Welcome from the HYDRO 2023 Event Team
In the picturesque city of Genoa, Italy, the hydrographic community recently came together for the highly anticipated HYDRO 2023 conference. This global event brought together experts, professionals, and enthusiasts from around the world, all united by a shared passion for advancing the field of hydrography and exploring the future of renewable energy.
The main topics discussed at HYDRO 2023 primarily focused on renewable energy developments, energy storage solutions, and the evolution of market mechanisms in the energy sector. The event served as a platform for insightful discussions, groundbreaking discoveries, and enduring collaborations, aligning with Italy's broader strategic push towards sustainable energy solutions and market innovations in 2023.
Renewables and Biomethane were a significant focus, with a strong emphasis on the development and investment opportunities in renewable energy sources, including biomethane. The Italian government's National Recovery and Resilience Plan provides significant funding for these strategic carriers, and discussions centred around incentive tariffs and priority grid access to accelerate project deployment.
The introduction of the "MACSE" (Mechanism for the Supply of Electric Storage Capacity) regulatory framework was another key focus, aiming to support the supply and optimization of electric storage capacity through auctions and various contract types. This reflects a broader interest in integrating storage solutions to enhance grid stability and support renewable penetration.
Italy’s promising position in geothermal power, with over 700 MW of installed capacity and upcoming projects backed by significant financial pledges, highlighted a growing interest in next-generation geothermal technologies within the energy portfolio discussed at related energy forums.
Discussions likely included infrastructure challenges, such as grid congestion in Italy and the efforts to expand capacity and modernization plans by Terna, Italy’s grid operator, to accommodate increasing demand and renewable integration.
Sustainable Underwater Infrastructures sessions focused on environmentally friendly practices in underwater infrastructure development and maintenance. Enabling Technologies discussions highlighted emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and remote sensing, and their applications in marine surveying and mapping.
Quality discussions focused on data quality assurance, standards compliance, and best practices in data collection, processing, and dissemination. Collaboration and Partnerships sessions explored partnerships between various organizations to address common challenges in hydrography and oceanography.
HYDRO 2023 offered a variety of enlightening presentations and networking opportunities, and the speakers' dedication to advancing the field of hydrography was commendable. The event also marked the first time Italy hosted the conference, and the speakers shared their expertise and insights, contributing to its success.
The conference received generous support from its sponsors, whose commitment to advancing hydrographic research and education is invaluable. HYDRO 2023 served as a reminder of the collective passion and dedication of the hydrographic community, and as a stepping stone towards the exciting advancements expected at HYDRO 2024, which will be held in Rostock, Germany. The organizers and participants are wished a successful and fruitful conference.
[1] National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Italy, 2021. Available at: [2] Terna, Annual Report 2021. Available at:
- In the discussions of HYDRO 2023, the importance of education and self-development was evident, as experts delved into emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and remote sensing in the field of environmental-science, particularly in marine surveying and mapping.
- The event also touched upon various topics related to technology and education-and-self-development, such as the introduction of the "MACSE" regulatory framework for electric storage capacity and the Italian government's investment in renewable energy sources, including biomethane, as outlined in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
