Hydropower and its future role in the Western Balkans and Turkey Publisert 01.02.2016 CEDREN and The European Commission Joint Research Centre organized a two-day event on sustainable hydropower development in collaboration with Istanbul Technical University 21-22 January 2016, focusing on the potential of hydropower development in the EU Enlargement countries. From left: Tor Haakon Bakken (CEDREN), Jens Aabel (NVE), Atle Harby (CEDREN), Ånund Killingtveit (CEDREN), Luciana Zanier (JRC) and Carl Fredrik Tjerandsen (POWEL). Photo: Ånund Killingtveit. The European Commission as well as individual member states has specified ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emission and enhance renewable energy development towards year 2050. Several countries are already now experiencing challenges with regards to balancing and production uncertainty, and this trend is expected to increase as more wind and solar power is put in operation. Hydropower has unique balancing capabilities through reservoir storage and fast responding generators, and the technology is well-proven and cost efficient. The potential for further hydropower development is limited in some European countries, but there is still a substantial potential in the Balkans, Turkey and some of the neighboring countries. Even though hydropower is renewable by nature, environmental and social impacts are also associated with hydropower development. Sustainability must be obtained when locating hydropower, which is by nature limited by topography. The role of hydro in balancing other renewables in Europe will also be highly dependent on grid developments, power market designs and both EU and national policies CEDREN and The European Commission Joint Research Centre organized a two-day event on sustainable hydropower development in collaboration with Istanbul Technical University 21-22 January 2016. The event focused on the potential of hydropower development in the EU Enlargement countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey), and brought together regional, national and EU policy makers, hydropower companies and industry, and experts on hydropower, renewables, transmission grid and environment. A full day seminar was given on 21 January where policy makers, scientists and academia discussed the role of hydropower, the new technologies and the optimization of reservoir handling in high-RES systems, as well as the environmental and social aspects associated with hydropower development. The second day, a half-day thematic workshop addressed the political, legislative and regulatory challenges for increased use of hydropower. The program and the presentations given at the seminar and workshop are given below: 21 January 2016 09:00 - 09:30 Welcome session - Opening and introduction to the seminar Necati Ağiralioğlu, Istanbul Technical University Atle Harby, Centre of Environmental Design of Renewable Energy (CEDREN), Norway Luciana Zanier, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, European Commission 09:30 - 11:00 Session 1 - Hydropower development Chair: Andreas Zucker, Institute for Energy and Transport, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, European Commission Global Hydropower Development Mathis Rogner, International Hydropower Association (IHA) Hydropower development in South-East Europe Ayse Filiz Kolat, Statkraft, Turkey Hydropower in South Eastern Europe – the investors view Aydin Düğencioğlu, IHES A.Ş Hydropower development in Turkey Necati Ağiralioğlu, Istanbul Technical University Impact of liberalization on hydropower market in Turkey Serkan Karakus, Directorate of State Hydraulic 11:15 - 13:00 Session 2 - The future role of hydropower Chair: Ali Uyumaz, Istanbul Technical University Technological innovation in the field Hydropower Oliver Teller, GE & ALSTOM Energy The need for flexibility and energy storage Ånund Killingtveit and Atle Harby, Centre of Environmental Design of Renewable Energy, Norway Storage as a flexibility option for the European energy system: The role of hydro storage, its opportunities and constraints Andreas Zucker, Institute for Energy and Transport, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, European Commission Hydropower planning and scheduling in the future Carl Fredrik Tjeransen, Powel Norway Q & A, discussion 14:00 - 15:30 Session 3 - Climate change and sustainability Chair: Atle Harby, Centre of Environmental Design of Renewable Energy, Norway Climate change and future role of hydropower Ånund Killingtveit, Centre of Environmental Design of Renewable Energy, Norway Climate change and water resources Ali Uyumaz, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol Simon Howard, International Hydropower Association (IHA) A review of competition mechanism of bidding for an hydropower project Emre Dulkar, Borusan EnbW Q & A, discussion 15:45- 16:45 Session 4 - Hydropower and the environment Chair: Simon Howard, International Hydropower Association (IHA) Environmental design of hydropower Atle Harby, Centre of Environmental Design of Renewable Energy, Norway Water consumption and availability Tor Haakon Bakken, Centre of Environmental Design of Renewable Energy, Norway Renewable energy and their integration in the region (Case studies, etc) Kostas Tigas, Centre for Renewable Energy Resources and Saving CRES - Greece Q & A, discussion 16:45 - 17:30 Closing session - Conclusions Moderators will wrap up the key messages and discussions from the sessions, and open for final Q & A and discussions 22 January 2016 09:00 - 13:00 Workshop The research & Innovation pillar of the Energy Union: SET-Plan Estathios Peteves, Institute for Energy and Transport, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, European Commission EU Water framework directive Tor Haakon Bakken, Centre of Environmental Design of Renewable Energy, Norway Smart Specialisation Energy Platform Moritz Haller – Directorate Policy Support Coordination, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, European Commission Reconciling environmental and energy policy and regulation. Examples Jens Aabel, Norwegian Water and Energy Directorate Policy and regulation in the region Western Balkans – Representatives and experts from the Western Balkan Countries Some curiosities about the hydropotential of the Vrbas river (Čedomir Zeljković, Branko Vučijak, Muris Torlak) Bosnia and Herzegovina Environmental and Energy Policy and Regulation (Branko Vučijak, Čedomir Zeljković, Muris Torlak) Status of Hydropower in Serbia (Milos Nedeljkovic, University of Belgrade) Kosovo (Nysret Avdiu, University of Prishtina) Hydropower and its future role (environmental aspect) (Biljana Kilibarda, Directorate for Environment, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, Montenegro) Energy sector in Montenegro (Maja Pavićević, Directorate for Environment, Montenegro) Hydropower and its future role (Atanas Kochov, Mechanical Faculty, Skopje, Igor Ilijovski and Goran Stoilov (ELEM) Hydropower and its future role - Serbian experience (A. Janjic) 14:00 - 16:00 Summary and discussion among organisers Elaboration of the “Policy Brief” Day one was wrapped up with a summary from the moderators of the different sessions, before they opened up for questions from the audience. Photo: Ånund Killingtveit.