NEWSLETTER #11 _ December 2025

Dear Reader,

Christmas is around the corner and we are happy to share our latest updates, insights and upcoming activities with you in this December edition of the Hydro4U Newsletter.

Over the past months, the Francis Container Power Solution (FCPS) has moved from concept to reality in Uzbekistan, now operating as a modular, low-cost small hydropower system designed for fast installation in remote areas, while in Kyrgyzstan, overall progress on the construction of the Hydroshaft Power Solution (HSPS) is accelerating, although on-site work is paused during the winter season.

Beyond our demonstration sites, Hydro4U partners are also conducting bankable feasibility studies at additional sites in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. These studies help identify suitable hydropower concepts for each location and ensure that sustainable solutions can be adapted to diverse local conditions. 

Furthermore, this year’s “Hydro KG” Summer School at KSTU in Bishkek continued bringing together students from Europe and Central Asia to build the next generation of hydropower experts.

In addition, the European Commission has published a new report on Research and Innovation, assessing 55 EU-funded research projects and analysing their contributions to a just and inclusive green transition. 

While continuously growing our collection of solution factsheets containing deeper technical insights, we are also keeping up to date with other projects and intitiatives such as ReHydro, completing its first reporting period as it advances sustainable refurbishment of hydropower infrastructure as well as ETIP HYDROPOWER, releasing a new White Paper series addressing power system flexibility and biodiversity protection while the WE-ACT Cooperation Week positions Central Asia at the forefront of Climate-Resilient Water Governance.

For more information on upcoming conferences and exhibitions on water management and smart solutions, please have a look at our events section.

If you have received this newsletter by a project partner, please subscribe here, so you don't miss future editions of this newsletter that are published three times per year.

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We hope you enjoy reading!

Bertalan Alapfy
Hydro4U Coordinator
Technical University of Munich
Chair of Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering

Authors: Steinbeis

The Hydro4U project partners is making significant progress in unlocking Central Asia's untapped hydropower potential. By focusing on small-scale, climate-resilient solutions, Hydro4U is transforming access to energy in remote regions while setting new standards for sustainability.

Key milestones include:

• Deployment in Uzbekistan: The Francis Container Power Solution (FCPS) has made the leap from concept to reality and is now delivering renewable energy via a modular, low-cost system that simplifies installation in hard-to-reach areas.

• Progress in Kyrgyzstan: Construction of the Hydroshaft Power Solution (HSPS) is in full swing, showcasing a state-of-the-art design for climate resilience and environmental compatibility.

• Besides the demonstration activities, Hydro4U also performs planning activities at additional sites in Central Asia to expand the focus on replicability of the two technical solutions, both regionally and in terms of content. The planning activities serve to elaborate the innovative and sustainable solution approaches at further locations in a concrete and detailed manner and thus to map the feasibility and the advantages of these at different locations. There is progress at the planning sites in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. 

Beyond the construction projects, Hydro4U has introduced planning tools – including GIS-based mapping, advanced water accounting and fish-friendly ecological monitoring, drone surveying and 3D building data modelling (BIM)  – to ensure that hydropower development is consistent with the water-energy-food-climate nexus. 

Crucially, Hydro4U's partners have involved local communities and businesses from the outset, creating not only energy security but also economic opportunities. 

All of these are critical processes and steps for the transition to sustainable hydropower in Central Asia.

Summer School “Hydro KG” 2025

One of the objectives of the Hydro4U project is to develop academic programs and courses on hydropower for students from Europe and Central Asia. In this regard, the Kyrgyz State Technical University (KSTU) has been holding a two-week Summer School annually since 2021 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. This 2025, the Summer School was held from August 4 to 17. There were 8 students in total, 6 from Germany and 2 from Kyrgyzstan. 

Hydro4U Phase 1 Construction Update from the demo-site in At-Bashy

The construction activities for the modular Hydroshaft Power Solution (HSPS) in At‑Bashy, Kyrgyzstan, began in August 2024. The contractor is Orion, a local Kyrgyz construction company. Project partner ILF Consulting Engineers played a key role in the design phase and supervision of this demonstration hydropower plant. ILF Austria was responsible for the detailed design of the civil works and for the structural calculations, while ILF Kazakhstan conducted the site supervision during construction.

The European Commission has published a new report on Research & Innovation Projects

The European Commission, DG Research and Innovation has published a new report on Research & Innovation Projects called “A Just and Inclusive Green Transition." This report assesses 55 EU-funded research projects, examining their contributions to a just and inclusive green transition.

Hydro4U shares a series of Solution Factsheets

We are happy to share a series of concise, two-page Solution Factsheets showcasing exploitable results developed within Hydro4U. Each factsheet aims at highlighting key features, benefits and applications of the solutions, offering valuable insights into the work conducted so far.

Throughout the course of this year, we have welcomed a few more projects, clusters and initiatives into our existing network and are in constant exchange on developments and potential joint activities. 

ReHydro successfully closes first Reporting Period

The demand for flexible renewable energy sources continues to grow across Europe. The EU-funded research project ReHydro: Demonstration of Sustainable Hydropower Refurbishment, focuses on modernising aging hydropower infrastructure to increase efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability. Launched in May 2024, the project has now completed its first reporting period in October 2025.

ETIP HYDROPOWER publishes new series of White Papers on two of the most pressing issues for Europe’s clean energy transition

ETIP HYDROPOWER has published a new series of White Papers addressing two of the most pressing issues for Europe’s clean energy transition: power system flexibility and biodiversity protection in hydropower environments. The collection includes one paper on flexibility and three papers on key biodiversity challenges: environmental flows, fish mobility and sediment dynamics.

WE-ACT Cooperation Week Positions Central Asia at the Forefront of Climate-Resilient Water Governance

Across the rapidly changing landscapes of the Syr Darya basin, where glacier retreat accelerates and seasonal flows grow increasingly unpredictable, the WE-ACT Cooperation Week brought together the region’s leading institutions for a week of intensive, technically rigorous collaboration.

• Renexpo 2026, 19 – 20 March 2026, Salzburg, Austria
• International Congress and Exhibition: Hydropower Central Asia and Caspian 2026,         1-2 April 2026, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
• 9th IAHR Europe Congress, 9 – 11 June 2026, Luleå, Sweden

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