China - Run-of-River Hydropower
The Gansu Zhouqu Shimenping Hydropower Station is located in Zhouqu County in North West China. The local population of Zhouqu County lives in extreme poverty and the county is designated as a national poverty county.
Shimenping is a “run-of-river” power station. Instead of building a large dam which would flood valuable agricultural land and disturb wildlife, the project uses the natural flow of the river to generate clean electricity.
Although a small amount of flood prone land will be lost due to the project, protection barriers will also be constructed to protect against landslides and flooding, creating an additional 100,000 square metres of protected farmland.
Previously cut off for much of the flood season,a road has now been built into Shimenping village, thus improving access to education and healthcare for the local community.
The project provides the typical sustainable development benefits to be expected from a renewable energy project such as; improved security of the electricity supply in a remote area, less atmospheric emissions of local pollutants compared to the baseline and therefore, helping to improve respiratory health for locals.
The project also provides employment in this remote part of China.
The project reduces emissions by avoiding the need for electricity from coal-fired power plants. Annual reductions are expected to be around 67,000 tonnes, equivalent to the domestic energy emissions (i.e. gas and electricity) of around 12,000 UK homes.
