WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

3.2 Eastern Asia
Heng Liu, International Center on Small Hydro Power
Introduction to the region
Eastern Asia comprises five countries: China, Japan,
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea),
Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Mongolia. It is a
sub-region of Asia that can be defined in either
geographical or cultural terms. More than 1.5 billion
people, about 38 per cent of Asia’s population or
more than 22 per cent of the world’s population live
in this region (table 1). The region is one of the world's
most populated areas, with a population density of
133 inhabitants per square kilometre, about three
times more than the world average of 45 per square
kilometre. Mongolia has the lowest population density
among the five.
Table 1
Overview of countries in Eastern Asia
Country
Population
(million)
Rural
population
(%)
Electricity access
(%)
Electrical
capacity
(MW)
Electricity
generation
(GWh/year)
Hydropower
capacity
(MW)
Hydropower
generation
(GWh/year)
China ac 1 339.61 53 99.4 962 190 3 759 000 213 400 662 200
Japan ad 127.37 33 100.0 281 099 91 823 27 571 74 175
DPRK a 24.35 40 26.0 .. 22 520 4 780 13 000
Republic of Korea a 48.88 17 100.0 75 416 417 300 1 530 34 731
Mongolia ab 2.75 38 67.0 923 3 896 28 18
Total 1 542.96 - - 1 319 628 4 294 539 247 309 784 124
Sources:
a. Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook 1
b. Energy Regulatory Commission Mongolia 2
c. International Center on Small Hydropower 3
d. Ritsumeikan University 4
e. Basandorj 5
Note: DPRK – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
The climatic conditions of these countries mirror
those of the northern hemisphere with cool winters
and warm summers. Precipitation occurs during the
warmer period borne by the monsoon winds.
The majority of electricity in Japan, Republic of Korea,
China and Mongolia is derived from conventional
thermal sources. Hydropower also contributes
significantly to the electricity mix in Japan and China,
but not in the Republic of Korea. As for Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea, such information was not
available, it has the lowest electrification rate in the
region (table 1).
Small hydropower definition
Both Japan and Mongolia do not have any official
definition of small hydropower. The Republic of Korea
had a small hydropower definition up till 2005 based
on a capacity of 10 MW, but in 2007 capacity
regulation as a means to define small hydropower was
removed and altered to a converting system from flow
of water to electricity due to enforcement of a
regulation by Development and Utilization of New and
Renewable Energy Supply. China has different
definitions for small, mini and micro hydropower. A
small hydropower definition of Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea was not available (table 2).
Table 2
Classification of small hydropower in Eastern Asia
Note: DPRK - Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Small
(MW)
Mini
(MW)
Note: DPRK - Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Micro
(kW)
China ≤50 ≤2 ≤100
Japan - - -
DPRK .. .. ..
Korea (Rep.) - - -
Mongolia - - -
Regional overview
All five countries in Eastern Asia have adopted small
hydropower. Small hydropower serves as an
important livelihood facilitator particularly in remote
mountainous rural areas. It provides a practical
solution for rural electrification, poverty alleviation
and economic growth in developing countries. China
has been especially active in realizing rural
electrification through small hydropower.
Based on the 10-MW definition, the small hydropower
potential of the region is 75.31 GW and the installed
capacity is 40.48 GW (table 3). This does not include
information on installed and potential small
hydropower resources from the Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea, since they are unknown.
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