Five years after its creation, the Hydro Alps Lab is taking a new step forward: Alpiq, FMV, HYDRO Exploitation, OIKEN and the HES-SO Valais-Wallis are renewing their partnership until 2032, backed by a new investment of 3 million francs.
Our mission remains clear: to make hydropower the cornerstone of the flexibility required for the energy transition, whilst linking academic research to industrial realities. Over the past five years, this model has proven its worth in three key areas:
- Proven financial efficiency: the laboratory has raised over 5 million francs in third-party funding. In 2025, our leverage is exceptional: every 1 franc invested by our partners generates a further 3 francs to fund innovation.
- Driving the energy transition: with the rise of daytime solar power, hydropower must adapt to rapid and unprecedented storage cycles. We are developing optimisation and monitoring solutions to make Alpine infrastructure more flexible and resilient.
- A springboard for talent: students work on real-world industrial projects. This transfer of skills is so direct that many of our engineers join our partner companies as soon as they graduate.
A culture of open innovation
With the recent arrival of new partners, the Hydro Alps Lab is demonstrating its ability to bring people together in support of the energy transition. Our doors remain open to industry professionals and the talents of tomorrow who are keen to find out about our projects or get involved in applied research in the Alpine region.
Link to the press release.
Author: Benjamin Bouix
