Elsevier

Applied Energy

Volume 64, Issues 1–4, 1 September 1999, Pages 229-240
Applied Energy

China's rural energy system and management

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0306-2619(99)00065-3Get rights and content

Abstract

The issues related to rural energy development and the corresponding escalating economic activities have given rise to a complex, interrelationship among societal, economics, energy, environment and rural policies. With 7% of the world's farm land to produce food for 23% of the world's population, combined with the increasing energy demands for modernized farming has resulted in a dynamic rural energy policy for China. This paper discusses the characteristics of a rural society, outlines the relationship of rural energy supply and demand management, and discusses the interrelationship between energy and the environment utilization. An illustration of the diffusion of biomass as a success story highlights some of the policies related to self-building, self-managing and self-using. Also discussed in this paper are the results of the integrated rural energy-policy, that is, the social benefits to farmers and the decrease of energy consumption per unit of output. Emerging nations must undertake a comprehensive analysis and synthesis of their respective rural energy developments and the corresponding interrelationships between technology, economics and the environment.

Section snippets

China's rural energy system

The issues related to rural energy development and corresponding escalating economic activities has given rise to a complex interrelationship among societal, economics, energy, environment and realistic rural energy policies. Changes in energy supply and demand in rural areas in developing countries require rural energy policies as opposed to the urban energy policies. Furthermore, rural energy management impacts directly on the rural system and energy conservation potentiality needs to be

Rural energy system

The energy flow chart in Fig. 1 demonstrates a relationship of energy supply and demand. From the demand side leftward to the supply side one can evaluate the energy flows. From the supply to the demand one can estimate the cash flow of the system. Every sector in the system can also be addressed for an environmental impact, since energy will be lost in every section. This procedure is consistent with the International Energy Systems Standard, ISO/TC/203. This figure also outlines the complex

Rural energy and the environment

The widespread renewable energy programme implemented to complement the shortage of commercial energy in rural areas in China has scored a great success. Currently, the Government of China has controlled the event of gradually cutting and revamping forestation in areas where they have effectively promoted rural energy development. The diffusion of firewood plantations, coal-savings techniques and biogas utilization could protect an estimated three million hectares of young forests from being

Rural energy-policies in China

China relies on 7% of the world's farm land to produce food to supply 23% of the world's population. Furthermore, modernized agricultural production consumes more and more energy: therefore, the energy demand will certainly increase. Under these conditions, the strategy and policy for rural energy development in China can be outlined as follows.

  • 1.

    Emphasize equally the development and conservation of energy.

  • 2.

    Improve the energy structure and distribution.

  • 3.

    Enhance energy management and promotion of

Rural energy supply-and-demand management

This is a series of activities such as policies, measures and methods for accomplishing rural energy-planning. The goal is to influence, direct, and control rural energy production, supply, consumption and markets for realizing the energy projectional targets. Rural energy supply–demand management is an approach which guarantees the supply–demand balance for the projectional scenarios for short or middle term activities. The activities also tally with the long-term target and policy. The

Benefits

As a result of an integrated rural energy construction plan, the benefits experienced from 1983 to 1990 for China [2] are:

  • The production of commercial energy increased by 16.2%, whereas the biomass energy increased by 40.3%.

  • Energy conservation capacity increased.

  • Energy consumption per unit of output value decreased with an annual rate of savings of 5.6%.

  • Environmental benefits were accomplished through the decrease in the use of firewood, as for example the reduction of carbon-dioxide gas,

Conclusion

Each emerging nations need to undertake a comprehensive analysis and synthesis of rural energy development and its interrelationships with technology, the environment and the human dimension. Equally important, government, academia and industry and the end users must cooperate. A transparent management, training and promotional strategy is needed to ensure that the outcome of rural energy development will be beneficial to all of the stakeholders. The example of an integrated plan of action with

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