RenewHydro aims to take hydropower to the next level

Researchers in the centre RenewHydro will collaborate to develop smart solutions. The goal is more environmentally friendly hydropower, to provide reliable power supply and to benefit society. 

– Hydropower is an enabler for new and significant opportunities in the energy system. When experts in technology, biology, and economics work together, we can take hydropower into a new era, says Centre Leader Liv Randi Hultgreen from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU. 

Hydropower has been the backbone of Norway's energy supply for over 100 years, but now both hydropower and society face new challenges. Norway is in the process of electrifying more sectors of society, such as transport and industry. At the same time, new energy-intensive industries are being established, and the nation has committed to ambitious nature and climate goals. 

Teaming up with solar and wind 

– At RenewHydro, we will research how hydropower can collaborate with other renewable technologies, such as solar and wind power, and adapt to new climate and market challenges, says Hultgreen. 

The hydropower industry and management will be closely involved. They will, among other things, participate in testing models in laboratories and exploring specific solutions at power plants and waterways. 

–  To achieve a green transition, we need more sources of clean energy production. Flexible hydropower is the key to this, and it requires more knowledge and expertise. The power system is changing, and we need to solve complex technical challenges while considering nature and the environment,  says Andreas Ulvestad, Senior Vice President, Technology & Process at  Statkraft, and chairman of the board at RenewHydro. 

– Statkraft and the industry have a clear expectation that RenewHydro will help develop knowledge and expertise across disciplines and areas of interest that will assist industry and society in moving forward with the green shift. We look forward to getting started, says Ulvestad. 

Ensuring reliable energy supply 

Reliable access to electric energy is essential for modern society. In recent years, extreme weather and power crises have shown that we cannot take this for granted. Hydropower can store and regulate energy in large reservoirs. They act as natural batteries, providing us with electricity even when it's cloudy or windless. 

Researchers from institutions such as NTNU, the University of Southeast Norway (USN), SINTEF, ETH Zurich, Luleå University of Technology (LTU), and Kathmandu University will collaborate to develop technological solutions that enhance hydropower’s ability to store and regulate energy. This will help strengthen research on supply security in an energy system that is becoming increasingly dependent on variable renewable energy such as solar and wind power. 

The researchers will explore how to design future power plants. They must account for the fact that power plants will have to have more frequent starts and stops of production, as demand fluctuates more than before. Power plants will also need to manage larger flood peaks and longer dry spells, all while considering nature and the environment. 

Adapting to climate change and protecting nature 

Nature has provided our society with extraordinary resources. By developing as a hydropower nation, we have created industries, jobs, and local communities across the nation. However, hydropower has also had a significant impact on nature in and around rivers and waterways. Therefore, RenewHydro will make a substantial effort to find methods that enhance biodiversity, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to restoring ecosystems. The goal is to operate hydropower more sustainably. 

– By bringing together the best research environments at NINA, NTNU, NMBU, the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), USN and NORCE, RenewHydro will contribute to interdisciplinary research that incorporates the environment, economics, technical and technological research. The idea is to foster a team that can strengthen the research field both nationally and internationally, says Hultgreen. 

Through analyses of climate impacts and flood mitigation, the research can help protect communities and infrastructure from extreme weather events in the future. 

Contact: Liv Randi Hultgreen, NTNU 

Website: www.renewhydro.no 

Programme for Kick-off 14.januar

Facts: 

RenewHydro is a Research Centre for Environmentally Friendly Energy (FME). The FME programme is an initiative by the Research Council of Norway to ensure long-term research on renewable energy and energy transition in close cooperation between research, industry, and government. 

The Research Council and the hydropower industry will invest around 370 million NOK over the next eight years to make hydropower a pillar of the energy transition. 

The centre is led by NTNU, NHH, NINA, and SINTEF Energy. The research will take place in close collaboration with Norwegian and international research partners such as NORCE, NMBU, USN, ETH Zurich, Luleå University of Technology, and Kathmandu University.