The Gemini centre for hydropower optimization will strengthen academic and industrial competencies by facilitating use and development of methods and models used in hydropower scheduling. The centre will reinforce the successful collaboration between SINTEF and NTNU in education and research related to hydropower optimization.

The participating groups from SINTEF and NTNU already have established cooperation though various KPN and FMEs such as Hydrocen, as well as joint education and supervision of master and PhD students. This collaboration will be strengthened and formalized through the Gemini centre.

The centre will give increased national and international visibility of the joint competences of the participating groups, as well as increased research activity and opportunities for hosting workshops and conferences.

Challenges and opportunities:

• Hydropower is the backbone of the Norwegian power supply and needs robust, state-of-the-art decision-making tools to fulfil this central role.
• The transition of the power system and integration of intermittent renewables offers both challenges and opportunities for hydropower; the supply of energy becoming less valuable, while flexibility and new products become more important.
• There is a demand in the hydropower industry for decision-making tools for new business models for energy and flexibility.
• The Gemini Centre will build knowledge for hydropower optimization which, through research, development and new technology, will further develop advanced decision support tools for planning and operation of the Nordic hydropower system.

The main objective of the centre is to maintain and strengthen the professional competence for planning and operation of hydropower. This will be done by formalizing collaboration between the professional groups, highlighting R&D challenges and expertise, as well as providing a basis for strengthened efforts for research in hydropower optimization.

Sub-goals:

• Coordinate and strengthen research and education for hydropower optimization at SINTEF and NTNU
• Maintain the position as a world-leading professional environment in the field of hydropower optimization
• Increase visibility of the research being done in the participating groups to increase opportunities for gift professorships
• Facilitate the use and further development of existing and new tools and models in education and research
• Accelerate the development of a new generation of decision-making tools for a renewable and integrated power system with a large share of hydropower production

Participants in the centre:

• SINTEF Energy Research/Department Energy Systems 
• NTNU Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering/Department of Electric Power Engineering
• Faculty of Economics and Management/Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management (IØT)

Read more on: SINTEFs research on Hydropower - FME Hydrocen