Working Groups


PEN@Hydropower Action is dedicated to addressing pertinent research questions.

The cornerstone of COST Action activities resides in the pivotal role played by the Working Groups (WGs), which are instrumental in executing essential tasks.

Working Group 1

Hydropower role in flexible energy synergies

Within WG1, the Action will focus mainly on the conditions for the use of hydropower within flexible systems. Attention will be paid to the assumptions and trends of electricity accumulation for various water sources, innovative systems & monitoring.

Working Group 2

Technological Evolution Through Innovation & Digitalisation

In this WG, the technological evolution requirements for innovative solutions are explored to tackle the foreseen ambitious scenarios. Additionally, digitalization aspects have to be considered. They will pave the way toward increasing hydropower competitiveness.

Working Group 3

Sustainable hydropower & climate change

Cross-disciplinary collaboration is needed to facilitate sustainable development in the Hydropower sector which considers industrial-, environmental- and societal needs in a changing climate. New technological developments must be combined.

Working Group 4

Clean Energy Transition and policy measures

This WG will focus on understanding and identification of major trends, restructuring the power sector in the following decades. Within the process, cross- sector couplings will be identified and novel hydropower role will be evaluated. Evaluation will be based on EU frameworks and directives, CET and trends.

Working Group 5

Holistic assessment and stakeholder interaction

Integrating technical, environmental, societal and financial aspects of hydropower to create policy suggestions, strategies and roadmaps. We aim to outreach and engage in our activities various stakeholders including science, industry, society, associations, power producers, governmental and non-governmental organisations.

Working Group Leaders

  • Dr. Elena Vagnoni

    WG1 Leader

    Elena Vagnoni is a scientist and lecturer at EPFL. She completed her PhD in Mechanics at EPFL in 2018. She leads the scientific activities of the XFLEX HYDRO project, and, in particular, performs and supervises the innovation tasks related to the smart control and methodology for extending hydropower plant flexibility.

  • Dr. Dogan Gezer

    WG 2 Leader

    Doğan Gezer received the B.S. and M.S. and PhD degrees in electrical and electronics engineering from Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey, in 2007 and 2009. He currently pursues his PhD degree at TOBB ETU university and works as expert research engineer at TUBITAK MAM.

  • Dr. Elena Pummer

    WG3 Leader

    Elena Pummer is Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), since 2019. She received her PhD degree (Dr.-Ing.) on the topic of hydrodynamics in underground pumped storage plants from RWTH Aachen University in 2016 working on a wide range of hydraulic engineering topics.

  • Dr. Egidijus Kasiulis

    WG4 Leader

    Egidijus Kasiulis graduated in 2015 in Environmental Engineering from Aleksandras Stulginskis University (now Vytautas Magnus University) in Lithuania. Since 2016 he is a researcher at the Department of Water Engineering. His main research interests – conventional and hydrokinetic (ocean waves, river flow) energy conversion and its environmental impact.

  • Dr. Marina Cerpinska

    WG5 Leader

    Marina Cerpinska is a researcher and lecturer at Riga Technical University, Latvia. She completed her PhD thesis “Air gap monitoring of hydropower unit generator to advance vibration diagnostic procedure” in 2015. She worked as a mechanical engineer for hydropower diagnostic services from 2013 till 2021. She currently works full-time as an academic, head of study program and organiser of international cooperation.

Additional Roles

  • Prof. Ioannis Anagnostopoulos

    National Technical University of Athens

    Mentor Working Group 1

  • Dr. Pavel Rudolf

    Brno University of Technology

    Mentor Working Group 2

  • Dr. David Finger

    Reykjavik University

    Mentor Working Group 3

  • Ms. Ewa Malicka

    Polish Association for Small Hydropower Development (TRMEW)

    Mentor Working Group 4

  • Ms. Barbara Fischer-Aupperle

    Global Women's Network for the Energy Transition

    Mentor Working Group 5