a look towards what comes next
The Brussels event represents more than the formal conclusion of COST Action CA21104. It is an opportunity to bring together the knowledge, perspectives and relationships developed over the past four years and use them to consider what sustainable hydropower should look like in the decades ahead.
As climate change intensifies pressures on both energy and water systems, hydropower will increasingly need to be considered within a wider discussion encompassing resilience, flexibility, ecosystems, competing water uses and public policy.
PEN@Hydropower warmly invites stakeholders to join us in Brussels on 7 September for this final dialogue, to reflect on the achievements of the network, exchange perspectives on the future of sustainable hydropower and celebrate the conclusion of four years of European collaboration.
Event details
Rethinking Hydropower Dialogue
7 September 2026
09:45–18:00
AT60 – the House of the Austrian Economy
Brussels, Belgium
Organised within COST Action CA21104 – PEN@Hydropower: Pan-European Network for Sustainable Hydropower