HERI – Research Organisations Database

Support the future of renewable energy, innovation, decarbonization, and the energy transition.
With a team of energy consultants, engineers, and experts, we support our members and different companies or investors in:
Market & Regulation
Energy project feasibility studies
Advocacy Governance & Regulation
Energy Project Development and Management
TSO and DSO infrastructure
Energy events management

Aguas de Valencia is a benchmark in water management. Its work and line of development, always hand in hand with innovation and the latest technologies, have marked a before and after not only in the territories where it works but also in the sector of the treatment of a scarce good such as water.

Aguas de Valencia focuses its activity on the management of the Integrated Water Cycle, developing various complementary business lines that generate the appropriate synergies to optimize water resources.

Currently, it manages aspects related to the collection, treatment and distribution of drinking water in Valencia and in the majority of the towns in its metropolitan area. Likewise, it also administers the Metropolitan Supply System that provides high-quality drinking water to the municipalities of various Valencian regions. To do this, it operates two water treatment stations that are supplied with surface water from the Júcar and Turia rivers (La Presa de Manises and El Realón de Picassent).

The Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (ETHNIKO KENTRO EREVNAS KAI TECHNOLOGIKIS ANAPTY) was fοunded in March 2000, it is a legal entity governed by private law with non-profit status, supervised by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI) of the Greek Ministry of Development. CERTH suggests one of the most important Research Centers in Greece with a main mission: The promotion of innovative research for the benefit of society. Dedicated to this purpose, CERTH lies at the forefront of basic, applied and technological research to provide solutions to society’s modern challenges.

Clean energy, low/zero CO2 emission technologies, clean vehicle technologies, green hydrogen, climate change, artificial intelligence, advanced robotic systems, the internet of things, Industry 4.0, smart home infrastructure for the future, precision medicine, holistic health nutrition, holistic health-nutrition approach, autonomous vehicles, driving simulators, traffic control hubs, smart cities, precision agriculture, agro-robotics and circular economy, are the primal fields around which CERTH’s five (5) institutes are organized. Chemical Process & Energy Resources Institute - CPERI, Information Technologies Institute - ITI, Hellenic Institute of Transport - HIT, Institute of Applied Biosciences - INAB, and Bio-economy and Agro-Technology Institute - IBO, bring together more than 1500 people (engineers and scientists in their majority), in 7 regions and 9 cities of Greece.

Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) is France’s leading producer of 100% renewable electricity with a total installed capacity of 4GW (3.1GW of hydro, 735MW of wind and 135MW of solar). CNR manages the Rhône river with 19 run-of-river multipurpose assets (navigation, irrigation, hydropower generation). It has expertise in hydraulic management of river systems and O&M, among others. It also has strong competencies in ecological restoration of rivers. Besides, CNR carries out missions of general interests to develop the territories. It also innovates to optimise its practices in renewable energies such as hydrogen, battery storage systems and flexibility, floating PV, agriPV and osmotic energy.

The Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) is driving innovative, transdisciplinary research on the understanding and development of resilient food and water systems internationally.

Through its focus on food and water, the centre’s research develops and integrates new knowledge in social, agroecological, hydrological and environmental processes, as well as the pivotal role that communities play in developing resilience. Unique to this Centre is the incorporation of citizen-generated knowledge - the participation of farmers, water users and other citizens in transdisciplinary research, using holistic approaches which cross many disciplinary boundaries.

CAWR also aims to advance resilience science through creative work on a new generation of key issues linked to the governance of food systems, hydrological change, urban agriculture and water, biodiversity, Stabilisation, river processes, water quality and emerging pollutants.

Deep River AS is active in research and development related to power plants for producing electricity from rivers, waterfalls and ocean currents. Their products are based on container modules developed for standardized production of renewable energy. Their technology is protected by patent and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

Deep River AScooperates with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and the Waterpower Laboratory at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) developing global hydropower solutions, including efficient design of hydro turbines. We also cooperate closely with international technology and manufacturing suppliers combining knowhow from on and off shore industries to develop new micro and small scale electricity power plants.

EPFL is Europe’s most cosmopolitan technical university. It welcomes students, professors and collaborators of more than 120 nationalities. EPFL has both a Swiss and international vocation and focuses on three missions: teaching, research and innovation. EPFL collaborates with an important network of partners, including other universities and colleges, secondary schools and gymnasiums, industry and the economy, political circles and the general public, with the aim of having a real impact on society.

EDF (Electricite de France) is one of the largest power Utility in Europe. As regard to Hydropower, it owns and operates a fleet of more than 20,000 MW Hydro domestic capacity in France, including 430 power stations, more than 240 large dams, and one of the largest tidal range power plant at la Rance.
R&D and Engineering teams of EDF group are very active in all fields of research and innovation areas related to hydropower : civil engineering, dam safety, mechanics, hydraulics, hydrology, environment and river/ocean ecology, sustainability, electro-technics, economy and markets, SCADA, digitalization ... covering the whole life cycle of hydropower assets : design, construction, refurbishment, operation and maintenance, decommissiong. R&I activity.
These teams are closely connected to research partners in France, Europe and worlwide. EDF Hydro research teams are also involved in many R&I projects in France and Europe.

Founded in 2011 by research group ADAG - Aircaft Design & Aeroflight Dynamics Group - of the Department of Industrial Engineering - Aerospace division (DII, University of Naples “Federico II”), Eolpower Investments focuses on delivering state of the art energy consulting, technical and research services.

By investing on a tailored strategy, Eolpower Investments delivers unique consulting services to assist clients in their projects, usually acquiring whole-job assignments.

Eolpower Investments relies on a team of engineering experts with priority access to a unique R&D network of established universities, developing affordable, reliable and sustainable energy projects. Research and development activities often involve production processes as well, in many cases requiring strong collaboration with suppliers of specific elements, in order to optimize time, costs and product quality.

Eolpower Investments is a leading company in Italy, skilled in managing end to end projects, starting from preliminary studies to the final realization of the prototype. Prototyping of samples is one of our core services, often made in cooperation with the manufacturing branch of the same business group Eolpower belongs to.

EOMAP is the world leading company for optical remote sensing of marine and freshwater aquatic environments.

EOMAP has supported both industry and governments to successfully complete hundreds of projects requiring the practical management of coastal zones and wetland ecosystems. EOMAP is an expert in Satellite-Derived Bathymetry (SDB), Seafloor Classification and Water Quality Monitoring.

EOMAP understands that their clients value certainty. Today’s projects are commonly characterised by layers of inter-relating risk. The early identification, understanding and management of risk are priorities for a project manager.

Experience shows that when key ecological issues are not adequately considered early in the project cycle, schedules are likely to be derailed and money wasted. No matter how large or small the project, or whether the risk is ‘real’ or perceived, neglecting appropriately scoped ecological investigation exposes the project to avoidable risk.

EOMAP’s team provides expert advice across the spectrum of aquatic issues to help project managers identify and manage risk, instilling credibility and confidence, and smoothing the path through negotiations and approvals.

Our research addresses the greatest challenges of the future: keeping societies healthy, fostering intact environments, promoting sustainable energy and developing well-functioning political and social systems. Seeking answers through interaction between a variety of disciplines, we develop concrete solutions for regional problems which can then be applied globally. We continually strive to open new paths with science and innovation, by responding to society’s complex questions with answers geared to the needs of people.

EUREC is the voice of renewable energy research in Europe, representing European Research Centres active in renewable energy.
The purpose of the association is to promote and support the development of innovative technologies and human resources to enable a prompt transition to a sustainable energy system.

EUREC was founded in 1991 as European Economic Interest Grouping (E.E.I.G.) with the goal of improving the quality and scope of European research and development in renewable energy technologies.

Our members are prominent research and development (R&D) groups spread across Europe, operating in all renewable energy technologies (wind, biomass, small hydro, marine, geothermal, photovoltaics, solar thermal electricity, and solar thermal heating and cooling). Our members also conduct research into supporting technologies such as energy efficiency, storage, distribution and integration, and undertake studies to evaluate the social and economic aspects surrounding renewable energy.

EUREC mission is based around the following objectives
- To identify research needs and enable R&D for innovative and integrated renewable energy solutions
- To promote sound policy making in renewable energy R&D
- To enable innovation and technology transfer by connecting research and industry through project development
- To promote the development of a highly qualified and trained workforce for the renewable energy sector, through the two European Masters in Renewable Energy coordinated by EUREC
- To support international R&D cooperation

The European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE) is the leading member-supported association representing organisations active across the entire energy storage value chain. EASE supports the deployment of energy storage to support the cost-effective transition to a resilient, climate-neutral, and secure energy system.
EASE was established in 2011 and represents approximately 70 members, including utilities, technology suppliers, research institutes, distribution system operators, and transmission system operators.
Together, EASE members have significant expertise across all major storage technologies and applications. This allows us to generate new ideas and policy recommendations that are essential to build a regulatory framework that is supportive of storage.

EREF is the European federation of national renewable energy associations from across EU Member States, representing all renewable energy sectors. Since nealry 25 years, the Federation has been defending the interests of independent, renewable-sourced producers of power, fuel and heat, and promotes giving non-discriminatory access to the energy market.

EREF’s Small Hydropower Chapter, composed of national (small) hydropower associations from EU Member States, represents the interest of the European small hydropower sector by promoting the benefits and opportunities for small hydropower at EU level to secure and enhance its place as an equally important part in the EU renewable energy mix and to create business opportunities for the many small and medium-sized enterprises throughout Europe.

UBITECH has been established in Athens, Greece back in 2005, concentrated in the European market and acquiring several EC and national grants for novel R&D initiatives. UBITECH has extended its operations with targeted international activities through its affiliated companies, subsidiaries and offices in Limassol (Cyprus) and Buenos Aires (Argentina).
UBITECH was founded with the vision to enable secure access to any service, data and information anytime, anywhere, providing its customers and business partners with robust, extensible and customizable security-enhanced solutions for information sharing, data exchange, services invocation and communication. Thus, UBITECH has acquired significant and invaluable experience and technological know-how, while all company executives have high technological expertise, and specialized know-how in the new Information and Communication Technologies, both at research as well as at commercial application level.

Hydro Alps is an applied research and development laboratory specializing in improving the monitoring and production of Alpine high-pressure and run-of-river power plants.

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) is a non-profit membership organisation and the global voice for sustainable hydropower.

As an association, we believe that all new hydropower projects should be developed and operated responsibly and sustainably.

IHA's mission is to advance sustainable hydropower by building and sharing knowledge on its role in renewable energy systems, responsible freshwater management and climate change solutions.

We seek to deliver on our mission through advocacy, research and policy initiatives and championing sustainable good practices.

Encompassing over 100 organisations operating in more than 120 countries, IHA's members include the world's leading hydropower developers, operators and manufacturers committed to the delivery of sustainable hydropower under the guidelines of the San Jose Declaration.

The National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC), founded in 1946, is a public research institute devoted to Science, Technology and Innovation in Civil Engineering and related fields. It has a highly qualified community of about 200 researchers in about 500 staff members. LNEC’s activity includes infrastructures, housing and urban planning, hydraulics and water resources, dams, transportation and construction materials. Its main objectives are safety and quality of the works, protection and rehabilitation of the natural and built patrimony, technological innovation in the building sector (construction sector) and in the fields of water and environment.

The company
MobyGIS S.r.l. operates in the hydro-meteorological sector with specialization on water resources monitoring and forecasting. Through the Waterjade® brand, MobyGIS offers software solutions for water monitoring and water supply optimization to public and private Companies.

The experience gained working with Hydropower Industries, Water Utilities and Public Bodies in both Italian and foreign countries gives the company a well-rounded view on supply issues and a pragmatic approach to suggest the best solution. The team, composed of professional figures with expertise in hydrology, meteorology, and hydraulics, boasts visibility in Europe through awards in Big Data, Satellite Data, and the fight against Climate Change.

NORCE is an independent research institute that conducts research for both public and private sectors, to facilitate informed and sustainable choices for the future. We deliver research and innovation in energy, health care, climate, the environment, society and technology. Our solutions address key challenges for society and contribute to value creation on the local, national and global levels.

NTNU, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, is a university with a main profile in science and technology. With more than 40 000 students and 7 100 employees, it is Norway’s largest university. NTNU has four strategic areas of research in 2014-2023: sustainability, energy, oceans and health. As a supplier of high quality graduates, NTNU has a broad range of contacts with the industry. The annual budget of NTNU is around € 950 million. Four departments from NTNU are involved in the HydroFlex project.

The Department of Energy and Process Engineering at NTNU is an international driving force within education and research on the total energy chain from resource to customer. The focus is how to produce energy, which can be used by man and machine in a sustainable way, taking into consideration health, climate changes and available resources. One of the department’s principal focus areas is hydropower research, where most of the activity takes place in the Waterpower Laboratory, which combines 100 years of experience with state-of-the-art facilities that are unique in Europe. It plays a leading role in the development of global hydropower, including efficient design of hydro turbines.

The Department of Electric Power Engineering at NTNU covers the broad interdisciplinary aspects of power engineering in its research and education: generation, transmission, conversion and the use of electric energy, including the accompanying techno-economic aspects. Its mission is to contribute to the fundamental and applied knowledge of electric power engineering, and to develop technology and systems for the planning, operation and maintenance of efficient, sustainable energy systems.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NTNU provides competence and technological solutions within our areas of expertise for application in both the public and private sectors. Students and researchers graduating from our programs provide our partners with expertise and skills in the areas of civil and transportation engineering, structural engineering, water and wastewater engineering, and hydraulic engineering.

The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at NTNU has broad interdisciplinary expertise in the fields of logistics, machine design, product development, materials science and risk and reliability of complex systems. The research at the department focuses on development, optimisation and improvement of industrial processes and production systems. One of our goals is to secure the Norwegian industry and administration with access to knowledge and expertise on an international level.

Established in 2006 as Norwegian Hard Rock Drilling, by Statkraft, Lyse, Skagerak and Agder Energi, with financial support from NVE.​​
Norhard was granted MNOK 19 in EU funding in 2018 through the Horizon 2020 SME programme of the European Union for development and international commercialization of the ECO-Drilling technology (cost-effective and environmentally friendly full profile directional drilling technology for the global renewable hydropower industry, protected with numerous patents).
Norhard's proprietary ECO-DRILLING system is the only solution capable of drilling upwards over long distances and high heads (3 km drilling length with 1 km altitude adifference) using a non-rotatory drill string.
Norhard is today a fully integrated service provider for drilling and lining solutions onshore, utilizing inhouse technology development and manufacturing

Aquatic Ecology, Wetland Ecology research group

Pliosaur Energy is an SME that aspires to transform the marine renewable energy market through the introduction of our truly ground breaking and patented technology to convert both wave and tidal energy into electricity.

Our design approach preferably avoids or endeavours to mitigate the socio-environmental impact of our turbines. We have also minimised the visual impact of our turbines in recognition of the potential concerns of the local population. Our technology has the visual impact of a yacht sail extending approximately 10 meters above sea level.

We value and very much appreciate the input from national and regional institutions, NGO's and the local population always endeavouring to integrate their suggestions, whenever possible into our designs.

Our technology addresses the issue of global warming and greenhouse gas emissions by displacing the need for electrical power generated by fossil fuel power stations. Our goal in the long term is to generate electricity at a similar lifecycle cost to other sources thereby eliminating the need for subsidies.

Culturally, we take a pragmatic approach to the development of our technology always seeking to learn from others in our industry. We also seek to import technology from other business sectors whenever possible to minimise development costs.

Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering
The Department of Department of Environment, Land and Infrastructure Engineering (DIATI) is the reference structure of Politecnico di Torino in the cultural areas dealing with the protection and management of the environment and land, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, sustainable use of natural resources and subsoil, as well as the design, development, management and operation of industrial technologies, civil infrastructures and eco-compatible transport systems. DIATI promotes, coordinates and manages teaching activities, basic and applied research, technological transfer and services to the local community in the above-mentioned areas.

Our mission is to provide solutions for industry and companies to help them face the complex and constantly changing challenges of the future. Technological and scientific development doesn’t follow a linear path, infinite scenarios and opportunities open up before us, the strength of our group lies in the capacity to respond to new, complex needs with diversified skills, with our production capability, with our experience and our capacity for research at different levels. From communication to precision mechanics, from machinery to the production of energy from renewable sources, our commitment is to make the future work.
Rebecchi group has followed the evolution of the market developing new technologies and services and today the Group is driven by the passion and philosophy inherited from its founder: flexibility and care in following all the clients using best available technology standards and maximum commitment.
Rebecchi Group wanted to seize upon new incentives and opportunities offered by the market with projects of environmental sustainability and environmental integration and protection, such as the Hykinetics project (for the enhancement of water resources) and Jois (to reduce pollutants and develop a sustainable economy in the agricultural sector).

RSE carries out analysis, studies and research activities, applied to the energy sector as a whole. The big challenges and innovations stemming from advancements in the sustainable generation, distribution and storage of electrical energy, sustainable mobility and the flexibility and resilience of the energy systems provide the subject matter for RSE’s projects. RSE carries out them through a broader perspective that encopasses system scenarios, in line with the goals of the national energy policy and EU Energy Programmes. The results of RSE’s research activities are available to the full range of stakeholders in the energy field, thus being shared for the benefit of companies, market operators and citizens. RSE spans its research activity through four departments which cover the different topics of the energetic system: Materials and Generation Technologies Department (TGM); Transmission and Distribution Technologies Department (TTD); Energy Systems Development Department (SSE); Sustainable Development and Energy Sources Department (SFE). This promotes a strong interconnection between the technological (TGM and TTD) and systemic approach (SSE and SFE).

Description here

SERPA is a research group integrated within the Department of Civil Engineering: Hydraulics, Energy, and Environment at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. SERPA aims to deepen understanding of key aspects of dam safety and offer training courses based on the results of its research activities. Over the last few decades, the SERPA group has participated in various research projects funded by both public and private sources. Additionally, it has collaborated with civil engineering companies to provide specialized engineering consultancy services. The group organizes national and international courses, seminars, and workshops to provide high-quality education and disseminate the main findings of its research activities.

We are a multi-cultural team working in a German-based company. We are focused on developing and implementing affordable renewable energy projects that enhance productivity and improve people’s living standards. Smart Hydro Power started in 2010 as a group of kinetic turbine developers. The experience on installations and contact with the needs and challenges of remote or off-the-grid locations brought us to the current position of offering products and packages that follow principle of being simple, competitive, and complete. Nowadays, we run diverse decentralized electrification projects, offering a range of renewable energy solutions which are supported by an intelligent electrical management system. New ideas and inspired professionals are always welcome here. We believe in sustainable development and empowering people to be able to define their own choices and to shape their own lives.

CSAR CENTRE FOR SUSTAINABLE AQUATIC RESEARCH
CSAR operates from state-of-the-art, controlled environment facilities in Swansea University's department of Biosciences.

CSAR conducts research and technological development, and provides training and advice on behalf of commercial farmers/aquaculture service providers, funding agencies and governmental institutions, in the UK and internationally.

In addition to its own experimental facilities, CSAR has direct access to comprehensive expertise and laboratories across Swansea University, encompassing biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, histo-pathology, water chemistry, systems engineering, bio-processing technologies and complex fluids processing.

CENTRE FOR BIOMATHEMATICS
The Centre for Biomathematics provides a cross-community, interdisciplinary focus for experts from across Science and Engineering at Swansea University and beyond with interests on the interface between mathematics and biology or medicine. Our aim is to foster collaborations which are mutually interesting, leading to new developments in both fields.

By exploiting complementary and wide-ranging knowledge across disciplines, we aim to develop novel biologically-informed predictive mathematical, and statistical models and computational approaches to tackle topical questions in biology and medicine and, hopefully, at the same time lead to new theoretical developments in mathematics and computer science.

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) ranks among Europe’s most outstanding universities in research and innovation – an achievement powered by its distinctive character as an entrepreneurial university. The university is characterised by a unique profile with its core domains natural sciences, engineering, life sciences and medicine.

The Chair of Hydraulic and Water Resources Engineering of TUM has broad experience in hydropower, sediment transport, sediment management, river morphology, habitat modelling and flood management control. It was involved in various hydropower investigations mainly by doing physical or numerical model test.

Delft University of Technology is the oldest, largest and most comprehensive university of technology in The Netherlands. With over 20,000 students and 2,500 scientists (including 400 full professors), it is an establishment of national importance and of significant international standing. The University collaborates on a structural basis with other international education and research institutes and has partnerships with governments, branch organizations, numerous consultancies, industry partners and companies from the small and medium business sectors.
The Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences (CEG) comprises over 500 full time equivalent permanent scientific staff, over 180 PhD students, and over 3500 bachelor and master students. Currently, research and education are organized in seven departments: Engineering Structures, Geoscience & Engineering, Geoscience & Remote Sensing, Hydraulic Engineering, Materials, Mechanics, Management & Design, Transport & Planning, and Water management. TU Delft’s Faculty of Civil Engineering ranks 4th in the 2019 World University QS rankings.

The department Hydraulic Engineering does research and education and develops technology for the themes: coasts, rivers, dredging, hydraulic structures, floods and environmental fluid mechanics. The section on hydraulic structures focuses on the design and construction of levees, dams, locks, storm surge barriers, weirs, quay walls, tunnels and other hydraulic structures. Knowledge is developed on geotechnical and hydraulic aspects, as well as materials and resilience engineering. Probabilistic and structural dynamic analyses and experiments are often applied methods.

Tecnoturbines develops hydraulic turbines specially designed to generate electricity under variable hydraulic conditions from water distribution networks, hydro power plants and industries. Our mission is to promote progress by reducing power costs and bringing power to remote areas in water-related industrial sectors. Offering both, Off-Grid and Grid-Tied solutions from just 1Watt to 300kW.

Civil Engineering has been taught at Trinity College Dublin since 1841, and since then has played a prominent role in the development of civil engineering as an academic subject. We currently offer a range of Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses which are multi-dimensional, having a strong technical focus but also an emphasis on the development of team working skills, knowledge of ethics and an awareness of the social and environmental impacts of their work. Graduates often end up working on multi-disciplinary projects that require innovative approaches and thinking, offering exciting careers both in Ireland and abroad, including work in developing countries.

Our strong research focus on quantitative and analytical methods, the application of innovation and the development and use of new technology to solve problems in the natural and built environments. We work with industry, governments and universities across the world on research which has economic, social, political, scientific and engineering dimensions.

Turbulent aims to provide even the most remote communities of the world with reliable and affordable energy. We’ve developed a special kind of Vortex Turbine that generates low cost electricity, without the ecological impact, without large civil works, and without the high upfront investment cost. Turbulent’s environmentally friendly hydropower technology (no dams !) is an ideal match for VRE (Variable Renewable Energy), offering continuous electricity 24/7/365 in mini-grids and micro-grids, even featuring dispatchability. Turbulent safely powers critical healthcare infrastructure, telecom, schools, villages, businesses … on a continuous basis, in combination with new (solar) and existing installations.

Turbulent’s R&D has increasingly been focused on the design and development of modular, fish-friendly, submersible vortex generators, making use of small vertical water drops (between 1-5 m), abundant in rivers and canals around the world. With its robust and flood-proof technology, Turbulent moves away from large conventional hydropower with dams and reservoirs, to a sustainable, low-maintenance technology allowing fish, debris and sediments to pass through the installation without impact. Turbulent offers off-grid, micro-grid and on-grid distributed electrification solutions with installed capacities of 15 kW, 30 kW, 50 kW, 70kW per turbine, easily scalable to a combination of multiple turbines to increase capacity.

UBITECH ENERGY was founded by a blend of experienced ICT Consultants and Energy Research Innovators, with a long track record in the identification, design, development and commercialization of research and innovation smart energy projects.

Building upon a deep and thorough understanding of energy systems current needs and future challenges, these projects have been addressing a wide range of technologies and domains – including smart grid solutions, energy efficiency, IoT, cybersecurity and data privacy, renewables integration, energy markets and services, blockchain technology, cloud computing and big data analytics.

The vision of UBITECH ENERGY is to revolutionize the energy value chain with new technologies and pave the way for its new digital era.

The Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics focuses on the following research areas: biology and ecology, chemistry (environmental, analytical and for the conservation of cultural heritage), environmental engineering, computer science, earth science and statistics. Cross-sectional topics of research include climate and the socio-economic effects of its transformations, complexity, preservation of cultural heritage, monitoring, risk, security (environmental and informatic) and sustainability. Research is developed in collaboration with public bodies and local firms. This synergy as well as the multidisciplinary approach make it possible for the department to find large scale solutions for research.

Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering
The research activity focuses on fundamental areas of engineering, design and applied sciences , such as environmental protection, landscape, architecture, renewable natural resources, energy, biomedical sciences, structures and intelligent materials, risk prevention, efficient and sustainable infrastructures and products, buildings and built heritage, service networks and the territory.

At DICAM, innovation and sustainability planning are promoted. In all these areas the Department pursues high-level scientific and educational objectives in terms of research and advanced training , in line with the most prestigious research-intensive Universities. Research can be divided into six areas:

Environmental Resources, Security and Climate Change
Smart Mechanics, Materials and Structures
Surveying, planning and design for urban and territorial sustainability - SusPlaces
Energy and “green” technologies
Science of architecture
Modeling and Simulation in Engineering and Science

CDIF is a R&D center within the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC).

The research activities are developed by a group of Ph.Ds in industrial engineering, with over 30 years of experience in the field of turbomachinery vibrations, diagnosis and preventive maintenance, damage detection and fluid dynamics.Our goal is to provide technological support to industry worldwide in areas related to the field of power generation groups diagnosis, focusing on hydropower.

Our center offers technology transfer services to industry by means of consultancy and technological innovation projects in our areas of expertise: analysis and diagnosis of vibration problems in turbomachinery, remote on-line monitoring, predictive maintenance, fluid dynamics studies and on-site specialized training.

We are part of the UPC's Mechanical Engineering, Fluids and Aeronautics Ph.D. program. Our main research lines are: Structural Analysis, Diagnosis, Fluid Dynamics Simulation and Cavitation. We actively participate in leading scientifical societies/meetings/congresses in our area of expertise and our research results are published in top tier scientific journals internationally.

School of Environmental Sciences
We are internationally recognised for our holistic and interdisciplinary approach to research, integrating physical, chemical, biological and social sciences to understand the Earth, its life and its people and the interactions between them. We undertake solution-orientated research aimed at tackling the environmental challenges of the 21st Century and securing a sustainable future for our world.

Research in the School addresses four overarching themes: Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Sciences; Environmental Biology; Environmental Social Sciences; and Geosciences. We also host international centres of research excellence spanning these themes as well as state-of-the-art research facilities for exploring the environment .

SCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY
River Basin Processes and Management
We provide international leadership in understanding and managing environmental processes and feedbacks that control and link water, sediment, solute and biotic dynamics in river basins, estuaries and marine systems.
We are particularly renowned for our research strengths in peatland science, glacial and ice-marginal systems, hillslope processes, and water resource management.

Our expertise:
Hydrology and hydraulics: Hillslope hydrology, soil water, river hydraulics, shallow groundwater, natural flood management.
Geomorphology: Soil erosion, hillslope and river sediment flux, peatland processes, 3D modelling.
Biogeochemistry: Carbon and nitrogen cycling, metals, emerging contaminants including pharmaceuticals, isotopes.
Aquatic ecosystems: Biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, invasive species, macroinvertebrates, Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Glaciology: Glacier dynamics, glacial landforms, outburst floods, surface energy balance modelling.

As part of water@leeds we develop and use innovative observational science, field and laboratory experiments and modelling approaches in interdisciplinary research projects across the globe.


Ecology and Global Change
Working in biomes across the world from tropical rain forests to Arctic tundra, the Ecology and Global Change (EGC) group aims to determine the nature of environmental change at a range of temporal and spatial scales. EGC has made major advances in understanding the sensitivity of vegetation to orbital millennial scale climate forcing, carbon cycling in tropical forests and ecohydrological responses of peatlands to past climate change.

One of our key research areas has been the global monitoring of forests by setting up and leading international projects RAINFOR, FORESTPLOTS, AFRITRON, AMAZONICA and TForces. As a result, our work has made important contributions to both international and national climate and environmental management policy agendas.

Our research:
Ecosystems and evolution
Understanding ecological patterns of diversity, composition and ecosystem function in time and space
Quantifying the magnitude, rate and timing of ecosystem response to current and future climate change
Identifying the drivers of evolution in tropical ecosystems

Palaeoecology, palaeoclimate and chronostratigraphy
Understanding the nature and timing of climatic and environmental changes over millennial to decadal timescales
Quantifying past human impact on ecosystems
Examining the long-term ecohydrological dynamics of peatland environments
Developing high-resolution chronologies of past environmental change

Biogeochemical cycles
Analysing regional and global CO2 records to identify trends and the onset of feedbacks in the coupled climate-carbon cycle system
Dynamic vegetation modelling to predict the response of land vegetation to climate change
Analysing recent changes in the tropical hydrological cycle and plant functioning using tree ring isotopes
Analysing and modelling soil development
Understanding the importance of soil physical and chemical properties to ecosystem function in the tropics

Global environmental science
Designing and implementing measurement schemes to characterise and reduce global environmental uncertainties
Assessing dryland degradation and the sustainability of environmental management
Modelling long-term trends in national land use and land cover
Managing multiple ecosystem services
Communicating science concerning global environmental governance to policy makers

The research Group on Turbomachinery and Energy System is deeply involved in research activities dealing with fluid machines and in particular with hydropower. The group has also a research infrastructure with 4 open test-rigs for experimental analyses on turbines and pump-turbines. The main research topics are: design optimization, CFD analyses, cavitation, sediment transportation, hybridization, machine and system modelling for optimal management and predictive maintenance.

VERBUND is Austria's leading energy company and one of the largest electricity producers from hydropower in Europe. Our research promotes the understanding of the interactions and influences of hydropower use on our environment and aims to contribute to sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.

vgbe energy e.V. is the technical association of energy plant operators. Our members are companies that operate power, heat and cooling, energy storage and sector coupling plants worldwide.

vgbe energy l Hydro Power, as part of vgbe energy, is the first address for interested parties in techno-economic and ecological issues as well as application-oriented research concerning hydropower and maintenance and it performs as the collective European platform and key representative for operators, manufacturers and suppliers of the hydropower community.