Hydro 2012
The Hydropower & Dams team is delighted to welcome the world hydropower community to the elegant city of Bilbao, Spain for HYDRO 2012. The city, which hosts the prestigious Guggenheim Museum, is the capital of Vizcaya in the Basque Country of Spain. It achieved city status in 1300 at the same time as it was also granted control of the maritime traffic entering its estuary. Today Bilbao retains elements of its historic past, but is also characterized by modern cultural centres, art galleries, world class restaurants, and a state-of-the-art congress centre, the design of which echoes the city’s long history of shipbuilding.
Iberdrola, which is headquartered in Bilboa, is the largest hydro company in Spain and is currently investing €9 billion in developing hydropower projects and other renewable energy sources. Our Conference programme will focus on the most topical and practical aspects of hydro development worldwide, and a major Technical Exhibition will run concurrently with the sessions and workshops. The HYDRO 2012 cultural and social programme will offer extra networking opportunities. Planned study tours will offer delegates the opportunity to visit the latest developments across various parts of the country.
The Aqua~Media Hydro Event
The annual conferences organized by Hydropower & Dams are the world’s most international events held in Europe for the hydropower profession. HYDRO, which took place in Prague, Czech Republic, in October, attracted more than 1300 participants representing 75 countries.
The emphasis each year is on encouraging the advancement of carefully planned hydro plants in the less developed countries of Africa and Asia, where there is vast unexploited potential, and the greatest need for new capacity. Technical sessions are complemented by high-level panel discussions, debates, inter-active workshops and side events.
The Technical Exhibition will be a platform for powerplant owners, consultants and manufacturers to showcase the state-of-the-art of hydropower technology, research and consultancy services. The events are co-hosted by the national power authority of the host country, and supported by the major international and national energy and water-related professional associations, such as ICOLD, IEA, WEC, ICID, IWRA, ESHA and BHA, as well as the World Bank, African Development Bank, EIB, the Asian Development Bank and others.
Past events have taken place in: Budapest (1994); Barcelona (1995); Lausanne, (1996); Portoroz (1997); Aix en Provence (1998); Gmunden (1999); Bern (2000); Riva del Garda (2001); Kiris, (2002); Dubrovnik, (2003); Porto (2004); Villach (2005); Porto Carras (2006); Granada (2007); Ljubljana, (2008); Lyon (2009); Lisbon, (2010); and Prague, (2011).
HYDRO 2012 Mission
As policy makers begin to take a more positive view of hydropower, and more of the many energy and water ‘roadmaps’ are leading towards new hydro projects, our HYDRO 2012 conference will make a contribution to the major task of turning policies into practice.
These aims will be achieved through papers carefully selected by the International Steering Committee, working closely with the H&D team, and by the arrangement of a broad range of sessions, panel discussions and workshops.
The Iberian peninsular is currently one of the most active parts of Europe concerning hydro, particularly pumped-storage, development. Many refurbishment and upgrade schemes are also underway, which will provide opportunities for instructive study tours.
International Exchange of Experience
We look forward to welcoming delegations from more than 80 countries, as well as high level representatives of the financial community, and the water-related professional associations.
As in previous years, the leading countries of the world for hydropower development, such as China, India, Russia, Iran, Vietnam, Brazil, Canada, and many others, will be well represented.
Sessions and Panels
Parallel sessions will be held on technical, financial/economic, and environmental/social aspects. There will also be regional sessions, and updates on some of the world’s most important schemes under construction worldwide. Large and small hydro will be covered,
along with associated civil engineering challenges. Interactive discussion will be encouraged through panels and workshops.
Who Should Attend?
- All those active in advancing world hydropower, through research, planning, project financing, design and construction, operation and maintenance, upgrading and refurbishment.
- Others advising on specialized aspects such as environmental protection, stakeholder dialogue, safety enhancement, software for planning, maximizing economic benefits.
- University lecturers and students, who together will ensure that hydropower expertise is sustainable, and accessible in all parts of the world.
HYDRO 2012 Conference Venue
The Hydropower & Dams team is delighted to welcome the world hydropower community to the elegant city of Bilbao, Spain for HYDRO 2012
The city, which hosts the prestigious Guggenheim Museum, is the capital of Biscay in the Basque Country of Spain. It achieved city status in 1300 at the same time as it was granted control of the maritime traffic entering its estuary. Bilbao retains elements of its historic past, but having undergone a major revitalization, is today characterized by modern cultural centres, art galleries, world class restaurants, and a state-of-the-art congress centre, the design of which echoes the city’s long history of shipbuilding. Iberdrola, which is headquartered in Bilbao, is the largest hydro company in Spain and is currently investing €9 billion in developing hydropower projects and other renewable energy sources.
Access
The city of Bilbao, on the northwest coast of Spain, between the Cantabrian mountains and the Pyrenees, is easily accessible from all parts of the world. The international airport, located 9 km north of the city, is served by many major airlines, such as Iberia, Air France, Lufthansa, TAP Portugal, Air Berlin, Air Europe, Brussels Air, and EasyJet.
There are also excellent road and rail links with the major European cities. The Euskalduna Congress Centre is in the centre of town, close to all hotels and to the Guggenheim museum.
Abstracts of up to 800 words, in English, are now invited on the themes listed or related topics. Please fax or email abstracts in Word format to the address below. A short summary CV, typically 5 or 6 sentences of each author should be included. Your abstract should summarize precisely the scope and content of the paper proposed. In the case of any project described, please mention its current status or date of completion. If the abstract is sent by email, please incorporate the author’s name in the file name.
Important:
Please note that abstracts should only be submitted if the author would be able to attend the conference (or send a representative). Please obtain any necessary clearance, and check your availability to attend, before submitting the abstract.
Speakers will be eligible for a greatly reduced registration fee. In the case of speakers from the less developed countries, in some exceptional circumstances we may be able to secure financial support to cover fees, but it is essential that we know this at the time when the abstract is submitted.
If your paper is accepted, you will be asked to sign a form confirming willingness to attend; it is essential that we receive this undertaking before allocating time for an oral presentation.
The deadline for receipt of abstracts is 18 February 2012. Authors will be notified in May 2012 whether or not their paper has been accepted for presentation, or for publication in the Proceedings.
Abstracts will be reviewed by two or more experts on our International Steering Committee, and you may be asked to modify some aspects of your proposed paper. As this review process takes some time, we urge you to submit abstracts promptly
(if possible well before the final deadline).
Full papers will be required by 12 August 2012, and format guidelines will be sent to all authors whose papers are accepted.
A hard copy, PDF and word document of each final paper will be required.
Full details of the technical and social programmes, more information about the excursions, accommodation and registration fees, will be published in the Final Bulletin, which will be distributed in June 2012.
Social Programme
Social events will include a Welcome Reception at the Alhóndiga cultural centre, with musical entertainment. This building was originally a wine warehouse, designed by the Basque architect Ricardo Bastida in collaboration with Thibaut Matthieu. Today it is a multipurpose venue, redesigned in modernist style by French designer Philippe Starck. It contains an art gallery, library and other cultural facilities.
There will also be a Conference Dinner, in a historical venue close to the sea, with a chance to sample the best of world-famous Basque cuisine.
Tours And Excursions
A pre-conference tour, available to all participants on the day of registration (Sunday 28th October) will provide an opportunity to see the main sights of the city, including a visit to the famous Guggenheim museum.
Accompanying persons will be offered three excursions, including the opportunity to visit the old and new quarters of Bilbao, and surrounding places of interest, such as the picturesque coastal town of San Sebastian, and the monasteries of La Rioja.
Post conference tours will provide an opportunity for participants to see some of Spain’s many hydro and pumped-storage stations, and many more. The 6th International Symposium on RCC Dams will take place in Zaragoza just before HYDRO 2012, and we are working in collaboration with SPANCOLD to facilitate arrangements for those who wish to attend both events.
Accommodation
Rooms are being reserved for HYDRO 2012 participants at a number of selected hotels close to the Euskalduna Congress Centre. The main 5* hotel, adjacent to the Congress Centre, is the elegant Melia, designed by a Mexican architect. Rooms will be available there, and in a number of other hotels in all categories, all in walking distance of Euskalduna, and of the centre of town.