Hafslund Eco

THE RESEARCH FROM HYDROCEN ADOPTED

A long history with hydropower

Hafslund Eco has a history dating all the way back to the end of the 19th century in hydropower, and is today Norway's second largest power producer - exclusively on renewable energy.

Hafslund Eco is connected to a total of 81 power plants in the counties Innlandet, Viken and Vestland, where they are responsible for the maintenance and operation of the power plants that supply electricity to large parts of the population.

With its total power production of 21 TWh, and a capacity of 5,300 MW, Hafslund Eco produces enough energy to supply 2.8 million people. They work continuously to upgrade and expand their existing power plants, and they are constantly looking for new profitable projects. In the last four years, they have built six new power plants, which together increase production by 1TWh.

In addition, they have 10 projects under development, which together can contribute 700 GWh of increased energy production and 600 MW of increased output.

HydroCen & Hafslund Eco

Good and rewarding cooperation

From the start of the center period, Hafslund Eco has been an important collaboration partner for both HydroCen, and also formerly FME CEDREN. The collaboration has enabled HydroCen to get an insight into - and the opportunity to develop new research in their power plant, and it has given Hafslund the opportunity to provide feedback and input on the projects so that they are kept relevant to the industry.

Through the collaboration with HydroCen (and FME CEDREN), Hafslund Eco has during the early phases gained insight into new solutions and innovations being developed within hydropower research. Many of the results they produced have already been put into use at their power plants.

Active use of the research from HydroCen

Below you will find a number of examples of areas where Hafslund Eco actively uses the research that comes from HydroCen, for more sustainable power production.

Environmental design in salmon rivers

The environmental design methodology is actively used during the evaluation of measures, also in inland waterways. Haflsund Eco has seen great benefit from the methodology in the Aurlandsvassdraget, which is one of the areas where the environmental design concept has been tested to improve the conditions for salmon in the regulated watercourse.

Video: Hafslund

Environmental design in salmon rivers

The environmental design methodology is actively used during the evaluation of measures, also in inland waterways. Haflsund Eco has seen great benefit from the methodology in the Aurlandsvassdraget, which is one of the areas where the environmental design concept has been tested to improve the conditions for salmon in the regulated watercourse.
Video: Hafslund

Dam and dam safety

The research carried out in connection with dams and dam safety has given Hafslund Eco a lot of useful and relevant knowledge. They work actively to find solutions related to dams and waterways that can be adapted to their portfolio.
Results from HydroCen have, among other things, produced new knowledge that shows a greater built-in safety on rock-fill dams than was previously assumed.
Photo: Hafslund Eco

Dam and dam safety

The research carried out in connection with dams and dam safety has given Hafslund Eco a lot of useful and relevant knowledge. They work actively to find solutions related to dams and waterways that can be adapted to their portfolio.
Results from HydroCen have, among other things, produced new knowledge that shows a greater built-in safety on rock-fill dams than was previously assumed.
Photo: Hafslund Eco

eDNA

New methods for mapping species are useful for an effective and correct overview of the biological diversity that can be found in the waterways and reservoirs of power producers.
Hafslund Eco makes active use of the developed methods associated with eDNA to map species, including keeping track of the spread of pike and whitefish in Hallingdal.
Environmental surveys. Photo: Hafslund Eco

eDNA

New methods for mapping species are useful for an effective and correct overview of the biological diversity that can be found in the waterways and reservoirs of power producers.
Hafslund Eco makes active use of the developed methods associated with eDNA to map species, including keeping track of the spread of pike and whitefish in Hallingdal.
Environmental surveys. Photo: Hafslund Eco

Migration solutions for fish

HydroCen has a number of projects (several of which are interdisciplinary) that have looked at solutions for how to ensure safe fish migration up and down regulated waterways.

Hafslund Eco uses migration solutions from the SafePass and BestPractice projects as a basis when new power plants are to be built, such as Tolga. They are also actively involved in the FishPath project, which continues to develop safe migration solutions for fish.

Sea trout in Aurland. Photo: Ulrich Pulg, NORCE-LFI

Migration solutions for fish

HydroCen has a number of projects (several of which are interdisciplinary) that have looked at solutions for how to ensure safe fish migration up and down regulated waterways.

Sea trout in Aurland. Photo: Ulrich Pulg, NORCE-LFI

Market and services

The model for operational pattern-related costs from HydroCen is being actively worked on to get it into use in Hafslund Eco, as it will be profitable to have an overview of costs in relation to start/stop when you have to produce power more efficiently.
Hafslund Eco has ambitions to test and use the ProdRisk-SHOP simulator from HydroCen for investment analyzes when it is commercially ready, in order to provide more realistic simulated operation of the water system. New functionality developed for ProdRisk will also be used in waterways with corresponding model challenges, which contribute to increased utility.
Generator hall from Aurland 2. Photo: Hafslund

Market and services

The model for operational pattern-related costs from HydroCen is being actively worked on to get it into use in Hafslund Eco, as it will be profitable to have an overview of costs in relation to start/stop when you have to produce power more efficiently.
Hafslund Eco has ambitions to test and use the ProdRisk-SHOP simulator from HydroCen for investment analyzes when it is commercially ready, in order to provide more realistic simulated operation of the water system. New functionality developed for ProdRisk will also be used in waterways with corresponding model challenges, which contribute to increased utility.
Generator hall from Aurland 2. Photo: Hafslund

Improving the river

A number of results related to the hydraulic conditions in the waterways are used to improve the lives of the organisms that live downstream of the power plant.
The results from EnviPeak (a project from CEDREN) are used to find solutions for the least possible impact downstream power plants.
Remote sensing of watercourses using LIDAR is actively used to map the watercourses and their hydraulic properties.
Hydraulic 2D model from LIDAR data from Storåne in Hovet. Photo: Bjørn Otto Dønnum

Improving the river

A number of results related to the hydraulic conditions in the waterways are used to improve the lives of the organisms that live downstream of the power plant.
The results from EnviPeak (a project from CEDREN) are used to find solutions for the least possible impact downstream power plants.
Remote sensing of watercourses using LIDAR is actively used to map the watercourses and their hydraulic properties.
Hydraulic 2D model from LIDAR data from Storåne in Hovet. Photo: Bjørn Otto Dønnum

New knowledge about turbines and generators

Through the collaboration with HydroCen, Hafslund Eco has gained increased knowledge when it comes to the area of service life and operating stresses on turbines and generators. This has led to an even larger knowledge base which is constantly used for the further development of condition monitoring, professional support, troubleshooting and analysis.
Turbine in Aurland. Photo: Hafslund

New knowledge about turbines and generators

Through the collaboration with HydroCen, Hafslund Eco has gained increased knowledge when it comes to the area of service life and operating stresses on turbines and generators. This has led to an even larger knowledge base which is constantly used for the further development of condition monitoring, professional support, troubleshooting and analysis.
Turbine in Aurland. Photo: Hafslund

Sediment handling

In order to avoid wear and tear on the turbine from sediments, HydroCen has looked at how to find the most effective design of sand traps to collect and retain sediments in the water.
Results from this project are planned to be used by Hafslund Eco at those of their power plants that have challenges associated with sediment transport.
Dam Viddalsvatn. Photo: Hafslund

Sediment handling

In order to avoid wear and tear on the turbine from sediments, HydroCen has looked at how to find the most effective design of sand traps to collect and retain sediments in the water.
Results from this project are planned to be used by Hafslund Eco at those of their power plants that have challenges associated with sediment transport.
Dam Viddalsvatn. Photo: Hafslund

Issues around peaking power

New knowledge about how power operation and start/stop affect the rock mass and the rock's stability is relevant for all power plants, both existing and those planned. This is knowledge that Hafslund Eco will take into account in order to adequately take care of the hydropower tunnels in a time with more varied production patterns.
Lower Otta power plant. Photo: Hafslund

Issues around peaking power

New knowledge about how power operation and start/stop affect the rock mass and the rock's stability is relevant for all power plants, both existing and those planned. This is knowledge that Hafslund Eco will take into account in order to adequately take care of the hydropower tunnels in a time with more varied production patterns.
Lower Otta power plant. Photo: Hafslund