Review of Yunnan's hydropower development. Comparing small and large hydropower projects regarding their environmental implications and socio-economic consequences

The PR China has been very fast developing its energy sector in order to sustain its impressive economic growth. China's installed hydropower capacity is not only the highest in the world; it also shows a globally unique dimension in growth and dynamic. The southwestern province of Yunnan has one of the highest hydropower potentials within China. Its development makes the province one of the key suppliers of electric energy in China, supplying the economic and energy hungry load centers of coastal China but also Southeast Asia. In a decade Yunnan will have an installed hydropower capacity that exceeds that of Canada or the United States. The province is therefore often referred to as China's forthcoming (hydro-) powerhouse or as Asia's battery.