IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v34y2009i12p2813-2823.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rural energy in China: Pattern and policy

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Lixiao
  • Yang, Zhifeng
  • Chen, Bin
  • Chen, Guoqian

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Lixiao & Yang, Zhifeng & Chen, Bin & Chen, Guoqian, 2009. "Rural energy in China: Pattern and policy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(12), pages 2813-2823.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:34:y:2009:i:12:p:2813-2823
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2009.04.006
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096014810900158X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2009.04.006?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jiang, M.M. & Chen, B. & Zhou, J.B. & Tao, F.R. & Li, Z. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Emergy account for biomass resource exploitation by agriculture in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 4704-4719, September.
    2. Byrne, John & Zhou, Aiming & Shen, Bo & Hughes, Kristen, 2007. "Evaluating the potential of small-scale renewable energy options to meet rural livelihoods needs: A GIS- and lifecycle cost-based assessment of Western China's options," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 4391-4401, August.
    3. Chen, G.Q. & Chen, B., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 1: Fossil fuels and energy minerals," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2038-2050, April.
    4. Chen, G.Q. & Chen, B., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on energy--Part 5: Resource structure and intensity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2087-2095, April.
    5. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 3: Agricultural products," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2065-2078, April.
    6. Edwards, Rufus D. & Smith, Kirk R. & Zhang, Junfeng & Ma, Yuqing, 2004. "Implications of changes in household stoves and fuel use in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 395-411, February.
    7. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2006. "Exergy analysis for resource conversion of the Chinese Society 1993 under the material product system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(8), pages 1115-1150.
    8. Jin, Yinlong & Ma, Xiao & Chen, Xining & Cheng, Yibin & Baris, Enis & Ezzati, Majid, 2006. "Exposure to indoor air pollution from household energy use in rural China: The interactions of technology, behavior, and knowledge in health risk management," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(12), pages 3161-3176, June.
    9. Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2001. "The liability rules under international GHG emissions trading," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 501-508, June.
    10. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q. & Yang, Z.F. & Jiang, M.M., 2007. "Ecological footprint accounting for energy and resource in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 1599-1609, March.
    11. Wu, Libo & Kaneko, Shinji & Matsuoka, Shunji, 2005. "Driving forces behind the stagnancy of China's energy-related CO2 emissions from 1996 to 1999: the relative importance of structural change, intensity change and scale change," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 319-335, February.
    12. Wei, Yi-Ming & Liu, Lan-Cui & Fan, Ying & Wu, Gang, 2007. "The impact of lifestyle on energy use and CO2 emission: An empirical analysis of China's residents," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 247-257, January.
    13. Zhang, ZhongXiang, 2000. "Can China afford to commit itself an emissions cap? An economic and political analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(6), pages 587-614, December.
    14. Wang, Xiaohua & Feng, Zhengmin & Gao, xingfeng & Jiang, Kui, 1999. "On household energy consumption for rural development: a study on Yangzhong county of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 493-500.
    15. Catania, Peter, 1999. "China's rural energy system and management," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 64(1-4), pages 229-240, September.
    16. Sun, JW, 1996. "Real rural residential energy consumption in China, 1990," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(9), pages 827-839, September.
    17. Byrne, John & Shen, Bo & Wallace, William, 1998. "The economics of sustainable energy for rural development: A study of renewable energy in rural China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 45-54, January.
    18. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 4: Fishery and rangeland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2079-2086, April.
    19. Leiwen Jiang & Brian C. O'Neill, 2004. "The energy transition in rural China," International Journal of Global Energy Issues, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 21(1/2), pages 2-26.
    20. Zeng, Xianyang & Ma, Yitai & Ma, Lirong, 2007. "Utilization of straw in biomass energy in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 11(5), pages 976-987, June.
    21. Zhang, L.X. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Emergy analysis of cropping-grazing system in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 3843-3855, July.
    22. Chen, B. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on exergy--Part 2: Renewable energy sources and forest," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2051-2064, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Han, Hongyun & Wu, Shu & Zhang, Zhijian, 2018. "Factors underlying rural household energy transition: A case study of China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 234-244.
    2. Chen, G.Q. & Yang, Q. & Zhao, Y.H. & Wang, Z.F., 2011. "Nonrenewable energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions of a 1.5Â MW solar power tower plant in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 1961-1967, May.
    3. Jiang, M.M. & Chen, B. & Zhou, J.B. & Tao, F.R. & Li, Z. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, G.Q., 2007. "Emergy account for biomass resource exploitation by agriculture in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 4704-4719, September.
    4. Chen, G.Q. & Jiang, M.M. & Yang, Z.F. & Chen, B. & Ji, Xi & Zhou, J.B., 2009. "Exergetic assessment for ecological economic system: Chinese agriculture," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(3), pages 397-410.
    5. Chen, G.Q. & Yang, Q. & Zhao, Y.H., 2011. "Renewability of wind power in China: A case study of nonrenewable energy cost and greenhouse gas emission by a plant in Guangxi," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(5), pages 2322-2329, June.
    6. Xia, X.H. & Huang, G.T. & Chen, G.Q. & Zhang, Bo & Chen, Z.M. & Yang, Q., 2011. "Energy security, efficiency and carbon emission of Chinese industry," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3520-3528, June.
    7. Chen, G.Q. & Qi, Z.H., 2007. "Systems account of societal exergy utilization: China 2003," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 208(2), pages 102-118.
    8. Zhang, Xiaohong & Wu, Liqian & Zhang, Rong & Deng, Shihuai & Zhang, Yanzong & Wu, Jun & Li, Yuanwei & Lin, Lili & Li, Li & Wang, Yinjun & Wang, Lilin, 2013. "Evaluating the relationships among economic growth, energy consumption, air emissions and air environmental protection investment in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 259-270.
    9. An, Qier & An, Haizhong & Wang, Lang & Huang, Xuan, 2014. "Structural and regional variations of natural resource production in China based on exergy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 67-77.
    10. Tian, Xu & Chen, Bin & Geng, Yong & Zhong, Shaozhuo & Gao, Cuixia & Wilson, Jeffrey & Cui, Xiaowei & Dou, Yi, 2019. "Energy footprint pathways of China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 330-340.
    11. Song, Dan & Lin, Ling & Wu, Ye, 2019. "Extended exergy accounting for a typical cement industry in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 678-686.
    12. An, Qier & An, Haizhong & Wang, Lang & Gao, Xiangyun & Lv, Na, 2015. "Analysis of embodied exergy flow between Chinese industries based on network theory," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 318(C), pages 26-35.
    13. Yang, Z.F. & Jiang, M.M. & Chen, B. & Zhou, J.B. & Chen, G.Q. & Li, S.C., 2010. "Solar emergy evaluation for Chinese economy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 875-886, February.
    14. Serrenho, André Cabrera & Warr, Benjamin & Sousa, Tânia & Ayres, Robert U. & Domingos, Tiago, 2016. "Structure and dynamics of useful work along the agriculture-industry-services transition: Portugal from 1856 to 2009," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-21.
    15. Wu, X.F. & Chen, G.Q. & Wu, X.D. & Yang, Q. & Alsaedi, A. & Hayat, T. & Ahmad, B., 2015. "Renewability and sustainability of biogas system: Cosmic exergy based assessment for a case in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1509-1524.
    16. Han, Hongyun & Wu, Shu, 2018. "Rural residential energy transition and energy consumption intensity in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 523-534.
    17. Zhang, Bo & Chen, G.Q., 2010. "Physical sustainability assessment for the China society: Exergy-based systems account for resources use and environmental emissions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 1527-1545, August.
    18. Amiri, Zahra & Asgharipour, Mohammad Reza & Campbell, Daniel E. & Armin, Mohammad, 2020. "Extended exergy analysis (EAA) of two canola farming systems in Khorramabad, Iran," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    19. Warr, Benjamin & Ayres, Robert & Eisenmenger, Nina & Krausmann, Fridolin & Schandl, Heinz, 2010. "Energy use and economic development: A comparative analysis of useful work supply in Austria, Japan, the United Kingdom and the US during 100Â years of economic growth," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(10), pages 1904-1917, August.
    20. Mei Gong & Göran Wall, 2016. "Exergy Analysis of the Supply of Energy and Material Resources in the Swedish Society," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-16, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:34:y:2009:i:12:p:2813-2823. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.