Cypriot Scientists Join Horizon Europe Project to Shape the Future of Sustainable Hydropower
How can Europe continue to harness hydropower while safeguarding the rivers on which it depends? This is the challenge that HydroPulse, a new Horizon Europe research project, sets out to address.
The project brings together the Cypriot research and consultancy company ISOTECH Ltd with 14 leading universities, research institutions and industry partners from nine European countries. With a total budget of nearly €4 million, HydroPulse is coordinated by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and will run for 42 months.
HydroPulse aims to develop the next generation of solutions for the sustainable operation of hydropower systems by combining advanced digital technologies, artificial intelligence, Nature-based Solutions and participatory decision-making processes.
A key innovation of HydroPulse is the co-creation of solutions with the stakeholders who will ultimately implement them. Through five Communities of Practice and in line with the principles of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), solutions will be developed through the continuous involvement of stakeholders to ensure they are scientifically robust, socially acceptable and practical to implement.
ISOTECH plays a pivotal role in this process. Drawing on its expertise in designing participatory processes, the company will bring together scientists, hydropower operators, public authorities, environmental organisations and local communities across the project's pilot areas in Switzerland, Romania, Spain and Portugal. In parallel, ISOTECH will develop stakeholder mapping tools and a common monitoring and evaluation framework for the participatory process, helping ensure that the proposed solutions respond to the specific needs of each region.
The Challenge
Hydropower generates around 30% of Europe's renewable electricity and remains a cornerstone of the energy transition. However, many hydropower facilities were designed decades ago, under very different environmental, social and energy conditions. Today, climate change, ageing infrastructure, biodiversity protection and the need for greater social acceptance require a fundamentally new approach to the way hydropower systems are designed and operated.
The Solution
Unlike conventional approaches, HydroPulse does not consider energy production as the sole objective. Instead, it introduces an integrated management approach in which energy generation, water management and biodiversity conservation are assessed simultaneously rather than as competing priorities.
To achieve this, HydroPulse will develop ten innovative tools, five innovative management models, and an integrated hydro-energy-biodiversity data hub that combines information on energy production, river ecosystems and biodiversity. The project will also address critical challenges, including hydropeaking, river connectivity, fish migration, sediment transport, as well as water quality and water allocation.
Ultimately, HydroPulse aims to deliver solutions that can be applied well beyond its five pilot areas, supporting the modernisation of hydropower systems across Europe. By combining scientific knowledge with local expertise, the project seeks to demonstrate that clean energy production and healthy river ecosystems can coexist.
