VGB PowerTech | Hydro - Hydropower Industry Guide 2020/21

HYDROPOWER INDUSTRY GUIDE 2020/21
Catalogue of Hydropower Events
VGB Expert Events in 2021
SAVE the date for the upcoming
VGB Expert Event “Ecology and Environment in Hydropower 2021”
Environmental protection and preservation of
nature is one of the many important challenges
not only for hydropower, but for society as a
whole. Our upcoming VGB Expert Event “Ecology
and Environment in Hydropower 2021” will
take place on 19/20 May 2021 as an Online
Event (both days in the afternoon) and is set on
a European wide view at all important topics
and issues regarding the ecology and the environment
in hydropower.
Session 1: Good practices of ecological
hydraulic engineering and renaturation
measures
Ecological hydraulic engineering and renaturation
measures have become a crucial role in
recent years. A large number of measures with
different outcomes and effects have been implemented.
Planners and operators report on the
results obtained from implemented measures.
Session 2: Country experiences with
the implementation of the WFD
The Water Framework Directive (WFD,
2000/60 / EC) was introduced in 2000 adopted
by the EU member states. With that they
have themselves obliged to bring all bodies of
water by 2015 and in exceptional cases by
2027 to a “good ecological” and “good chemical
status”. The experiences from the implementation
of the WFD in three different countries are
presented alongside an explanation of the further
planned measures until 2027.
Session 3: Approaches for operating
with hydropeaking
Hydropeaking – the artificial increase and decrease
of discharge and corresponding water
levels in rivers – is characterized by steep rising
and falling limbs of hydrographs based on the
operation of hydropower plants to generate electricity
on the energy demand. The effects of hydropeaking
on the array of complex processes
within the river corridor have gradually emerged
to the attention of researchers, river managers,
environmental protectionists and hydropower
managers too. Hydropeaking may affect river
thermal dynamics, sediment composition and
transport (e.g. increase in turbidity), habitat distribution
and quality, riparian vegetation, but also
river water chemical composition as well as the
use of rivers for recreation. It is also recognized
that many of these causal relations often take the
form of mutual feedbacks, rather than representing
purely unidirectional effects. Scientists and operators
report from approaches of optimal ecological
operation in case of hydropeaking.
Session 4: Lessons learned from fish
migration and monitoring systems
The development of technical possibilities for fish
protection and fish migration is an important prerequisite
for maintaining and expanding the use of
hydropower. The damage to migrating fish along
the various hiking trails must be prevented or reduced
and at the same time the continuity down
the river must be ensured. Leading operators report
on their practical experiences with the
measures taken so far.
Find more details on our event website:
https://www.vgb.org/en/events.html
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