Sustainable Hydropower in Practice: Highlights from the PEN@Hydropower Training School in Salzburg
From 19 to 22 May 2026, the fifth PEN@Hydropower Training School brought young researchers and professionals from across Europe to Salzburg, Austria, for four days of learning, exchange and collaboration.
Through lectures, group work, stakeholder role-play and technical visits, participants examined what sustainable hydropower means in practice—and how technical performance must be considered alongside environmental protection, community needs, governance and long-term planning.
From sustainability standards to stakeholder perspectives
A central part of the programme focused on the Hydropower Sustainability Standard and the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol. Participants explored how these frameworks can support the assessment and improvement of hydropower projects across environmental, social and governance dimensions.
Working in groups, they adopted the perspectives of different stakeholders, including hydropower operators, financial institutions, public authorities, environmental organisations and local communities. This encouraged participants to consider how priorities can differ—and how dialogue can help identify more balanced and sustainable solutions.
The discussions also addressed cumulative impacts. Rather than assessing a hydropower plant in isolation, participants considered how several projects, environmental pressures and competing water needs can interact across an entire river system.
Connecting theory with operating hydropower plants
The Training School moved beyond the classroom through visits to two hydropower plants operated by Salzburg AG.
At the Hintermuhr hydropower plant, participants explored the relationship between hydropower infrastructure, alpine landscapes, storage requirements and environmental considerations. The visit provided an opportunity to examine technical systems while applying sustainability principles to a real operating facility.
The second visit took participants to Sohlstufe Lehen, an urban run-of-river hydropower plant integrated into Salzburg’s river environment and built surroundings. Here, the group reflected on water-flow management, infrastructure safety, environmental performance and the interaction between hydropower development and local communities.
Together, the visits demonstrated that sustainable hydropower depends not only on technology, but also on the specific environmental and social context in which each plant operates.
Hydropower in the wider policy landscape
The programme also placed hydropower within the wider European and international energy landscape.
PEN@Hydropower Chair Eduard Doujak introduced participants to European hydropower initiatives and their connection to the future of the sector. Eva Kremere presented UNIDO’s work on small hydropower and its contribution to international efforts supporting sustainable energy and development.
These sessions highlighted the importance of policy, international cooperation and long-term planning in ensuring that hydropower contributes effectively to renewable-energy objectives.
Supporting the next generation of hydropower professionals
The Training School concluded with final group presentations and a student awards ceremony recognising the effort, creativity and collaboration demonstrated throughout the week.
The quality of the presentations reflected the value of bringing together early-career researchers and professionals from different countries and disciplines. Beyond the knowledge exchanged, the programme created new connections that can support continued collaboration across Europe’s hydropower community.
PEN@Hydropower extends its sincere thanks to local organisers Daniel Patauner and Eduard Doujak, as well as all trainers, organisers, hosts and participants who contributed their time, expertise and enthusiasm.
The Salzburg Training School showed that the future of sustainable hydropower will depend on more than efficient plants and reliable technologies. It will also require informed dialogue, multidisciplinary cooperation and a willingness to balance energy generation with the needs of rivers, ecosystems and communities.
Watch the video to revisit the highlights from four inspiring days in Salzburg.
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