On September 10, 2025, the parallel forum entitled " Technology Innovation and Standards Leadership: Advancing Energy Transition through Small Hydropower and Multi-Energy Complementarity " was successfully held in Beijing, as a part of the 7th Global Energy Interconnection Conference (SE14). The forum was jointly organized by the International Network on Small Hydro Power (INSHP), International Center on Small Hydro Power (ICSHP), HNAC Technology Co., Ltd., (HNAC) and Chongqing New Century Electrical Co., Ltd.. It brought together nearly 100 participants, including government officials, energy experts, and enterprise representatives from Asian Development Bank and Asian, and countries across African, and Latin American , such as Kyrgyz Republic, Burundi and Mexico.
The forum emphasized the complementary development of small hydropower, and explored the new pathways for clean and low-carbon transformation of global energy. Mr. Xu Jincai, Director General of ICSHP/INSHP, and Mr. Cheng Zhiqiang, Executive Secretary for Cooperation, Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO) attended and delivered speeches. Mr. Baketaev Bakyt, Energy Adviser to the President of Kyrgyz Republic attended and presented a special report.
In his address, Mr. Xu Jincai pointed out that despite global progress, 666 million people still lack electricity accessswith 80% of this population residing in remote areas prossessing abundant renewable energy resources, including small hydropower and solar energy. He underscored the dual role of Small hydropower, as both a cornerstone for achieving the "energy independence" in remote areas and an effective means of regulating new energy such as wind and solar, and promoting the complementary and coordinated development of multiple energy sources. Mr. Xu Jincai proposed three initiatives: firstly, to cultivate new quality productivity of small hydropower through technological innovation; secondly, to lead industry transformation and upgrading via standardization; thirdly, to create an international cooperation platform through open sharing. These measures aim to inject greater vitality into small hydropower, supporting the development of a new power system based on new energy and promoting global energy transformation and development.
In his speech, Mr. Cheng Zhiqiang pointed out that 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the "Global Energy Interconnection" initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. Over the past decade, the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO) has established a global cooperation network covering 143 countries and 1390 members, and has released nearly 100 research outcomes related to energy transition. He stated that small hydropower, with its unique advantages of "large quantity, small in scale, and flexible in regulation", has become an important supporting force for building high-proportion new energy power systems. It has made outstanding contributions in addressing electricity access issues in rural mountainous areas and promoting energy conservation and emission reduction. Its development achievements and practical experience have been highly and widely recognized by the international community. Mr. Cheng Zhiqiang emphasized that GEIDCO will always uphold the concept of open cooperation and mutual benefit, collaborate with all parties to accelerate the research and development of green and low-carbon technologies, deepen international cooperation in the field of small hydropower, and make new and greater contributions to advancing global energy transition and achieving sustainable development worldwide.
Four energy experts from China and abroad shared innovations and practical application in small hydropower technology through their special reports.
Mr. Baketaev Bakyt, Chairman of the Energy Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic and Energy Adviser to the President of Kyrgyz Republic, gave a systematic overview of the current development of small hydropower resource development in Kyrgyzstan. He highlighted recently completed renovation projects of power facilities, progress in international energy cooperation, as well as the current technological bottlenecks and development challenges. He also outlined future priorities, which include promoting the construction of new small and medium-sized hydropower stations and the synchronous development of wind and solar new energy, with the aim of promoting sustainable energy development in Kyrgyz through international cooperation;
Professor Wu Zhengyi from NARI Group has innovatively proposed a four-in-one intelligent collaborative development framework of "dam-water-machine-electricity" under the theme of "Digital Intelligent Technologies Empowering Hydropower Value Leap". This approach aims to facilitate the transform of hydropower from a traditional "electricity supplier" to a "regulation center" within the new power system.
Mr. Yang Feng, General Manager of HNAC Operation and Maintenance Technology Service Co., Ltd. Delivered a presentation titled “Exploring Pathways for Small Hydropower Retrofitting and Upgrading via the Three Approaches: Intelligentization, Centralization and Property Management.” He elaborated on specific strategies to promote the transformation and upgrading of small hydropower through intelligent technologies, centralized management, and all-in-one services based transformation.
Mr. Sun Xiaojiang, General Manager of Chongqing New Century Electrical Co., Ltd, delivered a presentation on the "Coordinated Control System for Multi-source of Small and Medium-sized Hydropower, Wind, Solar and Energy Storage", providing innovative solutions to enhance grid stability amid the "strong fluctuation and randomness" associated with new energy, thereby facilitating deeper coordination between small hydropower and wind solar storage resources.
At the panel discussion, Dr. Bi Yanqiu, Director of International Communication Center of Global Energy Interconnection, Dr. Martin Ndayizeye, Director of Energy Department, Ministry of Mining, Energy, Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Republic of Burundi, Mr. Zhang Fahong, Chief of Industry Division, Strategic Development Department, Power China, and Mr. Miao Honglei, Member of ISO/TC339 Domestic Expert Committee (China), engaged in an in-depth dialogue on the core topic: "How to unleash the full potential of small hydropower-based multi-energy complementarity through the coordination of technology and standards ".
During the discussion, Dr. Bi Yanqiu put forward suggestions on how small hydropower multi energy complementary projects can serve as a "green anchor" for cross-border energy interconnection, and how to build a cross-border energy innovation cooperation mechanism. Dr. Martin Ndayizeye shared the resource potential and practical challenges of small hydropower development in Burundi and across Africa, and expressed optimism regarding future China-Africa cooperation in the field of hydropower multi energy complementation. Mr. Zhang Fahong focused on the context of global clean energy transition, exploring pathways for international expansion of China's hydropower technology and small hydropower multi-energy complementary technology as well as strategies to promote the global adoption of Chinese standards. Mr. Miao Honglei provided an update on international standardization efforts for small hydropower and discussed collaborative development routes for technological innovation and standard guidance under the trend of deeper integration of hydro, wind, and solar energy storage.
This discussion has fostered consensus among multiple parties, laying a solid foundation for deepening international cooperation in the field of small hydropower multi energy complementarity. It also contributed to accelerating technology deployment and standards coordination, facilitating the global adoption of Chinese small hydropower multi-energy complementarity, and injecting new momentum into the clean and low-carbon transformation of energy sector.
The forum also hosted the unveiling ceremony of the "Pingdingshan International Innovation Cooperation Center of Electrical Industry" was also held at the forum site. The establishment of the center will provide a new platform for deepening international technical exchanges and promoting the transformation of innovative achievements in the electrical industry, further supporting the global development of small hydropower and related sectors.
