ETIP HYDROPOWER

What ETIP HYDROPOWER does

ETIP HYDROPOWER (European Technology and Innovation Platform on Hydropower) is a Brussels-based, EU-funded coordination platform established in September 2022 to unify the European hydropower sector's voice in research, innovation, and policy. It operates as a consortium of eight expert organisations — EUREC (coordinator), SAMUI FRANCE, EASE, ICOLD, VGB POWERTECH, ZABALA BRUSSELS, EREF, and IHA — under a EUR 1 million Horizon Europe grant running through August 2025. The platform is governed by a 25-member Governing Board representing industry, operators, R&D, and civil society, and is coordinated scientifically by Anton Schleiss (ICOLD/EPFL).

The platform delivers a portfolio of knowledge products rather than commercial technology: thematic White Papers on flexibility, biodiversity, and climate change; the HERI R&I Database cataloguing European hydropower research projects; the Research and Innovation Agenda (RIA) and Strategic Industry Roadmap (SIR); the Di-Hydro podcast; the annual Brussels Hydropower Day; and four structured Working Groups covering flexibility and storage, cross-sectoral topics, climate change, and R&I project overviews. It also clusters a portfolio of EU Horizon projects (Di-Hydro, iAMP-Hydro, XFLEX-HYDRO, D-Hydroflex, H-HOPE, HYPOSO, HYDRO4U, ReHydro, RevHydro, Store2Hydro) and serves as official supporting partner of the Paris Pledge on Pumped Storage Hydropower.

The business model is grant funding under the EU Horizon Europe programme; there are no commercial products, pricing, or revenue streams. The primary stakeholder is the European Commission, which receives consensus-based strategic advice on the SET Plan, while secondary stakeholders include EU Member States, hydropower operators, equipment manufacturers, research institutions, environmental NGOs, and financial actors. The platform is engaged in a transition toward a sustainable association structure to continue beyond the August 2025 project end date.

Name

ETIP HYDROPOWER

Legal name

ETIP HYDROPOWER (European Technology and Innovation Platform on Hydropower)

Website

https://etip-hydropower.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ETIP HYDROPOWER is a Brussels-based European Technology and Innovation Platform funded by the EU Horizon Europe programme that coordinates research, innovation, and policy consensus for the European hydropower sector across industry, operators, researchers, and civil society.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Policy Coordination

NAICS

Hydroelectric Power Generation (221111), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydropower Project Development & Permitting (Greenfield, Licensing, Water Rights) (EUAMADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydropower Operations, Maintenance & Asset Management (O&M, Spares, Performance) (EUAMADAE), Hydropower Digital, Controls & SCADA/Automation (EUACAEAI), Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Hydropower research coordination
• Renewable energy policy
• Pumped storage hydropower
• Energy technology platform
• Hydropower sector advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. EU Horizon Europe Funding: The ETIP HYDROPOWER project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme with a grant of EUR 1 million. The project started in September 2022 and is expected to end in August 2025 under the call dedicated to Support to the activities of the ETIPs and technology areas of the SET Plan.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ETIP HYDROPOWER is a European Technology and Innovation Platform funded by the EU Horizon Europe programme that coordinates research, innovation, and policy efforts for the European hydropower sector. It convenes industry, operators, research institutions, and civil society through four Working Groups, a 25-member Governing Board, an annual Brussels Hydropower Day, and a portfolio of strategic deliverables including White Papers, the HERI R&I Database, and the Research and Innovation Agenda (RIA) and Strategic Industry Roadmap (SIR). The platform provides consensus-based advisory input to the European Commission and the SET Plan on hydropower deployment, flexibility, storage, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.

Product overview

ETIP HYDROPOWER is a European Technology and Innovation Platform that unifies the voices of hydropower in Europe. Rather than a single commercial product, the platform offers a portfolio of knowledge products and services including White Papers on flexibility, biodiversity, and climate change; the HERI R&I Database for accessing hydropower research projects; a Consultation Platform for stakeholder engagement; the HYPOSO Platform for optimization tools; strategic documents including the Research and Innovation Agenda (RIA) and Strategic Industry Roadmap (SIR); the Di-Hydro Podcast Series; the annual Brussels Hydropower Day event; and collaborative Working Groups covering flexibility/storage, cross-sectoral topics, climate change, and R&I project overviews.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• White Papers Series (Flexibility, Biodiversity, Climate Change) Series of White Papers developed by ETIP HYDROPOWER Working Groups covering Enabling Fish Mobility at Hydropower Plants, Environmental Flows and Hydropeaking, Sediment Dynamics, Flexibility, and Climate Change adaptation. Targeted at policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers in the European hydropower sector.
• HERI R&I Database

Quantifiable outcome

• 4th Brussels Hydropower Day 2026 to focus on energy security and digital transformation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• EURECcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022EUREC is a consortium partner and coordinating entity for the ETIP HYDROPOWER project. EUREC serves as the host organization and provides administrative coordination for the platform activities.
• SAMUI FRANCEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAMUI FRANCE is a consortium partner contributing to ETIP HYDROPOWER governance and business plan development for the future sustainable association structure.
• EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR STORAGE OF ENERGY (EASE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEASE contributes expertise on energy storage policy and strategy within the ETIP HYDROPOWER consortium, particularly on pumped storage hydropower.
• COMMISSION INTERNATIONALE DES GRANDS BARRAGES (ICOLD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICOLD provides technical expertise on dam safety and large dam infrastructure within the consortium. Anton Schleiss from ICOLD serves as technical coordinator of ETIP HYDROPOWER.
• VGB POWERTECHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVGB POWERTECH contributes technical expertise on power plant operations and digitalization within the hydropower working groups.
• ZABALA BRUSSELScoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerZABALA BRUSSELS handles communication, dissemination, and exploitation workpackage for the project. Janire Garcia serves as Communication & Dissemination contact.
• EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGIES FEDERATION (EREF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEREF represents renewable energy association interests within the platform's multi-stakeholder governance structure.
• INTERNATIONAL HYDROPOWER ASSOCIATION (IHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIHA provides global hydropower perspective, contributes to publications including World Hydropower Outlook, and supports Paris Pledge on Pumped Storage Hydropower.
• Di-Hydro ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project on digital innovation in hydropower. ETIP HYDROPOWER Cluster partner showcasing digital solutions for hydropower operations.
• iAMP-HydromajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project developing condition monitoring and predictive maintenance solutions for hydropower plants.
• H-HOPE ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe hydropower project part of the ETIP HYDROPOWER Cluster showcasing innovative solutions.
• SHERPA ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project contributing to hydropower innovation ecosystem and ETIP HYDROPOWER Cluster.
• HYPOSO ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project on hydropower opportunities; ETIP HYDROPOWER Cluster member with dedicated platform.
• XFLEX-HYDROmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon 2020 project demonstrating hydropower flexibility technologies. ETIP HYDROPOWER Cluster member advancing variable speed and hybrid solutions.
• D-HydroflexmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project developing digital twins and AI for hydropower sustainability and flexibility.
• HYDRO4UmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project on sustainable hydropower solutions, part of ETIP HYDROPOWER Cluster.
• ReHydromajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project contributing to hydropower research and innovation ecosystem.
• RevHydromajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project in the ETIP HYDROPOWER Cluster.
• Store2HydromajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Horizon Europe project on storage solutions for hydropower.
• EERA Joint Programme HydropowermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Energy Research Alliance programme on hydropower. Jointly released FP10 position paper with ETIP HYDROPOWER calling for hydropower recognition.
• European CommissioncoreOthersPrimary funder under Horizon Europe programme. EC officers (Sébastien Mortier, Bernd Biervert) provide oversight and guidance on ETIP activities.
• SET Plan (Strategic Energy Technology Plan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerETIP HYDROPOWER provides consensus-based strategic advice to the SET Plan on hydropower market analysis, R&D funding, biodiversity protection, and ecological continuity.
• Paris Pledge on Pumped Storage HydropowermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerETIP HYDROPOWER became official supporting partner of the Paris Pledge initiated by IHA and EURELECTRIC, calling for expansion of long-duration energy storage via pumped hydropower.
• Global Renewables AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of over 40 nations to expedite renewable energy transition. IHA (ETIP HYDROPOWER partner) has joined the alliance.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EURELECTRIC: The umbrella European electricity industry association, co-initiator with IHA of the Paris Pledge on Pumped Storage Hydropower; broader in scope than ETIP HYDROPOWER but operating as an adjacent convening and policy body for the same utility stakeholders.

Direct peers

• International Hydropower Association (IHA): The leading global hydropower association and a core consortium partner of ETIP HYDROPOWER; directly comparable as the global convening body for the sector and a partner on the Paris Pledge on Pumped Storage Hydropower.
• ETIP Smart Networks for Energy Transition (SNET): Sister European Technology and Innovation Platform focused on electricity networks and smart grid integration; directly comparable as a SET Plan advisory body with the same multi-stakeholder governance and Horizon-funded operating model.
• European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE): Core consortium partner of ETIP HYDROPOWER and the leading European association for energy storage including pumped hydro storage; shares the multi-stakeholder policy advisory model and overlapping membership base.
• EERA Joint Programme Hydropower: European Energy Research Alliance programme specifically on hydropower R&D; jointly released an FP10 position paper with ETIP HYDROPOWER and overlaps significantly in convening researchers, with comparable scope on innovation and research coordination.
• EUREC (European Renewable Energy Research Centres Agency): Host organization and coordinating entity for ETIP HYDROPOWER; comparable as a Brussels-based renewable energy R&D coordination body with similar EU funding model and member structure.
• ETIP Wind: Sister European Technology and Innovation Platform focused on wind energy, operating under the same SET Plan advisory framework with similar multi-stakeholder governance, working groups, and EU Horizon Europe funding model.
• SolarPower Europe (ETIP PV): Industry association that has historically played the ETIP PV role for solar energy in Europe, providing consensus-based policy advisory to the SET Plan — structurally analogous to ETIP HYDROPOWER's mandate for hydropower.
• International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD): Core consortium partner of ETIP HYDROPOWER providing technical expertise on dams; a global technical body directly comparable in stakeholder breadth and policy influence for large-scale water infrastructure.
• ETIP Bioenergy: Sister European Technology and Innovation Platform for bioenergy, structurally identical to ETIP HYDROPOWER in terms of SET Plan advisory role, consortium governance, R&I agenda development, and Horizon Europe funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/etiphydropower

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ETIP HYDROPOWER