Hydropower as a catalyst for the energy transition within the European Green Deal Part I: urgency of the Green Deal and the role of Hydropower

The European Union has the ambition to be first carbonneutral continent by 2050. To fulfil this objective and integrate into grid large amount of power from solar wind, Europe can rely upon high storage flexible capacity hydropower. Thus, new reservoirs innovative use current will needed provide an effective contribution unprecedented Green Deal. project Hydropower Europe, funded H2020 research programme, is tasked with identifying uses prioritizing associated innovation actions targeting energy system flexibility renewable share. deliverables are a Research Innovation Agenda (RIA) listing top strategic directions Strategic Industry Roadmap (SIR) addressing non-technical requests for hydropower sector. This paper describes vision project: “Hydropower as catalyst transition”. In (Part I), Deal role outlined discussed. Part II paper, after highlighting complex environment that situated within in challenges biodiversity, main (extracted RIA) steps combining multipurpose hydropower, sustainable, efficient cost-effective manner SIR), presented.