Lew says China is especially well-suited to small hydro. It's home to three of the world's longest rivers, and much of China's history has been spent trying to contain those rivers. Small hydro is actually one of the huge success stories of China. But Lew admits that China has a long way to go before it outgrows its reliance on coal, which still accounts for two-thirds of China's power. And until recently, China concentrated on nuclear or large hydro power as substitutes.
Critics say China's success with small hydro is deceptive and future plans unrealistic.
They claim the Chinese government isn't pursuing hydro power in a renewable fashion, instead it's concentrating on huge money-draining projects like the Three Gorges Dam. Doris Shen is the China coordinator for the California-based International Rivers Network. At the Center for Small Hydro in Hangzhou, director Liu Yong agrees with at least some of the criticism. Small hydro power has much less serious impacts on local populations and ecosystems. Again, Doris Shen of the International Rivers Network.