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Transforming Hydropower: Integrating Flexibility, Ecosystem Health, and Societal Needs

Objective

The TIES project—Transforming Hydropower: Integrating Flexibility, Ecosystem Health, and Societal Needs—aims to redefine hydropower in Europe by developing an integrated innovation framework that enhances operational flexibility, climate-resilience, environmental sustainability, and societal acceptance. Hydropower remains a cornerstone of Europe’s renewable energy system, offering unmatched dispatchable storage and grid stability. However, aging infrastructure, climate change impacts, and ecological concerns demand a transformative approach.

TIES will deliver seven technological and digital innovations—including optimized turbine designs, sediment management tools, erosion supervision systems, and AI-driven forecasting models—and two societal innovations based on a strong participatory action-research methodology tailored for the hydropower domain and on co-created societal KPIs, defined in the framework of the Just Energy Transition (JET). It will also integrate modular hydraulic and thermal refuges designed to mitigate hydropeaking and climate-induced thermal stress and embeds a Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework to ensure societal readiness through participatory planning and inclusive decision-making. These solutions will be validated across four real-world hydropower case studies in Portugal and France, targeting Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4–5.

By aligning with EU priorities like the Green Deal, Fit for 55, and REPowerEU, TIES supports a just energy transition and contributes to climate resilience, ecological restoration, and public trust. The project will generate actionable tools, replication guidelines, and a roadmap for EU-wide deployment, positioning Europe as a global leader in sustainable hydropower innovation.

Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL5-2025-02

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Coordinator

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 777 247,15
Address
KARLSPLATZ 13
1040 Wien
Austria

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Region
Ostösterreich Wien Wien
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

No data

Participants (11)

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