Use of Photovoltaics for Rural Electrification in Western China

The use of renewable energy technologies in China is becoming increasingly important to meet the needs of a large rural population. Solar and wind renewable resources in particular are available in regions of China that at present have no access to conventional grid power. Two regions in China that have an acute lack of electricity are a large region in northern and western China and the coastalisland region of China. These regions have attracted the attention of the Chinese government in terms of increasing the quality of life and standard of living conditions of the rural population. These regions have also attracted the attention of domestic Chinese companies and of international companies, governments, and multilateral development organizations as a potential market for renewableenergy rural electrification systems. This paper focuses on the bilateral cooperation between the United States Department of Energy and China in providing assistance for the use of renewable technologies for rural electrification in northwestern China.