During the mid-term event of the H-HOPE project in Padova, Italy, participants had the opportunity to hear from Thomas Schleker, Policy Officer at the European Commission’s DG Research & Innovation. Speaking virtually, Schleker outlined the EU’s vision for hydropower and its central role in building a more competitive, sustainable, and climate-neutral Europe. His intervention placed hydropower within the broader framework of the European Green Deal, the Clean Industrial Deal, and the EU’s strategic drive for innovation and industrial competitiveness.
At the heart of his presentation was the Competitiveness Compass, a roadmap to strengthen the EU’s position in global markets while reducing emissions. Schleker highlighted priorities such as combining decarbonization with competitiveness, advancing the circular economy to reduce resource dependencies, closing the innovation gap, and investing in skills and digitalization. He emphasized that the Clean Industrial Deal aims to mobilize over €100 billion to support EU-made clean technologies, potentially creating 500,000 new jobs by 2030.
Hydropower was presented as a “hidden giant” of renewable energy that must be further recognized in policy and investment frameworks. Schleker underlined how it connects to major initiatives including the upcoming European Water Resilience Strategy, the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance, revisions to the electricity market design, and the Net-Zero Industry Act. Refurbishing and upgrading existing plants, he noted, is critical to increase sustainability, flexibility, and storage capacity, ensuring hydropower continues to support a secure and decarbonized energy system.
On the research and innovation side, EU investment in hydropower has steadily grown — from €10 million under FP7 to €40 million in Horizon 2020. Under Horizon Europe, projects are already addressing sustainability, refurbishment, digitalization, and pumped storage. Schleker announced that a flagship Horizon Europe call worth €600 million (2026–2027) will support clean technologies ready for deployment, with stakeholders invited to participate in upcoming Info Days.
The EU is also engaging globally, for instance through the IEA Hydropower Technology Collaboration Programme and the EU-Africa dialogue on sustainable energy, where hydropower is seen as a driver of access to clean electricity.
Schleker’s message to the H-HOPE community was clear: hydropower is not just about producing renewable electricity — it underpins competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability. By upgrading infrastructure, investing in research, and strengthening international cooperation, Europe can maintain its leadership in hydropower while supporting the broader transition to a climate-neutral economy.
