As a worldwide energy shortage is seemingly growing more serious, many countries have turned to renewable energy. China also joined in. On Friday, Chinese officials announced that the government will promote the use of renewable energy in rural areas. CRI's Li Gang has more.
Solar energy, wind energy and biological energy, all of these renewable energies will be used in China's rural areas in the near future.
As one of the largest agricultural and developing countries in the world, China has poured great efforts into energy infrastructure in rural areas. Since China's opening up and reform, more than 30 million rural residents have gained access to electricity.
While progress to date is significant, the nation still face some challenges, according to Ma Fucai, the vice director of the State Energy Office.
Attending the international symposium for rural energy development in China, Ma Fucai enumerated the problems facing rural areas.
"The consumption of traditional energy is still extensive, with comparatively-low efficiency. And the basic energy infrastructure is not so updated."
He added that traditional energy sources like coal and petroleum cannot satisfy the needs of rural development. The use of new sources of energy, both clear and renewable, is the only way to solve the energy shortage in rural areas.
Ma Fucai's words were echoed by Subinary Nandy, an official from the United Nations Development Program.
Subinary Nandy promised that the UNDP will continue its cooperation with China in providing financial and technical support for rural energy development.
"In the past decades, we've loaned 75 million dollars for renewable energy commercialization projects, to support the development of local solutions in the production of renewable energy technologies."
Subinary Nandy also said that support in the future will include connecting commercial trends with the needs of the countryside.
