Potential of energy production by Chinese farmers to fuel rural development

The role of farmers as future energy producers of China is explored within a fast changing rural economy. Data on rural households energy demand, socio-economic and environmental data are used from a household survey with a geographical spread over China. A concept of a more flexible energy production system, i.e., Biomass-Based Distributed Polygeneration (BB-DPG) is introduced. Through a more flexible use of biomass and technologies, which are better adjusted to the local conditions, different types of energy can be produced. Energy production by farmers can significantly contribute to improving the rural livelihood, by improving energy security, creating local off-farm employment, improving agricultural practices, and relieve environmental pressure.