Development of hydropower technologies and water management schemes allowing for win-win situation of flexible hydropower and biodiversity improvement – Societal Readiness Pilot

• Enhanced capacity and flexibility of the hydropower fleet to support a renewables-based electricity system and management of water flows

• Increased technology leadership, competitiveness and export potential of the European hydropower industry

• Enhanced sustainability of hydropower with positive effects on river ecosystems, biodiversity and adaptation to climate change

• Improved societal uptake and trust through deeper understanding of the needs and concerns of diverse social groups, citizens and civil society

Proposals must: develop hydropower technology or water management solutions (or both) enabling synergies between grid-connected flexible energy generation and local ecosystem management at existing run-of-river or reservoir plants (or cascades); address one or more of the following thematic areas – hydropeaking mitigation, floodplain biotope restoration, sediment transport management, river morphology restoration, environmentally efficient water flows – incorporating climate change adaptation; integrate societal needs and local community participation in decision-making to build trust; demonstrate enhanced generation flexibility to match current and projected grid and water availability; achieve high sustainability and positive impacts on river ecosystems and biodiversity through equipment, material and digital innovation, nature-inclusive design, ecosystem restoration and innovative water-flow operations; ensure no loss of hydropower efficiency or equipment functionality in the optimisation; quantitatively assess impacts on both energy output and biodiversity; and exclude pumped storage hydropower and water management schemes not directly connected to natural water bodies. Proposals must follow the Societal Readiness pilot framework with a robust interdisciplinary approach and effective SSH expertise involvement.