---With
strong governmental policy support, outstanding achievements
have been made in the development of rural hydropower and
electrification in China during the past 50 years, especially
during the last 20 years. By the end of 2001, 43,027 SHP
stations were in operation, with a total installed capacity
of 26,262 MW. Half of the land, one third of the counties
(cities) and one quarter of the population have access to
rural hydropower. The achievements and experience gained
in China have been recognized and highly evaluated by the
world community.
After the world energy crisis in
the 1970s, SHP, as the most realistic form of renewable
energy, was revived in many countries in the world. Thanks
to the active role that SHP plays in the supply of rural
energy, alleviation of poverty, improvement of the environment
and promotion of the rural economy, quite a number of countries
have worked out plans to develop it actively in the past
20 or 30 years. The installed capacity in many countries
has leapt from a few hundred kW to tens or even hundreds
of MW.
UNIDO organized the First International
SHP Seminar in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1979, which was followed
by the Second International SHP Seminar in Hangzhou, China
and Manila, Philippines in 1980. The <Kathmandu Declaration>
and <Hangzhou-Manila Declaration> were adopted, and
stressed the significance of SHP international cooperation
and exchange of SHP experience. Under the sponsorship of
UNDP/UNIDO and the Chinese government, Hangzhou Regional
(Asia-Pacific) Center for Small Hydro Power (HRC for short),
located in Hangzhou, was set up in 1981, with the main aims
of conducting international cooperation on SHP by training,
information exchange, R+D and consultation, and of promoting
SHP development in the Region.
Through great efforts over the past
20 years or so, HRC has fulfilled all the missions entrusted
to it by the UN and the Chinese government. At the beginning
of the new century, HRC was given the award of ¡°Model of
South-South Cooperation¡± by MOFTEC. The contributions of
HRC have been widely recognized by the world community.
In a speech delivered at Zhejiang University in mid-October
2002, United Nations Secretary-General K. Annan pointed
out: "Right here in Hangzhou, China, you have made
use of the Regional Center where you share your valuable
rich experience in the field of renewable energy with those
from numerous developing countries in the world. China is
playing a pioneering role in the regional technical cooperation
with developing countries. You developed a lot of cooperative
projects not only in foreign countries, but also you have
generously implemented training workshops for those from
the developing countries."
The appeal of green energy has run
high in the world during the past 20 years. Actions and
resolutions have been adopted by the international institutions
and important conferences. For instance, the World Energy
Conference Committee pointed out in its report <1990-2020
Opportunities and Obstacles for Renewable Energy> that:
¡°SHP is advantageous and will be paid attention to. If it
is supported by policies on renewable energy in the related
countries, SHP will have great development.¡± From the <World
Summit on Sustainable Development> held in Johannesburg,
South Africa in 2002 to the Third World Water Forum held
in Kyoto, Japan in March 2003, affirmative and motivational
resolutions were adopted towards renewable energy including
SHP.
The macro international environment
favours SHP and the energy situation is encouraging. Therefore,
it is currently an important task for the SHP sector to
further conduct international exchange and cooperation on
SHP.
As a member of the global SHP family,
China has the commitment and responsibility to summarize
its SHP experience and exchange it worldwide. The earliest
books on SHP in China were <Small Hydro Power In China:
A Survey> prepared by HRC in 1985 and published by UK¡¯s
ITDG; and ¡°SHP Series¡± No. 3 <Chinese Experiences in
Mini-Hydropower Generation > which was organized by UNIDO
and written by Chinese experts. As SHP practice has continued
during the past 20 years, China¡¯s rural hydro and electrification
experience has gone through a process of continual growth,
gaining extensive experience with the following characteristics:
--- Unique management mechanism:
planned by the central government and implemented by the
locals.
--- Setting up SHP-based rural
electrification counties, simultaneously leading to a
booming rural economy.
--- Promoting poverty-alleviation
by SHP construction.
--- Putting up SHP-based local
grids with their own supply areas.
--- Development of medium and
small hydropower as an important part of the river treatment
work, and an inseparable part of water resources sector.
--- Paying attention to environmental
benefits and conducting SHP ecological substitution for
firewood fuels.
--- Multi-layer fund-raising channels,
mainly building state-owned SHP stations in combination
with a multi-ownership system for SHP stations.
--- Developing the corresponding
equipment manufacturers for medium and small hydropower,
conducting timely training, with self-reliance in solving
technical problems.
--- Coordinating all parties concerned,
adjusting and updating promotional and protective policies.
In order to provide a comprehensive
and in-depth introduction to the experience and technology
in the rural hydro and electrification drive with unique
Chinese features, we have updated this book as a reference
tool for our SHP colleagues throughout the world. It could
also be used as a part of the teaching material for the
international SHP training courses currently being conducted
by HRC.
During the compilation of this
book, the related strategy, principles and policy towards
rural hydropower in China are based on the documents of
the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources and the work of
some senior officials, especially that of Mr. Cheng Huizhou,
Director of Rural Hydropower and Electrification Bureau.
Meanwhile, the experience and summaries of SHP experts
in other relevant provinces and cities have also been
drawn upon so as to enrich and consolidate the content
of this book.
The compilers include: Zhu Xiaozhang,
Cheng Xialei, Pan Daqing, Lou Hongping, Zhang Guansong,
Zhao Jianda, Lin Ning and Shen Xuequn. The book has been
organized and checked by HRC¡¯s Honorary Director, Mr.
Zhu Xiaozhang and HRC¡¯s Deputy Director, Ms. Cheng Xialei.
Director of HRC, Dr. Chen Shengshui finalized the book.
Special thanks should be given to our editorial consultant,
Dr. Eugene Chang (contact e-mail: echang@a-1.net.cn),
for his work on the English text.
Any comments or suggestions to the book are welcome. (Contact
e-mail: secretariat@hrcshp.org).
Hangzhou Regional (Asia-Pacific)
Center for SHP,
P.O.Box 1206,
Hangzhou, China
October 2003
