The whole conference was about renewable energy in the Alps. In the beginning of the conference, the host Anna-Katherina von Krauland from Stanford University said that 17 per cent of US electricity is from renewable resources.

Then professors Patrick Kupper and Marc Landry from started talking about history of Alpine Waterpower:

White coal in German is Die weisse Kohle because it looks like falling white water, it is eco-friendly energy from water in the Alps. They thought this could bring the industrial economy for the country (Austria).

In the 20th century the ability to store the hydropower was very special and unique to the people and politicians. Unfortunately, after the second world war, whole villages and many people had to be relocated because of building the dams in Switzerland.

Currently, 550 plants exist in the Alps, they generate 2900 GW power. We can compare this hydropower to 23 million tons of hard coal. There are 10 metres high dams and reservoirs in the Alps. Humans created new lakes in the Alps to build up more energy. This landscape is special, because it can be used to store the hydropower in Alps.

Less energy is being produced in winter in Austria (Alps), that is why it is very important not to waste any energy and store it in summer. The Alps are the landscape of huge hydropower and renewable resources. Technological developments were important to build up the actual power from the Alps.

At the end, they answered viewers ‘questions:

How can the hydropower be used?

Hydropower is unique and special. That is why they started to build the reservoirs high up to store the Alps water. After the second world war countries were offering the power to the others and they started to sell the power and then the project with hydropower was even more supported by politicians because it was economically profitable.

How can new hydropower plants be in role and be helpful in the future?

We need to be focusing on utilising what already exists. It is tricky to say we have pumped out everything from hydropower. They think (Patrick and Marc) there will be something bigger in the future.

I really liked this conference; it was a new and really good opportunity to listen and get some new information about this topic.