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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LVGMC) is a state-owned research and service institution responsible for environmental monitoring, hydrology, meteorology, and climate services in Latvia. The centre provides data collection, modelling, and analysis related to water systems, including river flow monitoring, flood forecasting, and climate impact assessments. LVGMC supports national policy, environmental protection, and risk management through applied research and operational services, including hydrological modelling, early warning systems, and long-term environmental data management.

Natel Energy is a research-driven technology and engineering company dedicated to advancing sustainable hydropower. With a core focus on ecological integrity, Natel develops innovative turbine solutions that enable the safe downstream passage of fish and other aquatic organisms, contributing to healthy rivers, biodiversity, and grid decarbonization.

Through extensive laboratory and field testing, including through-turbine passage studies across multiple fish species and life stages, Natel’s FishSafe™ runner designs have consistently demonstrated 98-100% fish passage survival rates, while maintaining high hydraulic efficiency at conventional blade speeds.

Natel Energy's research is validated through peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals such as Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, North American Journal of Fisheries Management, and the Journal of Ecohydraulics. These publications, resulting from collaborations with leading institutions like Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Alden Laboratory, and Kleinschmidt Associates, underscore the scientific basis and credibility of Natel's technology.

Natel conducts feasibility studies, detailed fish passage and performance testing, and ongoing refinement of their FishSafe™ runner designs. They partner with trusted turbine manufacturers to translate their designs into real-world applications, driving the global advancement of FishSafe hydropower.

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.

Aquatic Ecology, Wetland Ecology research group

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.

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.

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.

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

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 activities of the Hydraulic Structures Laboratory concern experimental modeling and the development of new hybrid numerical/experimental approaches applied to the analysis of flows in the natural and built environment. Among others, we carry out applied research projects related to design of hydraulic structures, floods forecasting and management, pumped-storage development.

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.