Funded by the European Union, ReHydro aims to demonstrate how European hydropower can be refurbished and modernized to play a leading role in the future energy system, while adhering to sustainability requirements and societal needs in the context of climate change.

The project began with its official Kick-off meeting in Brussels in May 2024 and is expected to run until April 2028, supported by a total of 22 partners from 7 European countries. Within the framework of the project, several solutions such as a new, fish-friendly turbine design and monitoring tools will be tested on five main demonstration sites. Four more sites will showcase specific project activities. ReHydro’s exploitable results are expected to create 800 – 1,150 new jobs in the manufacturing industry, leading to an increase of 275 mil. Euros in the global market.

Since its official start, ReHydro has established its main communication platforms: The official LinkedIn account, which serves as the primary space to share progress as it happens and inform about upcoming events, and the official ReHydro website, where interested parties are able to find all information about the project’s background as well as research publications and articles. In addition, the ReHydro newsletter provides focused information on the project’s most important advancements.

One of these advancements was the start of data collection in Norway in September. The rivers Brattlandsdalsåi and Roalkvamsåi are part of the larger refurbishment projects, and thus it is vital to monitor their water temperature, flow, and habitat conditions to ensure sustainable and environmentally friendly planning. Innovative technologies such as eDNA to map biodiversity are also being used.

ReHydro’s next big step is the roll-out of an external modernization survey in early 2025, which pertains directly to the realization of one of the project’s deliverables and goals. This survey will gather additional data on the current modernization efforts of European hydropower to deepen understanding of the sector’s needs.

Author: ReHydro project

On 15 November 2024, WE-ACT brought together key stakeholders for a full-day workshop at the “Silk Road” conference hall in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The event focused on transboundary water allocation simulation and irrigation water tariffs in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The day fostered collaboration, mutual learning, and actionable outcomes for water resource management in the Syr Darya river basin.

What WE-ACT Did

1. Transboundary Water Allocation Simulation
Using the innovative simulation tool Together We Flow, WE-ACT created an interactive environment where decision-makers from the Syr Darya basin engaged in practical exercises to explore trade-offs in water allocation. Participants balanced economic, environmental, and socio-cultural values in decision-making scenarios, gaining insights into the complexities of managing shared water resources.

• Who attended: Decision-makers, government officials, and researchers.
• Outcome: Strengthened understanding of cooperative water management, enriched perspectives on stakeholder values, and provided valuable data for ongoing research led by the University of Twente.

2. Water Tariffs Workshop
In the afternoon, discussions shifted to the current legal and institutional frameworks of irrigation water tariffs in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Participants explored how pricing affects agricultural productivity, equity, and sustainability. Comparative analysis and group discussions led to recommendations for refining water governance.

• Who attended: Policy experts, water user associations, and practitioners.
• Outcome: Clearer understanding of existing challenges, actionable recommendations for improving tariff structures, and enhanced dialogue on best practices between the two countries.

The workshop was more than just an academic exercise; it was a forum for open dialogue and shared learning. Simulation was “eye-opening” for understanding others’ perspectives, and the tariff discussions sparked meaningful debates about practical solutions for water governance.

Why It Matters

This workshop exemplifies WE-ACT’s commitment to fostering resilience and equity in water resource management.

For further information: https://weact-project.eu/building-bridges-for-water-governance-we-act-hosts-water-allocation-simulation-and-tariffs-in-central-asia-workshop/

Author: WE-ACT project

The Di-Hydro project has made 1 year, being launched in October 2023 with the goal of advancing the digital transformation of hydropower plants (HPPs). Through innovative technologies, cutting-edge sensors, and advanced digital twins, Di-Hydro aims to enhance operational efficiency, environmental sustainability, and decision-making processes within the hydropower sector. As we mark the conclusion of the project’s first year, here is an overview of the significant progress.

Laying the Foundation for Digital Transformation

The team focused on gathering and analysing critical data from HPPs managed by project partners PPC, A2A, and EPS. This included characteristic of the hydropower plants participating in the pilot activities, weather data, flow measurements, and biodiversity metrics.

Key results in Digital Transformation of the HP Sector and Requirement of HPPs were completed. These findings outline the digital transformation goals for each pilot HPP, the specifications for novel sensors, and their optimal placement.

In addition, the team defined use cases and the digitisation levels each HPP can achieve, paving the way for developing Di-Hydro’s digital twins and decision-making platform. And finally, best practices and barriers for digitisation of operation and maintenance of hydropower plants were also identified.

Advancing Sensor Technologies

To digitalise the HPPs, the Di-Hydro team also focused on selecting and specifying innovative sensors. These sensors will monitor structural health of machinery or infrastructure, biofouling, biodiversity, environmental factors, and water flow, while also supporting underwater inspections.

Moreover, the partners at IMT addressed methodologies for sensor data processing, storage, and exchange. Lead by INOSENS, several activities are ongoing and planned in validating these methods under laboratory conditions, ensuring their reliability and applicability to real-world HPP environments.

Developing Digital Models for Enhanced Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

The team also dedicates a great deal of attention into creating the digital infrastructure required for optimal O&M at HPPs. This year, the team made insightful progress in developing secure-by-design architecture and implementing forecasting techniques for meteorological and water flow data.

Environmental and biodiversity monitoring models are being established using diverse data sources, while Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence algorithms are analysing sample data from laboratory setups. Efforts are underway to integrate virtual models of the assets into the Di-Hydro’s digital twin (DT) framework, utilising real-world pilot data.

The ultimate goal here is to deliver an advanced visualisation tool integrated within the digital twin, enabling predictive analytics for weather, water flow, biodiversity, and structural health of the HP into the Di-Hydro Decision-Making Platform, which will not only optimise O&M, but also facilitate online handling of HPP operations in real case scenarios.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As Di-Hydro enters its second year, the project will continue building on these achievements. 2025 promises to be a milestone year, with numerous events and sessions planned in collaboration with other hydropower initiatives.

Stay connected with Di-Hydro with our Newsletter and keep updated on the transformative impact of Di-Hydro innovations on the hydropower sector.

Author: Di-Hydro project

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), in collaboration with the Hydro4U project’s regional consortium partners TIIAME and KSTU, is actively involved in developing and disseminating open-source educational materials based on the project’s lessons learned and outcomes. While the Hydro4U project has produced numerous tools and assessments, ensuring their long-term utility requires effective dissemination and integration into broader applications.

To achieve this, IWMI has been engaging with key stakeholders, including representatives from KSTU and TIIAME, to define the scope and focus of these educational materials. Simultaneously, IWMI is organising meetings with further relevant academic institutions and industries — such as organisations involved in water, food, and energy management — to identify skill gaps and explore how tailored teaching materials can address these needs.

For example: one notable event took place on October 28–29, 2024 in Andijan, Uzbekistan, in partnership with the Andijan Institute of Agriculture and Agrotechnologies. This gathering brought together over 70 participants from diverse sectors, including academia, executive bodies of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination, provincial basin organizations, local water management entities in the Ferghana Valley, farmers, and the general public. The event focused on addressing Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus challenges, exploring practical implementation strategies, and sharing regional experiences from Nexus-related interventions.

During this event, Jakhongir Mirzakabulov from TIIAME presented a draft WEFE Nexus-oriented curriculum structure, receiving valuable feedback from the participants. On the second day, a group discussion session facilitated brainstorming among mixed groups of participants, including industry and academic representatives. The discussions focussed on identifying capacity gaps between graduates’ skills and industry expectations and exploring strategies to bridge these gaps effectively.

In the coming months, IWMI will continue working with TIIAME, KSTU, and regional partners to finalise a set of educational materials. These resources aim to meet regional demands by empowering future WFEC Nexus leaders through targeted capacity-building initiatives, provided as open-source educational materials.

Author and picture credits: Bunyod Holmatov (IWMI)

The International Summer School ‘HydroKG’ was held at Razzakov KSTU from 28 July to 11 August 2024 with the support of DAAD Go East Programme/ Germany.

It brought together 9 students from European countries, including students from the Universities of Kyrgyzstan KSTU and KRSU, and therefore all events were held in three languages: German, English and Russian.

The programme was rich and varied. The participants visited large hydropower plants of Kyrgyzstan of the Naryn cascade in the southern region, such as Toktogul, Kurpsai, Kambar Ata-2, and in the northern region, they visited the small hydropower plants ‘Chakan Hydroelectric Power Station’ and the Ortotokoy reservoir in Issyk Köl. At the visiting sites, demonstration lectures were organised by employees of organisations, in which the students were able to acquire advanced knowledge in the fields of electrical engineering, energy, mechanics, hydraulic engineering, hydromorphology, hydropower plant management, ecology and geography.

The participants actively worked on projects in which they solved real problems in order to acquire new knowledge and apply it in practice. Theoretical lectures and workshops about the implementation of the Hydro4U project, its goals and objectives, about the work done and plans were conducted by lecturers of the Department ‘Hydropower Structures’, ‘Renewable Energy Sources’ of the KSTU as well as by partners of the Technical University of Munich, Germany in more detail.

The programmes of the International Summer School ‘HydroKG’ enabled the participants to explore new paths, acquire new knowledge and skills and also to work in an international team on exciting projects in Bishkek, Toktogul, Karakul, Balykchy and Cholpon Ata.

At the end of the International Summer School ‘HydroKG’, the administration of KSTU awarded certificates with international ECTS credits to all participants.

Author and picture credits: Venera Baichekirova, Head of the HydroKG summer school in Kyrgyzstan

Our Hydro4U partners from Hydrosolutions GmbH and the Technical University of Munich recently published a paper titled “Water Tales from Turkistan: Challenges and Opportunities for the Badam-Sayram Water System under a Changing Climate.”

https://doi.org/10.29258/CAJWR/2024-R1.v10-2/1-25.eng

Abstract:

The Badam River, a tributary to the Arys River located in the Syr Darya basin, is a crucial natural resource for ecological, social, and economic activities in the semi-arid region of southern Kazakhstan. The river basin is heavily influenced by manmade water infrastructure and faces water scarcity, particularly during summer, highlighting the importance of understanding its hydrological processes for effective water resource management. In this study, a semi-distributed conceptual hydrological model of the Badam River was implemented using the RS MINERVE hydrological software to evaluate the impacts of climate change on hydrology and to test the resilience of the water system. Connected HBV models were implemented for each of the hydrological response units that were defined as altitudinal zones. The hydrological model was calibrated using daily time steps between 1979 and 2011, and the resulting flow exceedance curves and hydrographs were used to assess the potential impacts of climate change on the basin, using CMIP6 precipitation and temperature scenarios. Future climate scenarios for the 2054 – 2064 period demonstrate that the peak discharge will be shifted to spring/late spring compared to the current early summer with no significant decrease in average discharge per day of the year. The insights gained from this hydrological-hydraulic model can be used to effectively manage the water system and inform future hydropower design decisions and serve as a blueprint for similar studies in the region and elsewhere.