Rural energy in China: Pattern and policy

• Published in: Renewable energy Vol. 34; no. 12; pp. 2813 - 2823
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lixiao, Yang, Zhifeng, Chen, Bin, Chen, Guoqian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biomass; Consumption pattern; Economic data; Energy; Energy economics; Energy policy; Exact sciences and technology; General, economic and professional studies; Rural energy policy; Asia; China; China, People's Rep; Rural energy policy; Consumption pattern; Biomass; Energy consumption; Econometric analysis; Distribution by sources; Energy economy; Energy policy; Spatial variation; Energy source; Geographic distribution; Substitution; Rural area
• ISSN: 0960-1481; 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2009.04.006

An overview of energy consumption pattern by available data and the analysis of some relevant aspects of energy policy in rural China are presented in this paper. The most obvious trend is the steady decreased proportion of biomass use, from 70.79% to 30.95%, and increased percentage of coal and electricity use, whereas coal and biomass are the major energy sources in rural areas, accounting for more than 70% of the total rural energy consumption even in 2007. Moreover, the energy consumption varies tremendously across provinces both in total and by fuel types, due to diversities of geographic features, economic development levels and local energy source availability. The rural energy policy and strategy of China have been somewhat unique, characterized by multi-resources, multi-assortments and multi-distribution channels. Some evident transition features can be found for both the rural energy consumption structure and the rural energy policy during the concerned period, that is, from noncommercial energy to commercial energy and from just satisfying energy demand to multi-purposes considering more factors as rural development and environmental protection.