Hydropower as Flexibility Provider for Renewable Energy Systems: Enhancing the Impact of HydroFlex

Målet med Horzon2020-prosjektet HydroFlex er å utvikle teknologi, kunnskap og forståelse som kan tillate bruk av vannkraft til fleksibilitetstjenester i et fremtidig kraftsystem med høy andel av intermitterende, fornybar energi. Basert på resultatene og aktivitetene til HydroFlex-prosjektet, er målet med HydroFlex_FORSTERK-prosjektet å skape dialog med eksterne aktører og allmennheten i Norge. Fokuset vil særlig være på å tilpasse og kommunisere relevansen av HydroFlex-resultatene til den norske konteksten, snarere enn den generelle europeiske / nordiske konteksten som de vanlige HydroFlex-aktivitetene konsentrerer seg om. En dialog med disse forskjellige eksterne aktørene vil også gi viktige tilbakemeldinger for HydroFlex-prosjektet og fremtidige retninger for norsk vannkraftforskning. Derfor vil den supplerende finansieringen øke effekten og øke relevansen av HydroFlex-prosjektet og fremtidig forskning i Norge.

The initial intention for this project was to reach out to the Norwegian hydropower stakeholders and the general public though physical workshops and meetings. Due to the Covid situation, the project was forced to carry out digital meetings and podcasts. Even the final workshop was a hybrid meeting. However, this reached out to more people than we would have done with the initial plan. The Norwegian hydropower stakeholders and the general public have been given access to the outcomes of the Horizon2020 project HydroFlex. This has been carried out through the following dissemination activities: 1. Podcasts in collaboration with Polyteknisk forening 2. Participation in European Green week seminars 3. Publication in the Norwegian media 4. Final workshop

The HydroFlex_FORSTERK project aims to enhance the impact and increase the relevance of the H2020 project HydroFlex for industry, academia, policy and civil society actors in Norway. The current transformation of the European and global power system towards a fully sustainable and renewable production mix with intermittent renewable energy sources as key components entails large challenges related to maintaining a good quality of supply. In the light of these challenges, the H2020 HydroFlex project aims towards scientific and technological breakthroughs to enable hydropower to operate with very high flexibility in order to use the full power and storage capability, thereby also assessing the environmental, social and market conditions required for such flexible operation. HydroFlex_FORSTERK will strengthen the HydroFlex project dissemination to and dialogue with relevant hydropower stakeholders in Norway with a particular focus on the role of Norwegian hydropower as flexibility provider for renewable energy systems. This will be done by organizing two workshops for hydropower stakeholders on ancillary services and the future energy system. Further, a video will be produced to increase awareness about the potential role of Norwegian hydropower and the related challenges, targeting the general public. Lastly, results of the HydroFlex project will be presented at different conferences, workshops and meetings, and thereby project impact will be increased.