REVIEWING AND MAXIMIZING HYDRO POTENTIAL
- Potential and development opportunities: Southeast Europe; Central Asia;Central and South America; Africa; and Asia and the Pacific region
- Operational aspects and asset management
- Review of upgrading potential worldwide
- Retrofitting of existing hydraulic works
- Hydro in combination with wind and solar plants
- Rural electrification and small hydro


PROJECT PLANNING AND DESIGN CRITERIA
- Basin-wide planning for multiple benefits; Reviewing alternative options
- Planning and decision-making tools: site surveying; economic assessments;software developments
- Maximizing benefits: integrated regional development
- Refining regulations and design criteria to reduce overall costs
- Optimizing construction time and schedules
- Risk management approaches for decision-making in life extension andmodernization of powerplants
- Planning site infrastructure


PROJECT FINANCE
- Review of policies, practices and new developments
- Public/private partnerships: recent experience
- Carbon finance: principles and case studies


ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS
- The value of sectoral and strategic impact assessments
- Cumulative impact assessment
- Reviewing and assessing health impacts
- Benefit sharing and equity partnerships
- Avoiding conflict by timely communications


TECHNOLOGY

HYDRO EQUIPMENT - DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
- Eco-technology: innovations to help environmental protection
- Hydraulic machinery: new developments in research and design(review of state of the art in Europe, North America and Asia)
- Electrical equipment: generators; control; transmission and distribution
- Operation and maintenance: innovations and improving economics
- Upgrading and refurbishment
- Small, micro and pico hydro technology
- Pumped storage
- On-site communication systems


CIVIL ENGINEERING
- Challenging sites: remote access; extreme climates; complex geology
- Managing sedimentation
- Innovations in dam design and flood discharge works
- Safety and risk assessment