Research topics

THE FLEXIBILITY OF HYDROPOWER

Hydropower has provided Norway with secure access to energy for more than a hundred years. Globally, hydropower remains the largest producer of renewable energy. At the same time, a lot is being invested in the development of solar and wind power, which means that in the future we will be increasingly dependent on utilizing hydropower to get reliable and stable access to renewable energy. This requires us to utilize the flexibility of hydropower to a much greater extent than we do today.

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGY

Water flow, water temperature, ice conditions and water quality change in regulated rivers with hydropower production. It changes the physical conditions in the river and affects the livelihoods of those who live there. The aim of the researchers in work package 4, Environmental design, in HydroCen is therefore to develop knowledge and innovative technology to make hydropower production as sustainable as possible.

ELECTRICITY PRICES AND POWER MARKET

Once an hour, the Nord Pool power market calculates the electricity price for the various regions in the Nordic region. Whether buying or selling, it is very important for most market participants to have knowledge of price formation and how it may develop in the future.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Climate change affects nature, and at the same time land encroachment can also affect the climate. In HydroCen, we are researching how to minimize the negative environmental effects of hydropower production, and how hydropower can be of benefit to society in periods of both floods and droughts.

DAM SAFETY

Norwegian reservoirs are like giant batteries. The enormous amounts of water that are stored in Norwegian nature ensure that we in Norway always have renewable electricity available. Every time it rains or snows, the batteries are charged, and close to 3,500 dams keep the water in place. Due to climate change and more rainfall, it is now necessary to find out whether these dams still do the job well enough.

READ MORE HERE (coming soon)
RESULTS UNDER DAM SAFETY

PUMPED STORAGE

Pumped storage plants can be said to be "hydropower plants on speed" or "mutated hydropower plants". The pumped storage plants have the opportunity to both produce energy by releasing water from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir, and store energy by pumping water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir.

SEDIMENT HANDLING

Clean water is extremely important in hydropower. Sediments such as rock, gravel, sand and clay can, for example, destroy turbines and tunnels, and lead to very expensive maintenance costs. Those who have researched sediment handling have addressed a global problem for the economy, environment and sustainability, as many other countries in the world also have major challenges associated with handling sediments in hydropower plants.

READ MORE HERE (coming soon)
RESULTS UNDER SEDIMENT HANDLING

DATA COLLECTION, MEASURING EQUIPMENT AND ANALYSIS

At HydroCen, we are working in the long term to collect and make measurement data available to increase understanding and improve all aspects of the hydropower plant. We do this by developing new technology to enable measurements at new locations or ways to install meters at old power plants.

HYDROPOWER AND SOCIETY

People in Norway are mostly positive about hydropower and value the production of relatively affordable and climate-friendly energy from the power of the water. But will it always be like that?

LIFETIME AND OPERATIONAL IMPAIRMENTS

Knowledge of the stresses that the operation of a hydropower plant has on the various components, and how quickly they wear out depending on the operation, is important to be able to plan production well. It is desirable to be able to run production as profitably as possible without too much at the expense of the condition of the components. That is why it is important to have the right information about tolerance limits for various components and how much their lifespan is affected by different operating patterns.

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Research topics in HydroCen