The Venue

HYDRO 2024 RETURNS TO AUSTRIA

Austria has a long hydropower heritage, and more than half (53 per cent) of the country’s electricity comes from hydro. There is nearly 15 GW of hydro capacity in operation, and Austria is Europe’s most active country for pumped storage, with four new pumped-storage plants under construction, totalling 865 MW, and several more planned, including Kaunertal (1015 MW) in the Tyrol, and Ebensee (170 MW) in Upper Austria.

Construction of small and medium-scale run-of-river schemes is also continuing, and Verbund is currently focusing on upgrading and repowering existing plants, as well as testing new storage technologies.

GRAZ AS HOST CITY

Graz is the capital of Styria, in Austria, and the largest city in the province, which is a green and heavily forested region on the eastern edge of the Alps. It is located in the Graz Basin and surrounded by mountains and hills to the north, east and west.

At the heart of its old town is Hauptplatz, the medieval main square. The narrow surrounding streets blend Renaissance and baroque architecture. A funicular leads up Schlossberg, and the Uhrturm, a centuries-old clock tower. Across the River Mur, the futuristic Kunsthaus Graz exhibits contemporary art.

It is a vibrant university town. Many experts from the world-renowned TU Graz are frequent contributors to the HYDRO conference programmes each year, and will have much to present this time, including a possible visit to the hydraulic laboratory.

TRAVELLING TO AND AROUND GRAZ

Graz airport connects with 11 countries, as well as many Austrian cities, including the capital Vienna (flying time of 1 hour), and Munich, Germany. For those flying in to the major international airport in Vienna, there are two convenient options to reach Graz:

Inter-city train: There are regular train services from Vienna Airport to Graz, which take approximately 3 hours. The journey is scenic, providing views of picturesque landscapes. https://www.raileurope.com/en-gb/destinations/vienna-airport-graz-train      Approximate price € 40

Bus: Another option is to take a Flixbus. This service is convenient and economical, providing a good alternative for those who prefer road travel. https://www.flixbus.co.uk/bus-routes/vienna-graz      Approximate price: € 25

Local transport in Graz: HYDRO 2024 delegates will be entitled to purchase discounted local transport tickets (€10, which is about 30 per cent of the regular price) via the registration site.