---On 30 August 2012, a sunny day in
Hangzhou, the opening ceremony of "Seminar on Rural
Electrification for Developing Countries" ----- one
of the Foreign-Aid Projects of Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM),
was held at HRC. It is the 62nd international seminars/training
workshops conducted by HRC, with over twenty officials
from the fields of rural electrification and hydropower
in Antigua And Barbuda, Cambodia, DPRK, Ghana, Guyana,
Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Papua New Guinea,
Uganda, Zanzibar, Zimbabwe coming all the way to attend.
The opening ceremony was presided over
by Mr. Pan Daqing, the Division Chief of Foreign Affairs
and Training of HRC. Ms. Cheng Xialei, Director of HRC,
extended on behalf of HRC the warm welcome to all the
participants. In her speech, Director Cheng introduced
that the subject of the seminar is Rural Electrification,
and small hydropower (SHP) plays a very important role
in the construction of rural electrification in China.
The development of SHP can not only contribute to energy
saving and emission reduction, protect forest and vegetation,
but also enhance rural electrification, improve production
and living conditions for rural population, as well as
promote economic and social development of rural areas,
all of which will be discussed in details during the seminar.
Furthermore, other aspects closely related to rural electrification,
including the utilization of wind power and solar energy
will also be elaborated. At present, the development of
international hydropower industry shifts its direction
from the demand-pull development aiming to solve the shortage
problem of electricity in the past to the construction
of clean and high quality energy with the purpose of social
sustainable development. A new peak period of the renewable
energy construction worldwide was launched. All of them
impose the requirement for our developing countries to
strengthen the international exchange and cooperation.
H.E. Hu Jintao, President of the People's Republic of
China addressed at the Opening Ceremony of the Fifth Ministerial
Conference of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and
promised that China will implement the "African Talents
Program" to train 30,000 personnel in various sectors
for Africa in the next three years. In 2012, 850 foreign-aid
training projects for developing countries are planned
to be implemented with the participation of 17000 participants.
Currently, every project goes smoothly. This seminar is
designated to provide a platform for the developing countries
to fully discuss and communicate in the field of rural
electrification and small hydropower development, focusing
on the exchange of updated technology and management experience.
In addition to various technical presentations, study
tours are arranged for the officials to visit the power
stations, equipment manufactures and the world famous
Three Gorge Engineering. At the conclusion of her speech,
Director hoped with her heart that this seminar will promote
the in-depth communication and vast cooperation in the
field of rural electrification and SHP exploitation for
all the participating countries and wished the seminar
a great achievement.
Professor Zhu Xiaozhang, Honorary Director
of HRC, also delivered a speech in the opening ceremony.
Professor Zhu explained that worldwide there are usually
3 ways for realizing R.E. Up to now, most countries including
developed and developing countries realize their R.E.
mainly or only by extension of national grid with renewable
energy in a very minor role or negligible position. China
is a unique exception. In China, 1/3 of rural electricity
consumption relies on SHP. During the seminar, the officials
will be well informed that "why and how the construction
of SHP-based rural electrification in China could be that
quick with that much large scale?" and "Can
the experience of the development be shared with other
developing countries?" --- the personal answer of
Professor Zhu was "yes", and he suggested that
the officials would select and share the technology and
experience according to the different political, economic
and social systems as well as cultural background of their
own countries. And in the side of HRC, we would make the
best of providing our experience, technical know-how and
useful information for the officials to consider, select
and possibly draw on. It is believed that all the participants
are high level government officials in R.E., energy or
water sectors, and they must have wide experience and
well understanding of international information in rural
electrification arena, therefore it is expected to have
bi-directional or two way exchange of experience and information
during the seminar, including brain storm discussion,
so as to make joint efforts to promote the SHP and rural
electrification in developing countries.
Mr. STEDROY AGUSTUS ROACH, official
from Antiguan Public Utility Authority, delivered a speech
on behalf of all the participants: "All participants
of the 2012 Seminar on Rural Electrification for Developing
Countries are gratified and excited to attend this Seminar.
We recognize it takes resources and dedication to host
such event and we say a hearty thank you to the People's
Republic of China. We also observe that people of this
country have an appetite to share their theoretical knowledge
and practical experience about small hydropower technology
with us. All participants assure the Hangzhou Research
Center for Small Hydropower (HRC) that skills learnt at
this seminar will be applied to improve our respective
countries. Once again we say thank you to HRC for hosting
us".
Deputy Director Mr. Huang Jianping
and the Training Management Team of HRC were also present
at the opening ceremony.
HRC's divisions concerned will spare
no efforts to jointly ensure the successful fulfillment
of the seminar. (2012-09-06)
