Is small hydropower over-developed in China?

According to the data of the Ministry of Water Resources, by the end of 20 14, more than 47,000 small hydropower stations with a capacity of 50,000 kilowatts or less had been built nationwide, which made more than 300 million rural people bid farewell to the "life without electricity". Is the development of small hydropower excessive at present? Is it necessary to destroy the ecology? What is the attitude of the international community towards small hydropower? At the "Small Hydropower Ecological Function Popular Science Forum" held on the 20th, industry experts and responsible persons answered the hot issues of public concern.

Is the development of small hydropower excessive?

"Hydropower is an important clean and renewable energy. By the end of 20 14, according to electric energy statistics, the development rate of small hydropower in China is about 4 1%, which is far lower than that of developed countries in Europe and America. At present, the degree of development in Switzerland and France is 97%, Spain and Italy are 96%, Japan is 84%, and the United States is 73%. " Tian Zhongxing, director of the Water and Electricity Bureau of the Ministry of Water Resources, said at the forum.

The reporter learned from the forum sponsored by China Hydropower Engineering Society and China Popular Science Writers Association that by the end of 20 14, the installed capacity of small hydropower in China was 73 million kilowatts, with an annual power generation of more than 220 billion kWh, replacing 74 million tons of standard coal, reducing carbon dioxide emissions1900,000 tons and sulfur dioxide emissions1780,000 tons.

Tian Zhongxing said that the development speed of small hydropower in China is not high. There is no uniform quantitative standard for the number of hydropower stations in a river or a region, which depends on the endowment and function of river resources, and needs professional demonstration and standardized examination and approval, and is clearly defined in the planning. At present, most of the undeveloped hydropower resources in China are concentrated in 832 poverty-stricken counties, which is of great significance for rural areas in mountainous areas to get rid of poverty and become rich.

Over the years, small hydropower has illuminated the rural areas of China, brought electricity to China 1/2 and 1/3 counties and cities, and improved the ecological environment. Since the implementation of the project of replacing fuel with small hydropower, the living fuel of 4 million farmers has been solved, and the forest area is protected by 6,543,800 mu every year. In 2008, due to the freezing rain and snow disaster in the south and the Wenchuan and Yushu earthquakes, the emergency power supply capacity of small hydropower stations was outstanding, which became the "last match" to light up the regional power grid.

"The development of small hydropower in China has advantages, such as mature technology, small investment scale, good economic benefits, relatively controllable environmental impact, and few floods and immigration problems." Liu Heng, director of the International Small Hydropower Center, said.

Will small hydropower destroy the ecology?

The impact of small hydropower on ecology has always been concerned by the public. It mainly focuses on water reduction and dehydration, fish protection, soil and water conservation, geological disasters and so on.

"The negative impact of small hydropower is not caused by its own endowment, but can be contained through measures such as supervision and planning." Li Licheng, an academician of China Academy of Engineering, said at the forum.

"Some mountain rivers in China are seasonal rivers. In the dry season, the river is cut off and the riverbed is exposed. At the same time, some diversion hydropower stations built in the early stage were limited by technical conditions, and no minimum discharge facilities were designed or built. With the improvement of the development and utilization of water resources, the phenomenon of reducing water runoff in the diversion section has intensified. " Tian Zhongxing said.

It is understood that during the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" period, more than 4,400 old power stations across the country have been upgraded to improve efficiency and capacity, which has improved the ecological environment of nearly 2,000 small and medium-sized rivers. Fujian, Shaanxi, Gansu and other places have issued the minimum discharge regulations of hydropower stations, which require the installation of ecological drainage pipes, the addition of ecological units, the construction of permanent dams and the joint operation of cascade to ensure the ecological water demand of river sections.

In terms of fish protection, in 20 12, the Ministry of Water Resources revised the hydropower resources development plans of more than 3,500 small and medium-sized rivers nationwide, and no new small hydropower projects were planned for the river sections that are under national and local key protection, rare and endangered or endemic aquatic organisms.

Tian Zhongxing said that the problem of soil erosion of small hydropower stations is mainly in the construction stage, so it is necessary to strengthen project supervision and monitoring and implement the responsibility of prevention and control; In the prevention and control of geological disasters, hydropower stations can reduce the destructive power of water flow, maintain the stability of river bed and reduce the harm of geological disasters such as mudslides. Through scientific planning, design and operation management, the adverse impact of small hydropower development on the local ecological environment can be minimized or even eliminated.

"The current debate about small hydropower is mainly due to the lack of supervision and management in some areas and the pursuit of economic interests while ignoring ecological and environmental protection. In countries with strict environmental protection, there are few such arguments. " Liu Heng said.

How does the international community view small hydropower?

"When the energy crisis is intensifying and renewable energy is urgently needed, small hydropower has ushered in new development opportunities." Liu Heng said.

Tian Zhongxing said that developed countries in Europe and America attach importance to the development of small hydropower. On August 20 13, the United States implemented a bill to simplify and speed up the supervision and approval procedures for small hydropower development. The United States not only attaches importance to power generation in small rivers, but also is very interested in restoring and developing small hydropower stations on irrigation channels, diversion control gates and backwater gates, and plans to develop small hydropower stations and micro hydropower stations by using the hydropower resources of existing dams, reservoirs and other water conservancy facilities; In the case of a high degree of hydropower development, the EU still plans to rebuild, expand or build small hydropower projects to increase the installed capacity of hydropower.

Liu Heng said that within the United Nations system, the call for vigorously developing hydropower is getting louder and louder. Institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank actively guide and support developing countries. Green hydropower certification, low-impact hydropower certification and hydropower sustainable development assessment have been carried out worldwide.

Li Licheng believes that the future development of small hydropower in China must focus on policy, technology and market. Provide practical support in small hydropower price, internet access and financing; Take the road of technological innovation to realize scientific implementation planning, power station construction and operation management; Realize government-led, market-oriented, qualification recognition and strengthen supervision.

"Green small hydropower is the future development direction." Liu Heng said that China is promoting the evaluation and certification of green small hydropower, and the "Lighting Africa" project has been welcomed by African countries. In the future, we should vigorously develop "people's livelihood hydropower, safe hydropower, green hydropower and harmonious hydropower" to help sustainable development.