BRIC and Canadian firms join up for hydropower projects to create tech transfer opportunities for industry

Energy firms from Canada and Russia have joined together to start a series of research and development projects in hydropower technology. Irkutskenergo, part of Russia’s largest independent power company EuroSibEnergo, and Canada’s Hydro-Québec (HQ), one of the world’s largest hydropower producers, have entered into a two-year agreement to start a strategic cooperation on seven hydropower generation and transmission R&D projects. The projects aims to create technology transfer opportunities for leading companies in the hydropower industry.

Under the agreement, Hydro-Québec and Irkutskenergo will collaborate and conduct technical exchanges on hydropower generation and transmission and research in leading power technologies on the basis of findings from Hydro-Québec’s research centre (IREQ), whose experience in the industry is well established internationally.

Irkutskenergo will get access to Hydro-Québec’s technological innovation projects, initially in the power generation and transmission portfolios. The companies have outlined seven initial joint projects in generation and transmission. This includes condition-based maintenance for turbines, generators and transformer service life. Irkutskenergo will provide co-financing for the projects and obtain license rights on Russian territory.

Hydropower and innovation at the heart

Artem Volynets, CEO of En+ Group, owner of EuroSibEnergo, said: “This cooperation creates new technology transfer opportunities for two leading hydropower companies, whose assets are located in very similar regions of the world. Our companies share the same values and place the responsible development of hydropower and innovation at the heart of our activities. We believe that this collaboration will not only be beneficial for our companies but will also provide positive growth to the world’s power industry in general.”
 
Élie Saheb, Executive vice president of Technology at Hydro-Québec, said: “We are very pleased with the recognition of IREQ's expertise in technological innovation by a company as significant as EuroSibEnergo. Technological innovation is an important activity for both Hydro-Québec and Irkutskenergo. This cooperation is part of an open innovation approach.”

The news follows other BRIC and west collaborations in hydropower in 2013. This includes the UK’s International Hydropower Association (IHA) and the China Society for Hydropower Engineering (CSHE), announcing they were working together to promote sustainable hydropower development in January.