Author(s): Lee Estrellado; Maria Stella Righettini
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: As hydropower adapts to changing power systems, shaped by the energy transition and the rapid integration of volatile renewable energy (VRE), hydropower flexibility is emerging as an important and stabilizing force. This paper examines how hydropower operators' management of increased flexibility, through communication, engagement, and local impact strategies, influences the degree and nature of social acceptance. Framing flexibility operations as a trigger, engagement as a management response, and social acceptance as the outcome, this research attempts to investigate the interplay between technical characteristics and public perception. The study employs a comparative case study approach, drawing on operator-led cases across different European countries, each embedded in unique policy, geographic, and social contexts. Semi-structured interviews with hydropower operators are used to assess perceptions of flexibility demands, communication practices, and experiences with stakeholder engagement. A structured framework of flexibility, social acceptance and organizational factors guides both the data collection and the proceeding thematic analysis. The findings of this ongoing work aim to contribute to both academic understanding and practical guidance on how to align socially responsive management within the energy transition.
Year: 2026