News

The first results of a European research and development initiative to extend the flexibility of hydropower plants have been unveiled in Switzerland this week. They promise benefits for power plant owners, for the environment, and for the power grid.

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 hydropower plant in France…

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 year to go before completion.

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 wear and tear effects.

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 pumps and Pelton turbines, using smart digital controls.

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

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 70 MW, respectively.

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

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 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).

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.

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 operating ranges offered by pumped storage hydropower.

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

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

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

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

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.

To date, all demonstrations in XFLEX HYDRO have been focused on performing initial studies. These are essential to ensure robust implementation of the innovative technological solutions at the hydropower sites.

XFLEX HYDRO has launched its first progress report.

Research institute and university The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), is leading work to assess the impact of XFLEX HYDRO’s demonstrations on hydro plant operations and maintenance.

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 HYDRO.

30 November 2020 - A major EU-funded energy innovation initiative to demonstrate how smart hydropower technologies can deliver a low-carbon…