SE-Hydro approach

SE-Hydro envisions a future where hydropower operates as a flexible, environmentally sustainable, and socially inclusive pillar of Europe’s energy system, harmonising renewable energy generation with river ecosystem health and active community participation

SE-Hydro approach

The SE-Hydro Methodology

SE-Hydro introduces an integrated framework where technical innovation and societal engagement are developed in parallel to ensure that operational decisions become biodiversity-positive and community-supported.

Participatory approaches for societal inclusivity

The project establishes a Societal Readiness Framework (SRF) to embed inclusivity and collaborative engagement into technological development. Tools like a user-centred governance portal and conflict-resolution river diagnosis will be developed and tested. Those participatory approaches aims to facilitate transparent communication between HPPs operators and local communities. It will give local residents and field stakeholders the opportunity to express their perceptions and share their view, needs and concerns on current operations. Discussions will also occured on the state of a river or watercourse section across its ecological, economic, socio-cultural and political dimensions.

Environmental assessment

SE-Hydro employs high-resolution geospatial mapping, hydrological modeling, and a biodiversity decision-support tool improve environmental screening of HPP infrastructure and operations, and will propose innovative water management solutions for better ecological flow requirements satisfaction and mitigation of disrupting events such as hydropeaking and sentiment transport.

Photo credit: NTUA

Eco-flexible hydropower operational management

Advanced optimisation and control solutions will be developed to enable hydropower plants to maximise their participation in electricity and flexibility markets while respecting environmental constraints. The project combines innovative turbine operation, renewable portfolio management and real-time control strategies to coordinate hydropower with wind and solar generation, improve grid flexibility, reduce renewable curtailment, and ensure environmentally responsible operation.

Business Layer

We will develop innovative business models, such as “eco-flexibility-as-a-service,” and policy recommendations to ensure the economic viability of sustainable hydropower. In parallel, replicator candidates and a community of practice will be established to foster awareness raising, peer-learning and capacity building.

Over its 42 months, the project follows a phased Implementation.

01

BASELINES

SE-Hydro establishes societal and environmental baselines, initiates co-design with communities, and prototypes early technical models.

02

TECHNOLOGY De INTEGRATION

Shift to technology integration, refining assessments using site-specific data and conducting scenario-based validation within digital replicas.

03

VALIDATION & SCALE-UP

Deploys eco-flexible control schemes at pilot sites, finalizes business feasibility models, and produces a scalability roadmap for European-wide adoption.

The project validates its innovations across four representative pilot sites in Greece, France, Portugal, and Serbia, covering diverse hydropower typologies like run-of-river, reservoir, and cascade systems.

SE-Hydro’s outcomes

10% of reduction in turbine start-stop sequences

10% of revenue increase through improved market participation

15% of RES portfolio penetration

Ecological impact reduced by at least 15%

The project is structured to deliver 10 exploitable outputs aimed at transforming the hydropower sector.

  • Hydropower’s Societal Readiness Framework

    A methodology for sustainable and acceptable hydropower development.

  • Participatory governance portal

    Facilitates transparent communication between HPPs operators and local communities

  • High-Fidelity Environmental Screening

    Tools for basin-level assessments and ecosystem monitoring

  • Advanced Impact Assessment Models

    Finer-grained Environmental and Social Life Cycle Assessment (E-LCA & S-LCA) models.

  • Innovative Turbines Utilisation

    Guidelines and hardware designs to extend the operating range of turbines while reducing mechanical stress.

  • Eco-Flexible Optimisation Suite

    AI-driven tools for renewable portfolio management, real-time control strategies and multi-market participation that respect ecological constraints.

  • Digital Validation Environment

    A software platform for virtual testing of HPP operations.

  • Innovative Business Models

    New archetypes like biodiversity-aligned Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

  • SE-Hydro guidelines and roadmap to replication

    Foster European Leadership and long-term sustainability.

  • Community of practice

    Workshops and resources to foster capacity building, peer-learning and replication.