Researchers from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) will collaborate with American scientists to develop new environmentally friendly solutions for hydropower.
Both Norway and the United States have a strong need for reliable renewable energy. Modernizing hydropower systems while safeguarding river ecosystems is crucial to prevent further loss of nature. The agreement, signed between Norway’s research center RenewHydro and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), aims to address these challenges.
“It is essential that renewable energy development goes hand in hand with nature, both in Norway and internationally. This agreement also ensures we maintain strong collaboration with our U.S. colleagues”, says Tonje Aronsen, Research Director at NINA.
Hydropower faces many of the same challenges worldwide, making international cooperation highly valuable.
“We are very pleased to renew our collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy. Researchers in Norway and the U.S. benefit greatly from working together, and this agreement will strengthen our joint efforts,” says Liv Randi Hultgreen, Director of RenewHydro.
RenewHydro, a Centre for Environment-friendly Energy Research, will over the next eight years develop solutions to make hydropower capable of securing renewable energy exactly when it is needed—without compromising the environment.
In a press release from the U.S. Department of Energy, they write that hydropower is a enormous resource with a great potential to strengthen America’s energy grid.
“Our collaboration with Norway—a country equally rich in hydropower resources—will help us expand capacity, modernize existing plants, and build the expertise we need to fully realize these opportunities,” says Lou Hrkman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. DoE.
The agreement was signed in Washington on July 6 by Norway’s Ambassador to the U.S., Anniken Huitfeldt, and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
This renewed partnership builds on an earlier agreement signed in 2020 between the two countries’ energy departments. That cooperation has already delivered results in areas such as showcasing the value of hydropower in the International Energy Agency (IEA), developing digital twin technology, advancing the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) in rivers, researching fish migration, and improving understanding of how energy planning is affected by different environmental mechanisms.
Contact:
Liv Randi Hultgreen, Director of RenewHydro
Tonje Aronsen, Research Director, Water and biodiversity at NINA