Green Energy Resources   Circulatory Benefits

Hydropower is a clean energy resource. It is recyclable, green, and with low operation cost. Under the growing shortage of traditional energy, using water to make electricity could improve the resource utilization and economic  effectiveness for society at large.

China river hydro-energy potential is 676 million KW theoretically, and annual energy production is 5.92 trillion KW-HR. Installable sets capacity is 378 million KW, while annual energy production is 1.92 trillion KW-HR. Notwithstanding the potential scale and exploitable hydro-energy amount, China ranks first all over the world.

From 2001, China installed set capacity has already been the top 1. By the end of 2001, China hydropower turbine capacity has been up to 7.7 million KW; After the Yellow River Gongbo Gorge hydropower plant went to operation in 2004, China hydropower installation capacity crossed the line of 100 million KW, which is only the 17% of China total exploitable hydro-energy scale, while only 11.4% by electricity amount. By 2007, China hydropower installed capability had reached 145 million KW, and hydropower utility was improved up to 25%.

Although China has rich water resources, and hydropower utility has been improved a lot comparing that in 50 years ago, hydro-energy’s developing level is still far behind developed countries (50%～100%). Besides, developing level area difference is very obvious. Until the end of 1998, eastern area’s hydropower development level reached to 67.93%, no large scale hydropower plant exploitable left; while middle area data was 27.07%; and western area was only 9.25%, especially the southwestern, only 6.58%. So far, there are still many large scale hydropower resources waiting for development in western area.

National Development and Reforming Commission published < The Eleventh Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development > on 18^th March, 2008. In this report, China will build Nu River Liuku plant and Saige Hydropower plant. According to this plan, Chinas renewable energy consumption as a proportion of total energy will be up to 10% by 2010, and the renewable energy consume amount will reach 300 million ton standard coal. Hydropower installed capacity will be 190 million KW, wind power installed capacity 10 million KW, biomass power 5.5 million KW and solar power 300 thousand KW.

In the detailed hydropower layout design, western area’s regular hydropower installed capacity will get to 95 million KW by 2010, which is 55% of the whole country, and the developing level is around 21.5%. The richest water resources province Sichuan and Yunnan’s hydropower installed capacity will reach 27 million KW and 17 million KW respectively, while the developing level will be 22.5% and 17% respectively. Regular hydropower installed capacity will be 50 million KW in middle area, 30% of the whole country, developing level 68%; while eastern area is 25 million KW and 15% of the whole country.

  Thus it can be seen that the development of hydro-energy will have a grea future in China for a long time, especially in southwestern and mid-western areas, and have great economic effectiveness.

Plant under construction——Muli River Shawan Hydropower Plant

Shawan Hydropower Plant locates in the area of Liangshan Yi Nationality Autonomic State Muli Tibetan Autonomic Country. It’s a third level hydropower plant according to the Muli River Main stream (Shangtong Dam -- Abudi) Hydropower Layout Design (Six Levels for One reservoir). Shawan Hydropower station with 240 thousand KW installed capacity is the priority developing project, while first year electricity output is 5820 hours, and afterwards average annual electricity output is 1.3978 billion KW-HR.  Plant obtains daily regulating ability. In 2010 after technical reform the plant’s installed capacity will reach 280-300 thousand KW.

Plant is anticipated to be put into production in the end of 2009. So far, Shawan Hydropower plant construction process is right on track.

Plant put into production——Yongning River Level-3 Hydropower Plant

Yongning River Level-3 Hydropower Plant is located in the area of Liangshan Yi Nationality Autonomic State Yanyuan Country. It’s a third level hydropower plant according to the Yongning River Hydropower Layout Design (Four Levels for One reservoir). This plant has two turbines working together, and its installed capacity is 50 thousand KW. It had been put into use on 20^th November, 2006.