IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v11y2020i1d10.1038_s41467-020-15826-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Solar photovoltaic interventions have reduced rural poverty in China

Author

Listed:
  • Huiming Zhang

    (Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology)

  • Kai Wu

    (Central University of Finance and Economics)

  • Yueming Qiu

    (University of Maryland)

  • Gabriel Chan

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Shouyang Wang

    (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Dequn Zhou

    (Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics)

  • Xianqiang Ren

    (Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology)

Abstract

Since 2013, China has implemented a large-scale initiative to systematically deploy solar photovoltaic (PV) projects to alleviate poverty in rural areas. To provide new understanding of China’s targeted poverty alleviation strategy, we use a panel dataset of 211 pilot counties that received targeted PV investments from 2013 to 2016, and find that the PV poverty alleviation pilot policy increases per-capita disposable income in a county by approximately 7%-8%. The effect of PV investment is positive and significant in the year of policy implementation and the effect is more than twice as high in the subsequent two to three years. The PV poverty alleviation effect is stronger in poorer regions, particularly in Eastern China. Our results are robust to alternative specifications and variable definitions. We propose several policy recommendations to sustain progress in China’s efforts to deploy PV for poverty alleviation.

Suggested Citation

  • Huiming Zhang & Kai Wu & Yueming Qiu & Gabriel Chan & Shouyang Wang & Dequn Zhou & Xianqiang Ren, 2020. "Solar photovoltaic interventions have reduced rural poverty in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-15826-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15826-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15826-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-020-15826-4?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
    ---><---

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Chaofan & Shuai, Jing & Ding, Liping & Lu, Yang & Chen, Jia, 2022. "Comprehensive benefit evaluation of solar PV projects based on multi-criteria decision grey relation projection method: Evidence from 5 counties in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(PB).
    2. Yue‐Jun Zhang & Jing‐Yue Liu & Richard T. Woodward, 2023. "Has Chinese Certified Emission Reduction trading reduced rural poverty in China?," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 67(3), pages 438-458, July.
    3. Jiang, Xueting, 2022. "Drivers of air pollution reduction paradox: Empirical evidence from directly measured unit-level data of Chinese power plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    4. Wang, Chaofan & Wang, Yilan & Zhao, Yujia & Shuai, Jing & Shuai, Chuanmin & Cheng, Xin, 2023. "Cognition process and influencing factors of rural residents' adoption willingness for solar PV poverty alleviation projects: Evidence from a mixed methodology in rural China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    5. Wang, Chaofan & Zhao, Yujia & Strezov, Vladimir & Shuai, Chuanmin & Cheng, Xin & Shuai, Jing, 2023. "Spatial correlation analysis of comprehensive efficiency of the photovoltaic poverty alleviation policy - Evidence from 110 counties in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    6. Binh Nguyen, Duong & Nong, Duy & Simshauser, Paul & Nguyen-Huy, Thong, 2022. "General equilibrium impact evaluation of food top-up induced by households’ renewable power self-supply in 141 regions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PB).
    7. Yin, Hui & Zhou, Kaile, 2022. "Performance evaluation of China's photovoltaic poverty alleviation project using machine learning and satellite images," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    8. Gao, Shuaizhi & Zhou, Peng & Zhang, Hongyan, 2023. "Does energy transition help narrow the urban-rural income gap? Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    9. Cong Hu & Biliang Hu & Xunpeng Shi & Yan Wu, 2020. "The Roles of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Development Strategy in Industrial Energy and Related Pollutant Emission Intensities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-17, September.
    10. Cheng, Zhiming & Tani, Massimiliano & Wang, Haining, 2021. "Energy poverty and entrepreneurship," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    11. Ma, Rufei & Deng, Liqian & Ji, Qiang & Zhai, Pengxiang, 2022. "Environmental regulations, clean energy access, and household energy poverty: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    12. Li, Yunwei & Chen, Kui & Ding, Ruixin & Zhang, Jing & Hao, Yu, 2023. "How do photovoltaic poverty alleviation projects relieve household energy poverty? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    13. Yuan, Rong & Wang, Juan, 2021. "Impacts of poverty alleviation on household GHG footprints in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    14. Zhuang, Minghao & Lu, Xi & Peng, Wei & Wang, Yanfen & Wang, Jianxiao & Nielsen, Chris P. & McElroy, Michael B., 2021. "Opportunities for household energy on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in line with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    15. Bo wang & Nana Deng & Wenhui Zhao & Zhaohua Wang, 2022. "Residential power demand side management optimization based on fine-grained mixed frequency data," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 316(1), pages 603-622, September.
    16. Deng, Nana & Wang, Bo & Wang, Zhaohua, 2023. "Does targeted poverty alleviation improve households’ adaptation to hot weathers: Evidence from electricity consumption of poor households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    17. Li, Jiaxin & Peng, Jiachao & Shuai, Chuanmin & Wang, Zihan & Huang, Fubin & Khayyam, Muhammad, 2022. "Does the solar PV program enhance the social empowerment of China's rural poor?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    18. Ruxu Sheng & Juntian Du & Songqi Liu & Changan Wang & Zidi Wang & Xiaoqian Liu, 2021. "Solar Photovoltaic Investment Changes across China Regions Using a Spatial Shift-Share Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-14, October.
    19. Wang, Chen & Feng, Kuishuang & Liu, Xi & Wang, Peng & Chen, Wei-Qiang & Li, Jiashuo, 2022. "Looming challenge of photovoltaic waste under China’s solar ambition: A spatial–temporal assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    20. Javier Muro & Leo Zurita-Arthos & José Jara & Esteban Calderón & Richard Resl & Andreas Rienow & Valerie Graw, 2020. "Earth Observation for Settlement Mapping of Amazonian Indigenous Populations to Support SDG7," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-17, August.
    21. Gao, Xue & Rai, Varun & Nemet, Gregory F., 2022. "The roles of learning mechanisms in services: Evidence from US residential solar installations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    22. Alina Ștefania Chenic & Alin Ioan Cretu & Adrian Burlacu & Nicolae Moroianu & Daniela Vîrjan & Dragos Huru & Mihaela Roberta Stanef-Puica & Vladimir Enachescu, 2022. "Logical Analysis on the Strategy for a Sustainable Transition of the World to Green Energy—2050. Smart Cities and Villages Coupled to Renewable Energy Sources with Low Carbon Footprint," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-30, July.
    23. Liu, Yuan & Chen, Jiahui & Zhao, Lutao & Liao, Hua, 2023. "Rural photovoltaic projects substantially prompt household energy transition: Evidence from China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    24. Huang, Rui & Tian, Lixin, 2021. "CO2 emissions inequality through the lens of developing countries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    25. Xiao, Han & Song, Feng & Zheng, Xinye & Chen, Jiaying, 2023. "Community-based energy revolution: An evaluation of China's photovoltaic poverty alleviation Program's economic and social benefits," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-15826-4. 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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    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.