SEE HYDROPOWER Project, targeted to improve water resource management for a growing renewable energy production

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1 SEE HYDROPOWER Project, targeted to improve water resource management for a growing renewable energy production M. Peviani, J.Alterach, A.Danelli ERSE SpA., Via Rubattino, 54 ; Milano, Italy, phone: +39/ ; fax: +39/ maximo.peviani@erse-web.it Introduction SEE HYDROPOWER background is based on the European Directive on the promotion of Electricity from Renewable Energy Sources (RES-e) respect to the Kyoto protocol targets, that aims to establish an overall binding target of 20% share of renewable energy sources in energy consumption to be achieved by each Member State. Objectives of the SEE HYDROPOWER deals with the promotion of hydro energy production in SEE countries, by the optimization of water resource exploitation, in a compatible way with other water users following environmental friendly approaches. Main activities of the project concerns the definition of policies, methodologies and tools for a better water & hydropower management; establishment of common criteria for preserving water bodies; assessment strategies to improve hydropower implementation; testing in pilot areas; promotion and dissemination among stakeholders. Competition between water users (for drinking, irrigation, industrial processes, power generation, etc.) is becoming a serious problem, and there is a strong need of a more accurate planning and management optimization of these sources. SEE HYDROPOWER aims to be the solution! 1. The Project The three years SEE HYDROPOWER project started on June 2009 [1], financed by the South-East Transnational Cooperation Programme (EU), aims to a sustainable exploitation of water concerning hydropower production in SEE countries, looking up to renewable energy sources development, preserving environmental quality and preventing flood risk. Hydropower is the most important renewable resource for energy production in the SEE countries but creates ecological impacts on a local scale. If on one hand, hydroelectric production has to be maintained and likely increased following the demand trend and RES-e Directive, on the other hand, hydropower utilisation often involves severe hydrological changes, damages the connectivity of water bodies and injures river ecosystems. The project gives a strong contribution to the integration between the Water Frame and the RES-e Directives in the involved countries. The SEE HYDROPOWER project promotes the optimal use of water, as multiple natural resources, in order to face the increasing regional electrical-energy demand. Furthermore, SEE HYDROPOWER defines specific needs and test methodologies & tools, in order to help public bodies to take decisions about planning and management of water and hydropower concessions, considering all multi-purposes uses, taking into account the environmental sustainability of natural resources and flooding risks. Investigations is carried on to define common strategies & methods for preserving river with particular concerns to aquatic ecosystems, considering the required Environmental Flow, macro-habitat quality, migratory fishes and related environmental issues. Other problem addressed by the Project is the contrast between Public Administration and Environmental associations on one side and the Hydropower producers on the other side, for the exploitation of water bodies. Competition between water users (for drinking, irrigation, industrial processes, power generation, etc.) is becoming a serious problem, and there is a strong need of a more accurate planning and management optimization of the resources.

2 2. Project activities Fig. 1 HYDROPOWER.eu website Activities of the SEE HYDROPOWER project are grouped in six Work Packages, as follow: WP 0 Project Preparation Preparation and Submission of EoI and AF WP 1 Transnational Project Management and Coordination Technical and Financial Management, Monitoring and evaluation procedures WP 2 Communication and dissemination Dissemination of project outcomes to target groups in partner countries, SEE region and European Union [2] WP 3 Methodologies and tools for a better water & hydropower planning and management Stage of water resource management in SEE countries, planning and management of water & hydropower plants, multicriteria decision support framework, dynamic operation of reservoirs WP 4 Preserving water bodies ecosystems Implementation of the Environmental Flow according to WFD, methodologies related to water quality and biological continuity, strategies for preserving river ecosystems WP 5 Common strategies to improve SHP implementation Common strategies to improve the exploitation of Small Hydropower Plants potential, application of informatic tools, dissemination of SHP opportunities among investors WP 6 Pilot case studies Testing methodologies and tools in pilot regions: Piave basin (Italy), Mur basin (Austria), Ialomita - Prut basin (Romania), Serres region (Greece), Drava basin (Slovenia).

3 Fig. 2 Pieve di Cadore pilot case in Italy(Piave Basin) 3. Objectives of the Project The project aims to a better utilisation of water concerning hydropowerproduction in SEE countries, looking up to renewable energy sources development, preserving environmental quality and preventing flood risk. The project brings a contribution to the implementation of the WFP Directive and the RES-e Directive in the SEE countries. Main objectives Define specific needs and test methodologies 1. & tools, in order to help public bodies to take decisions about planning and management of water and hydropower concessions, considering all multi-purposes uses, taking into account the environmental sustainability of natural resources Investigate common strategies & methods for preserving river with particular concerns to aquatic ecosystems, considering the required Environmental Flow, macro-habitat quality, migratory fishes and related environmental issues. Define and test common strategies & methods to promote the development of Small Hydropower Plants, distributed in the territory recovering the remaining water power availability, and using an ecological approach. In addition, the project has the aim to promote the experience and know-how transfer between target groups of the South-East European countries. Definition of policies, methodologies and tools for a better water & hydropower management Establishment of common criteria for preserving water bodies Assessment strategies to improve hydropower implementation Promotion and dissemination among final users (stakeholders) Testing tools in pilot areas Fig. 3 SEE HYDROPOWER Specific objectives

4 4. Expected results Main expected outputs and results are the following: Reliable multi-criteria methodology to support water planning and management for hydropower production Tested dynamic reservoir management to improved power production and mitigate flood risk Guidelines of best practices to preserve river ecosystems, with special concerns to Environmental Flow, macro-habitat and migratory fishes Methods and strategies (GIS database, site public cadastre, software) to improve eco-hydropower production by means of SHP Communication among SEE countries concerning hydropower production, contributing to the implementation and integration between WFD and RES-e Directives 5. Partnership The partnership includes a well balance mixing of public administrations, agencies ruling hydropower development, water bodies conservation and scientific institutions having the most advanced technology applied to water management and hydropower generation. In particular: Public Administrations and Agencies: ARPA Veneto (Italy) Province of Belluno (Italy) Government of Styria (Austria) Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning (Slovenia) National Water Administration APELE ROMANE (Romania) Prefecture of Serres Province (Greece) Prefecture of Arta Province (Greece) Scientific and Research Institutions: ERSE SpA (Italy) Graz University of Technology (Austria) University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) University Politehnical of Bucharest (Romania) Technical University of Moldova (Rep. of Moldova) Observer Partners: Verbund - Austrian Hydro Power (Austria) ELEM - Macedonian Power Plants (Rep. of Macedonia) ESHA - European Small Hydropower Association (EU) ASSOELE - National Association of Electric Utilities (Italy) ENERGAP - Energy agency of Podravje (Slovenia) APER - Association of Renewable Energy Producers (Italy)

5 Fig. 4 SEE HYDROPOWER Project Partnership and countries involved 6. References 1. SEE HYDROPOWER Application Form, revised version 28 October 2009, reference number SEE EoI/A/524/2.4/X, South- East Transnational Cooperation Programme (EU) 2. SEE HYDROPOWER Communication Plan, ver 02, 1 st December 2009 ( 3. South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme, Protection and improvement of the environment, Promote energy and resource efficiency, (