Research priorities in hydropeaking

Peak-operating hydropower and hydropeaking have received increasing attention in the last two decades. However, knowledge gaps remain, and the transfer of science into mitigation actions and policy-making is still scarce. In this study, we undertook an online survey available in six languages to gather open research questions from more than 200 hydropeaking experts across the globe. We then used a systematic method of determining expert consensus, the Delphi method, to identify the top 100 key questions out of over 400 submitted ones related to eight thematic fields: (i) hydrology, (ii) physicochemical properties of water, (iii) river morphology and sedimentology, (iv) ecology and biology, (v) socioeconomic topics, (vi) energy markets, (vii) policy and regulation, and (viii) management and mitigation measures. The high-priority questions agreed upon by consensus target research objectives that are both achievable and answerable, covering a broad range of topics. The list of questions thereby serves as a useful tool to direct researchers towards enhancing the science-policy interface, aiming to bolster the sustainability of peak-operating hydropower in diverse geographical and socioeconomic settings. 79