EU funded Research Project aims to show how hydropower in Europe can be modernised to play a leading role in the clean energy transition.
vgbe is excited to announce the launch of “ReHydro”, a new research project focused on demonstrating the opportunities for the sustainable refurbishment of existing hydropower plants all across Europe. ReHyro aims to demonstrate how European hydropower can be refurbished and modernized to be fit for a leading role in a future sustainable power system in a climate change context.
A suite of monitoring and digital tools (performance, cavitation, machine health) implemented at demonstration sites, will improve hydropower efficiency. Innovative concepts including retrofitting pumped hydro and hybridization will make hydropower fit for future markets
ReHydro will demonstrate how biodiversity can be improved with new fish-friendly turbines, re-establishment of environmental flows, monitored using new tools such as eDNA. Smarter use of water resources will also be implemented, so that more services can be delivered to the power markets, while multi-purpose use of the water resources for navigation and recreation can be expanded and the ability to mitigate flooding and draughts are strengthened.
The project will introduce a new paradigm to strengthen European leadership and competitiveness in the hydropower industry and offer new sustainable solutions that can be replicated at a European and global level.
ReHydro is organised in Work Packages and five main demonstration sites to reach expected outcomes.
A broad-based interdisciplinary consortium from 7 countries, consisting of 2 associations, 7 research institutions, 6 operators, 5 manufacturers and 3 suppliers, is working on this task. Together they provide the project with the necessary knowledge, visibility and network to effectively achieve the project objectives and impact. Numerous refurbishment measures are carried out at 5 different demonstration sites and their effects and added value are explained in detail through this project. Equipping plants, many commissioned between the 1960s and 1980s, with digital solutions and new technologies will enhance their flexibility to meet energy demands for today and in the future. There is also need to improve integration with intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar in the modern energy grid.
