Norwegian utility Statkraft A.S. has announced its intent to begin construction on the Devoll hydroelectric complex in Albania, HydroWorld.com has learned.

There was an extra level of excitement and anticipation at the Renewable Energy World Europe and Power-Gen Europe Conference and Exhibition in Vienna last week.

A new 290,000-square-foot data center built by Facebook is run entirely on hydroelectric power, the social media giant has announced.

Research conducted by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) suggests that Europe's current pumped-storage capacity could be increased as much as 10 times with the proper scenarios in place.

Russian hydropower project operator and energy giant RusHydro has assumed chairmanship of the Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership (GSEP), per proceedings at the organization's annual summit this past week.

Members of the hydropower industry are hoping to use the European Union's upcoming Sustainable Energy Week to draw attention to hydroelectric policy and regulation.

Tractebel Engineering SA has been awarded a US$438,390 contract to supervise renovations and foundation drainage of the 2-MW Bimont micro hydroelectric plant.

Flooding in south-eastern Europe has pushed hydropower development and its role in managing water flows to the top of the political agenda this week. With multiple deaths reported, the Danube, the Elbe and other major rivers in the region have seen Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic all affected by rising water levels. 

Utilities are being forced to shutter their hydropower projects and dams are proving ineffective as central Europe has been facing its worst flooding in decades.

Austrian energy provider Verbund has awarded Andritz Hydro a contract to modernize the 236-MW Ybbs-Persenbeug hydropower project.

Wave power developer Sustainable Marine Energy (SME) has relocated its offices and workshops from London to the north coast on the Isle of Wight, HydroWorld.com has learned.

German hydro project design firm Hydroprojekt Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH (HPI) has announced that it will begin operating under the new name Lahmeyer Hydroproject GmbH.