European energy consortium upgrades hydropower plants to support power grid

Energy leaders met in Switzerland today to hear about a series of technological upgrades made to hydropower plants across Europe to support the energy...

What exactly is flexibility? A visit to Portugal's hydropower plants lifts the veil on the future of energy

Understanding flexibility offers key insights into how renewable energy can adapt to our evolving needs. A step behind the scenes at EDP’s hydropower plants...

We fed our hydropower turbine data to an AI machine. What happened next was astonishing.

Jean-Louis Drommi shares a groundbreaking journey into the fusion of hydropower and artificial intelligence. His first-hand account provides a unique insight...

Alpiq to showcase extended hydropower capabilities during Z'Mutt visit

Swiss energy company Alpiq is hosting a private visit to the Z’Mutt hydropower plant for partners of the European innovation project XFLEX HYDRO.The purpose...

Hydro plant upgrades show benefits for the power grid. And for the environment.

The first results of the XFLEX HYDRO project have been unveiled in Switzerland this week. They promise benefits for power plant owners, for the environment...

Smart upgrade at hydropower plant provides unexpected boost to energy security

OZ-EN-OISANS, 17 October 2022 – With energy experts scrambling to find a solution to the looming gas supply crisis in Europe, a relatively simple upgrade to a..

Finish line in view for the XFLEX Hydro project

HEIDENHEIM, 26 SEPTEMBER 2022. One of the most ambitious research and technology projects in the energy sector is entering its last phase, with less than a...

Flexibility Market

The deployment of any flexible technology depends, among other things, on assessment of its cost-benefits and socio-environmental impacts.

Run-of-river hydropower plant tests hydro-battery-hybrid

The Vogelgrun hydropower plant on the Rhine River is testing how a battery energy storage system (BESS) can increase the flexibility of the plant and reduce...

French hydropower plant aims to increase efficiency and flexibility

The Grand'Maison hydropower plant in the French Alps is testing how Hydraulic Short Circuit (HSC) technology can enable the simultaneous use of very high head..

Smart Power Plant Supervisor

The next step is developing an innovative methodology to integrate and fully utilise the demonstrated hydro technologies at new and existing hydropower assets

Assessing low-cost ways to increase hydropower’s services at Alqueva

The Alqueva pumped storage hydropower plant in Portugal is exploring three low capital expenditure opportunities to increase the plant’s services to the...

Alto Lindoso & Caniçada, Portugal

Alto Lindoso and Caniçada are two reservoir storage hydropower plants, each equipped with Francis turbine units with a total installed capacity of 630 MW and...

Alqueva, Portugal

Alqueva is a pumped storage hydropower plant equipped with four fixed-speed reversible pump-turbine units with a total installed capacity of 520 MW.

Frades 2, Portugal

Frades 2 is a pumped storage hydropower plant, equipped with two variable speed units composed of two 390 MW reversible pump-turbines coupled with doubly-fed…

Grand'Maison

Grand'Maison is a pumped storage hydropower plant featuring twelve 150 MW units, consisting of four Pelton turbines and eight reversible pump-turbines.

Vogelgrun, France

Vogelgrun is a run-of-river hydropower plant equipped with four 39 MW Kaplan units. For the XFLEX HYDRO demonstration, one of the units is hybridised with a...

Z'mutt, Switzerland

Z’Mutt is the largest pumped storage hydropower plant of the Grand Dixence hydroelectric complex, featuring five units with a total pumping power of 88 MW.

Testing an innovative hydropower operating regime at Frades 2

The Frades 2 hydropower plant in the north of Portugal is testing how Hydraulic Short Circuit (HSC) technology can enhance the power regulation services and...

View the latest videos about the demonstrations

The XFLEX HYDRO project has launched new videos about five of the six demonstration projects…

EU smart hydropower initiative passes milestone at COP26

The €18 million joint project by 19 leading utilities, equipment manufacturers, universities, research centres, consultancies, including…

Advances in hydropower tech can support renewable power system security

At the World Hydropower Congress, participants in the EU-funded energy innovation project XFLEX HYDRO presented the extraordinary advances in digital…

Ancillary Services Matrix - stage 1

This is the first stage of the ancillary services matrix, which will guide development and technology…

Creating an Ancillary Services Matrix

Understanding the power and energy services needed to balance the grid, both now and in the future, is an important first step.

Demand for smart hydropower tech to grow rapidly according to industry survey

Demand is expected to soar for innovative new hydropower technologies which provide flexibility and resilience for electricity grids…

Technologies

The project will demonstrate a set of innovative hydroelectric technologies at selected sites across Europe…

Roadmap and guidance

Using laboratory research and real-life demonstrations, the project will inform professionals and decision-makers, who will be convened at regular intervals.

Major step forward as Vogelgrun battery system arrives

A battery energy storage system (BESS) container to be used in the XFLEX HYDRO initiative arrived at EDF’s Volgelgrun hydropower plant on 1 April 2021.

Latest news on the demonstrations

To date, all demonstrations in XFLEX HYDRO have been focused on performing initial studies

Key performance indicators: tracking progress of the project innovations

Research institute and university The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), is leading work to assess the impact of XFLEX HYDRO’s demonstration

We want your views on flexible hydropower technologies

Are you involved in the hydropower and wider energy sector? Help us to assess the level of interest in the flexible technologies being demonstrated by XFLEX HYD

Communication and dissemination

Sharing knowledge during the four year project will raise awareness of XFLEX HYDRO and disseminate project outcomes to stakeholders.