Hydroelectricity in China

Hydroelectricity is currently China's largest renewable energy source and the second overall after coal.[1] China's installed hydroelectric capacity in 2015 was 319 GW,[2] up from 172 GW in 2009, including 23 GW of pumped storage hydroelectricity capacity.[2] In 2015, hydropower generated 1,126 TWh of power, accounting for roughly 20% of China's total electricity generation.[2]

The Three Gorges Dam is the largest power station (of any kind) in the world by installed capacity, with 22.5 GW.

Satellite picture of the Longyangxia Dam reservoir and solar power park.

Due to China's insufficient reserves of fossil fuels and the government's preference for energy independence, hydropower plays a big part in the energy policy of the country. China's potential hydropower capacity is estimated at up to 600 GW, but currently the technically exploitable and economically feasible capacity is around 500 GW.[3] There is therefore considerable potential for further hydro development.[1]

Hydroelectric plants in China have a relatively low productivity, with an average capacity factor of 31%, a possible consequence of rushed construction[1] and the seasonal variability of rainfall. Moreover, a significant amount of energy is lost due to the need for long transmission lines to connect the remote plants to where demand is most concentrated.[1]

Although hydroelectricity represents the largest renewable and low greenhouse gas emissions energy source in the country, the social and environmental impact of dam construction in China has been large, with millions of people forced to relocate and large scale damage to the environment.[4]

Largest hydroelectric plants

Name	Chinese name	River	Years of completion	Installed capacity (MW)	Annual production (TW-hour)[5]	Area flooded (km²)	Location	Coordinates
Three Gorges		Yangtze	2008	22,500	98.8[6]	1,084
Xiluodu		Jinsha	2014[7]	13,860[8]	55.2
Xiangjiaba		Jinsha	2014[9]	6,448	30.7	95.6
Longtan		Hongshui	2007/2009	6,426	18.7[10]
Nuozhadu		Mekong	2014[11]	5,850	23.9[12]	320
Jinping-II		Yalong	2014	4,800
Laxiwa		Yellow	2010	4,200[13]	10.2
Xiaowan		Mekong	2010	4,200[14]	19	190
Jinping-I		Yalong	2014	3,600	17	82.5
Ertan Dam		Yalong	1999	3,300	17	101
Pubugou Dam		Dadu	2009/2010	3,300	14.6
Goupitan Dam		Wu	2009/2011	3,000[15]	9.67	94
Guanyinyan Dam		Jinsha	2014/2016	3,000	13.62
Gezhouba Dam		Yangtze	1988	2,715	17.01
Jinanqiao Dam		Jinsha	2010	2,400
Liyuan Dam		Jinsha	2014/2015	2,400
Guandi Dam		Yalong	2013	2,400

Under construction

Name	Chinese name	River	Expected completion	Expected capacity (MW)	Expected production (TW-hour)	Area flooded (km²)	Location	Coordinates
Baihetan Dam	白鹤滩水电站	Jinsha	2021	16,000				28°15′06″N 103°39′34″E
Wudongde Dam	乌东德水电站	Jinsha	2021	10,200				26°20′02″N 102°37′48″E
Fengning PS[16][17][18]	丰宁抽水蓄能电站			3,600
Hongping PS[19]	洪坪抽水蓄能电站			2,400
Huanggou PS[16][17][18]	荒沟抽水蓄能电站			1,200
Hohhot PS[16][17][18]	呼和浩特抽水蓄能电站			1,200
Panlong PS[16][17][18]	蟠龙抽水蓄能电站			1,200
Shenzen PS[16][17][18]	深圳抽水蓄能电站			1,200
Tianchi PS[16][17][18]	天池抽水蓄能电站			1,200
Wendeng PS[16][17][18]	文登抽水蓄能电站			1,800

History

The first hydroelectric power plant in China was built in Yunnan province in 1912, with a capacity of 240 kW. Due to the subsequent period of political and social instability, little additional progress was made in power infrastructure in the country at that time. The total installed capacity before the Japanese occupation was only about 10 MW. During the Japanese occupation several large scale hydroelectric projects were built, and total capacity reached 900 MW. Energy infrastructure however suffered heavy damage during the second World War, and the operational capacity after the war was only about 580 MW.[20]

After the Chinese Communist Revolution of 1949, a program of dam construction was initiated. However, most of these dams were built for irrigation and not intended to produce electricity. Moreover, construction was carried out mostly by unskilled peasants. During this period, the steady supply of cheap domestic coal hindered the development of hydroelectricity.[20] Installed hydroelectric capacity grew somewhat after the 1960s, with plants of growing size and complexity, reaching a total of 20 GW in 1980.[20]

Environmental impact

Hydropower is considered a renewable and clean energy source. However large dams, such as the Three Gorges Dam or the Xiluodu Dam have had environmental impacts on the areas surrounding dam reservoirs. Typical problems have been erosion, flooding of farmland and destruction of fish breeding habitats.

Flooding of large areas for reservoirs also forced about 15 million people to be relocated since 1949.

See also

• Renewable energy in China
  • Solar power in China
  • Wind power in China
  • Geothermal power in China
  • Bioenergy in China
• Renewable energy by country
• Electricity sector in China

References

1. Walker, Qin (29 July 2015). "The Hidden Costs of China's Shift to Hydropower". The Diplomat. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
2. "China | International Hydropower Association". www.hydropower.org. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
3. "China – hydropower as the right solution?". our-energy.com. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
4. Hvistendahl, Mara. "China's Three Gorges Dam: An Environmental Catastrophe?". Scientific American. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
5. Generating capacity is not the only factor determining the amount of electricity generated, as this also depends on consistent utilization of the plant's capacity. Factors enhancing this are the free capacity of the reservoir and the consistency of water supply during and across years.
6. "China's Three Gorges dam 'breaks world hydropower record'".
7. 2425. "世界第三大水电站溪洛渡水电站机组全部投产--能源--人民网".CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
8. "China's second-largest hydropower station in full operation".
9. 马常艳. "中国第三大水电站向家坝水电站将全部投产发电_中国经济网——国家经济门户". Archived from the original on 2017-08-16. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
10. "龙滩水电站创世界建设最快纪录--能源--人民网".
11. "云南省最大水电站糯扎渡水电站全面建成投产". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-08-26. Retrieved 2010-08-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
14. "小湾电站机组全部投产　我国水电装机突破2亿千瓦". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2011-07-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
16. List of pumped-storage power plants in China 1 (Mandarin) Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
17. List of pumped-storage power plants in China 2 (Mandarin) Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
18. List of pumped-storage power plants in China 3 (Mandarin) Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
19. Yichin Power- List of all of the information Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
20. Kang, Xiaofeng. "Hydropower Development in China History and Narratives" (PDF). Retrieved 1 November 2016.