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What opportunities does hydropower have in tomorrow's society?

A major transition towards a renewable power system is underway in the world. To reach our climate goals, we must cut emissions of fossil fuels and establish more renewable energy production from wind and solar. In addition to being a renewable energy resource in itself, hydropower plays an important role in being able to produce energy when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. 

What opportunities does hydropower have in tomorrow's society?

A major transition towards a renewable power system is underway in the world. To reach our climate goals, we must cut emissions of fossil fuels and establish more renewable energy production from wind and solar. In addition to being a renewable energy resource in itself, hydropower plays an important role in being able to produce energy when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. 

The flexibility of hydropower

Hydropower plants have the potential to change energy production rapidly. Behind the large dams, a lot of water can be stored in the reservoirs, so that the power plant always has access to water. In a few seconds, you can change how much water passes through the turbines, which changes energy production. This is the great advantage of hydropower and what we call "the flexibility of hydropower".

Some hydropower plants are so-called pumped storage power plants, which can produce when electricity prices are high and exploit lower electricity prices to pump the water back into the reservoir. 

A renewable society generates both new revenues and costs

The Norwegian power system has more grid connections to Sweden, and with more interconnectors abroad, we are also more closely connected to Europe. Thus, energy production and the transition to renewable energy production in Europe will also be important for how we operate our hydropower plants here in Norway. It is the prices in the power market that determine how hydropower plants are operated. When there is cheap electricity in Europe, hydropower plants can be shut down, we can import electricity and save water for a period of higher prices. Alternatively, pumped storage power plants can be used to pump water back into the reservoir.

More frequent start-ups, stops or changes in production in hydropower the plants take a toll on the turbine and generator that produces electricity. Increased maintenance costs must therefore be taken into account when planning production from hydropower plants. 

Norway can lead the energy transition

Access to energy from hydropower has contributed greatly to value creation in Norway and has been crucial for the establishment of power-intensive industry, such as smelters, in Norway. Norway is in a unique position in the world, as our power production is mainly already renewable hydropower with a large storage capacity. This makes it easier to integrate new production from, for example, offshore wind.

Thus, everything is in place for renewable energy production to be Norway's competitive advantage also in the future, where power-intensive production of, for example, batteries and hydrogen will play an important role in the transition to a renewable power system in the rest of the world. 

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CONTACT

Subject manager:

Ingrid Villberg, SINTEF Energi

Linn Emelie Schäffer, SINTEF Energi/NTNU 

Communication manager:

Juliet Landrø, NINA

About HydroCen

We are a research center for environmentally friendly energy.

Researchers will deliver knowledge and innovative solutions to Norwegian hydropower.

The goal is for the research to contribute to Norwegian hydropower being able to meet complex challenges and opportunities in the future's renewable energy system.

Norwegian University of Science and technology (NTNU) is the host institution and main research partner in HydroCen together with SINTEF Energy and the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research (NINA). HydroCen has around 50 national and international partners from research, industry and administration.

About the Knowledge Hub

The goal of the Knowledge Hub is to collect and make available the knowledge from the research in HydroCen so that the results can be used directly by the hydropower industry or in further research, thereby helping to ensure value creation and societal benefit.

Newsletter from HydroCen

We regularly send out newsletters with research results and news. Please register here:

RELEVANT TOPICS

RESEARCH RESULTS

CONTACT

Subject manager:

Ingrid Villberg, SINTEF Energi

Linn Emelie Schäffer, SINTEF Energi/NTNU 

Communication manager:

Juliet Landrø, NINA

About HydroCen

We are a research center for environmentally friendly energy.

Researchers will deliver knowledge and innovative solutions to Norwegian hydropower.

The goal is for the research to contribute to Norwegian hydropower being able to meet complex challenges and opportunities in the future's renewable energy system.

Norwegian University of Science and technology (NTNU) is the host institution and main research partner in HydroCen together with SINTEF Energy and the Norwegian Institute for Natural Research (NINA). HydroCen has around 50 national and international partners from research, industry and administration.

About the Knowledge Hub

The goal of the Knowledge Hub is to collect and make available the knowledge from the research in HydroCen so that the results can be used directly by the hydropower industry or in further research, thereby helping to ensure value creation and societal benefit.

Newsletter from HydroCen

We regularly send out newsletters with research results and news. Please register here:

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