Innovating Hydropower: D-HYDROFLEX's Digital Toolkit Revolutionizes European Energy Systems
Key Ideas
- D-HYDROFLEX introduces a cutting-edge toolkit to enhance operational flexibility and sustainability in hydropower plants.
- The toolkit incorporates digital twins, AI algorithms, and hydrogen storage to optimize performance and support renewable energy integration.
- Validation of D-HYDROFLEX solutions is ongoing in seven hydropower plants across Europe, demonstrating real-world application and benefits.
- Eleni Tsironi, the Project Manager at UBITECH, leads the D-HYDROFLEX project, aiming to drive innovation in sustainable technologies for decarbonisation.
The European energy system is undergoing a significant shift towards decarbonisation and renewable energy integration. Hydropower, a vital renewable energy source, faces challenges in adapting to these evolving demands. D-HYDROFLEX has developed a state-of-the-art digital toolkit to address these challenges by digitally renovating existing hydropower plants. The toolkit leverages sensors, digital twins, AI algorithms, and cloud-edge computing to enhance operational flexibility and sustainability. By integrating hydrogen storage and virtual power plant operation, D-HYDROFLEX ensures enhanced plant performance and supports renewable energy integration in modern energy grids. Validation trials at hydropower plants in France, Greece, Poland, Spain, and Romania are providing valuable insights into the practical application of these digital innovations. Eleni Tsironi, the Project Manager at UBITECH, is leading the D-HYDROFLEX project, driving innovation in sustainable technologies to meet Europe's decarbonisation goals.