Flexibility of medium-sized and small Alpine power stations
The Hydro Alps Lab is pleased to invite you to the final workshop of the project SmallFLEX Goms, The SFOE's pilot and demonstrator project is dedicated to the flexibility of small and medium-sized hydroelectric power stations and their role in the energy transition.
The consortium
The SmallFLEX Goms project brings together a leading academic and industrial consortium, coordinated by the Hydro Alps Lab (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), in collaboration with :
- WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research)
- ETH Zürich (VAW)
- HEIG-VD
- Hydropower Dynamics Engineering (HDE)
- FMV SA
- Alpiq
This partnership combines scientific expertise, advanced modelling and industrial validation in the field.
The project
Against a backdrop of high penetration of intermittent renewable energies, the SmallFLEX Goms project is exploring how to increasing the flexibility of run-of-river hydroelectric plants, which are often not considered to be very flexible.
The aim is to better integrate hydropower into a changing energy system, particularly in Switzerland, where it is a major pillar of supply.
The project has three main focuses:
- Exploiting “hidden” storage” in existing penstocks and structures
- Advanced hydrometeorological forecasts to optimise management
- Energy hybridization with photovoltaics, wind power and storage
The work carried out in the Goms valley has shown that these plants can :
- increase their winter production
- provide system services (in particular primary control)
- improve their profitability and integration into the network
The results also show the benefits of grouping several facilities together in the same virtual power plants (VPP) to aggregate flexibilities and access energy markets.
Workshop programme
This workshop will present the main results of the project and the prospects for wider deployment.
The programme will include
- Presentation of the project and the consortium
- Results of the various work packages (modelling, forecasts, experimental trials)
- Feedback on test campaigns (particularly at the Mörel power station)
- Discussion of industrial applications and system services
- Future prospects and next steps in the project
Practical information
📅 Date 5 May 2026 from 1 to 5.30 p.m. followed by a tour of the laboratory and an aperitif dinner.
📍 Location Aula, Energypolis, rue de l'industrie 23, 1950 Sion
🕒 Format: technical workshop with presentations and discussions in English
👉 Registration information is available at here
