Hydropower R&D days 2026

Karlstad, longest stone arch bridge in Sweden, built 1797.

The date and venue for the 2026 R&D Days have now been booked! Next year, we will meet at Karlstad University on 11 and 12 March to learn about the exciting research being conducted at the Swedish Centre for Sustainable Hydropower (SVC).

As usual, we will be offering a mix of topics from the centre’s research areas, but you can expect a little extra emphasis on ecology and especially fish , which are Karlstad University’s areas of specialisation within SVC. We will combine discussions, lectures, study visits, student events, good food and wonderful company to make this the best conference possible – see you in Karlstad! See the date! Registration will open later.

Programme day 1, March 11

09:30 Registration & fika

10.00 Welcome to SVCs R&D Days 2026!
Hans Bjerhag, Chair in SVC Programme Council
Staffan Lundström, Centre director SVC
Jerker Moodysson, Vice chancellor at Karlstad University

10:15 Predict salmonid migration pathways from flow simulations in rivers
Johan Leander, SLU

10:45 Presentation from WP2

11:15 Presentation from WP3

11:45 Lunch

13:00 Workshop: Passage solutions for salmonids and other fish species in Swedish river systems
Johan Watz

13.00 Presentation from WP2 (Parallel with the workshop)

13:30 Presentation from WP3 (Parallel with the workshop)

14:00 Fika, mingle & poster session

15.00 Fish passage solutions – new technology for (not only!) Salmonids
Olle Calles, KaU

15:00 Panel discussion with SVCs Scientific Advisory Board
Climate Change impact on Hydropower
Staffan Lundström, LTU, Centre director SVC
Michael McClain, IHE Institute of Water Education
Anton Schleiss, Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Giovanna Cavazzini, University of Padova

15:30 End of day 1

16:15 R&R

18.30 Dinner

Day 2, March 12

08:30 Welcome back

09.00 PhD presentation from WP1

09.20 PhD presentation from WP2

09:40 PhD presentation from WP3

10.00 Study visit to KaU Aquarium, poster-session & fika

11:00 Fish passages solutions and other environmental impact measures – real world examples from Värmland

11:30 What’s going on in SVC?
…and a European outlook!
Staffan Lundström, Centre director SVC

12.00 Wrap up
Hans Bjerhag Chair in SVC Programme Council

12:15 Lunch  End of the conference! See you next year!

13.30 Study visit: Aquaculture facility at Gammelkroppa Lax or Forshaga, depending on availabaility
John Piccolo