The HYDRO 2018 conference and exhibition, one of Europe’s most important hydropower conferences and exhibitions, takes place from the 15th to 17th of October 2018 at Amber Expo in Gdansk. Norwegian Energy Partners will organise a great Norwegian pavilion (48 sq m) as well as various social functions for the Norwegian hydropower industry.

HYDRO 2018 will be the 25th in Aqua-Media’s series of international events hosted in Europe, and will once again be the most significant conference and exhibition of the year for the global hydropower community. The annual conferences have become renowned as the most international gatherings in the profession, with delegations representing all countries with major hydro development programmes underway. An exchange of experience is encouraged on practical and topical issues, and an international steering committee works with the Aqua-Media team to ensure the high quality of papers accepted.

The event will bring together delegations from around 75-80 nations, sharing the common interest of advancing hydro development in all parts of the world. Lessons from past experience will be reviewed, achievements will be showcased, and new challenges will be tackled. The conference sub-title ‘Progress through Partnerships’ highlights the underlying theme of international collaboration which will be the basis for discussions. The location aims to facilitate participation from more countries in the Central Asian and eastern European region.

Emphasis will be on helping the less developed countries to unlock their hydro potential to advance socio-economic development, on cross-border collaboration and regional projects, and on maximizing the potential to increase hydro capacity in the industrialized countries. Timely maintenance of existing hydro assets is another key theme, along with designing for the sustainability of greenfield projects.

The Norwegian pavilion at HYDRO 2018 is an excellent way of marking a strong Norwegian presence at the exhibition. Norwegian Energy Partners will invite the conference and exhibition participants to meet the Norwegian companies at traditional stand reception on the 15th of October. This Norwegian “stand party” has for many participants become one of the highlights of the HYDRO fair where they get to meet with fellow hydropower enthusiast while enjoying some Norwegian snacks, aquavit and music. In cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Poland, Norwegian Energy Partners will also organise an exclusive reception for the Norwegian participants and their selected contacts on the 16th of October.