BEIJING: China's hydropower capacity is expected to nearly double to 300,000 megawatts by 2020, state media said, as the nation powers ahead with the development of renewable energy sources.

Water resources minister Chen Lei, who was quoted by the official Xinhua news agency as giving the target, also said hydropower would play a more important role in China's strategy for energy security in the future.

By the end of 2008, the nation's installed capacity of hydropower was 172,000 megawatts -- the largest in the world -- Chen said according to the report late on Saturday.

China is dependent on highly-polluting coal for 70 percent of its energy needs, and the government is developing renewable sources such as wind and hydropower in a bid to im