On the date, the International Hydropower Development Conference was held in Beijing. Xiang Haiping, Chief Engineer of the National Energy Administration, pointed out at the conference that the coordinated development of hydropower and new energy is an important measure to promote the high-quality development of energy and electricity. Under the new circumstances of planning and building a new energy system and constructing a new power system, doing well in the coordinated development of hydropower and new energy is a crucial path to break the so-called "impossible triangle" of energy, achieving reliable and secure energy supply, clean and low-carbon energy, and reasonable costs.

Currently, actively developing renewable energy has become a common consensus among the international community in addressing global climate change. More than 100 countries and regions around the world have explicitly set "carbon neutrality" or "net zero" development goals, and have formulated specific action plans and roadmaps. Xiang Haiping pointed out that, guided by the "dual carbon" goals, China's renewable energy development scale, industrial level, and clean energy substitution have continuously reached new heights, achieving remarkable accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention. In 2022, China's new renewable energy installations exceeded 100 million kilowatts, accounting for more than 50% of new power installations, and more than half of the world's new renewable energy installations. By the end of 2022, the total installed capacity of renewable energy in China reached 1.2 billion kilowatts, historically exceeding 50% of the country's total power installations, and accounting for about 30% of the global total, achieving large-scale and high-quality leapfrog development.

At the same time, the hydropower and new energy industrial system continues to improve, with global market share continuously increasing. China has become an important driver in global efforts to address climate change and energy transition towards low carbon. "Hydropower is an important clean and renewable energy source, and it is also an advantageous resource for China," said Xiang Haiping. Hydropower units can start and stop quickly, operate flexibly, and have strong load tracking capabilities. They can adjust power flexibly according to grid demand, play a role in long-term energy storage, ensure the safe and stable operation of new power systems, and thereby drive the development and utilization of new energy on a larger scale.

It is reported that China is rich in hydropower resources, with a technically exploitable capacity of . billion kilowatts, ranking first in the world. As of the end of the year, China's hydropower installed capacity reached . billion kilowatts, including conventional hydropower of . billion kilowatts, accounting for about % of the global total, and has been ranking first in the world for many consecutive years. Relying on major engineering projects, China has achieved global leadership in the entire industrial chain of hydropower design, construction, and equipment manufacturing, constructing landmark hydropower projects such as the Three Gorges Dam and the Baihetan Hydropower Station. A mechanism for hydropower development based on "basin, cascade, rolling, and comprehensive" has been established, with the cascade development framework in basins like the Jinsha River, Yalong River, and Dadu River basically formed. In , hydropower generation reached . trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for about .% of the national total power generation, providing stable, clean, and high-quality electric energy for economic and social development, effectively ensuring energy supply, and supporting the comprehensive green transformation.

At the same time, by the end of the year, China's installed capacity of pumped storage has exceeded 10,000 megawatts, with construction and approved-but-not-yet-built projects nearing 100 million kilowatts. The engineering technology level and dispatching operation management level continue to improve, playing an increasingly important role in ensuring the safe and reliable supply of electricity, serving the green transformation of energy and power, and responding to the flexible adjustment needs of the power grid.

One is to stimulate new vitality in the development of renewable energy through the integrated water-wind-solar energy model in river basins. Relying on the hydropower regulation capacity of river basins, it drives the large-scale and standardized development of wind and solar energy in the surrounding areas of river basins, and implements integrated water-wind-solar energy development. This is conducive to improving the efficiency of resource development and utilization in river basins, enhancing the capacity of hydropower to ensure supply and the level of safe and reliable alternative energy for new energy sources. It is an important approach for scientific hydropower development in the new era and a significant measure to promote the coordinated development of hydropower and new energy under the new situation. In recent years, the National Energy Administration has actively promoted the planning and construction of integrated water-wind-solar energy projects, organized systematic research on integrated water-wind-solar energy planning, issued the first national integrated water-wind-solar energy base plan, and planned and laid out a number of water-wind-solar energy bases in upstream Jinsha River and other river basins. The integrated development of water-wind-solar energy across the country is "poised for takeoff."

Second, drive the development of new-quality productive forces with high-level technological innovation. In today's world, the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is gaining momentum, and the energy and power sector is one of the most dynamic areas for technological innovation. The new energy industry is a significant component of China's strategic emerging industries and future industries, serving as a "crucial carrier" for the development of new-quality productive forces. Efforts should be focused on major hydropower and new energy projects and demonstration projects, increasing research and breakthroughs in cutting-edge and core technologies. Attention should be given to basic technology research, conducting innovative studies on integrated resource allocation, dispatching operations, and market absorption in river basins, enhancing integration with digital and intelligent technologies, and establishing a comprehensive, internally unified, organically integrated, and economically efficient coupling operation mode and complementary dispatching mechanism. Additionally, addressing the "bottlenecks" and "difficulties" in coordinated development, the innovation management system and mechanisms should be improved to ensure a continuous flow of innovation.

The third is to promote global energy transformation through international cooperation and exchanges. Relying on key cooperation mechanisms such as the Belt and Road Energy Partnership, the Global Clean Energy Partnership, and energy cooperation within BRICS, as well as deepening exchanges and cooperation with important international organizations like the International Renewable Energy Agency, we will enhance communication and collaboration among governments, think tanks, enterprises, and financial institutions through high-quality forums and high-level mutual visits. This will enable the sharing and win-win of international advanced concepts, technologies, and practices, jointly promoting the green and low-carbon transformation of global energy.

"We will deepen and solidify the integrated planning of water, wind, and solar energy, and steadily advance the construction of bases, in order to stimulate new vitality in the coordinated development of hydropower and new energy through new models," Xiang Haiping said.