Biogas
in Rural China
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Meeting the challenge of providing an adequate and safe energy
supply for the world population has become an important concern
in recent decades. As the notion of sustainability has obtained
rising recognition, there has also been a consensus that sustainable
energy will be one of the toughest challenges to meet. Some
argue that the concept of sustainable energy, or energy use
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet [1]
their needs, is irrational.
For example, Lomberg, in The Skeptical Environmentalist, argues
that it is “impossible to use isolated, non-renewable
resources in such a way that future generations can also be
assured of their use. Even if the world used just one barrel
of oil a year this would still imply that some future generation
would be left with no oil at all”[2].
Whilst Lomberg may have been attempting to dismiss the entire
notion of sustainability, the very fact that his example restricts
itself to non-renewable resources serves only to reinforce
the need for development of renewable resources in such a
way that the goal of sustainable energy can be reached.
The conflict between the need for both economic development
and environmental protection has taken over international
debates on energy issues.[3]
The numerous negative effects of fossil fuel consumption have
been brought to the fore in the last decades and have appropriately
guided the way for expanding research into alternative energy
sources. These developments led Christopher Flavin to state
that “ … the 21st century may be as profoundly
reshaped by the move away from fossil fuels as the 20th century
was shaped by them”. [4]
The People’s Republic of China, with its massive population
of around 1.2 billion and correspondingly massive level of
energy consumption, faces a variety of challenges in providing
a stable energy supply to ensure continued economic development.
Energy is, after all, the basis of the national economy, and
thereby vital to socio-economic development and any improvement
in living standards.[5]
The Chinese are excessively dependent on fossil fuels to meet
this energy demand: China is the biggest coal production and
consumption country in the world.[6]
Owing to this, Chinese fossil fuel consumption has come to
dominate the politics of global environmental change. However,
China is not an ignorant or idle bystander in this debate,
nor do the Chinese refute their large contribution to environmental
degradation. China has indeed recognised that importing enough
oil and gas in the next decades to support its economic growth
is not viable. Thus the Chinese have realised that “an
energy transition [to renewable energy]…” is not
only “…ecologically necessary, but it is also
economically logical”.[7]
The Chinese have explored and researched a variety of renewable
energy sources, including solar cells, wind power, hydrogen
energy, and biomass energy. This paper will explore the expansion
of biogas in rural China. Biomass energy, or bioenergy, is
a general term that includes the energy stored in organic
wastes, its translation into useful energy, and the ultimate
use of that energy. Biogas is the gas produced microbiologically
from this organic waste treatment.[8]
The objective of this paper is to analyse various aspects
of biogas technology and how it has been implemented in China.
First, it will review the strengths of biogas technology over
other technology, exploring alternative sources of renewable
energy, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of biogas
technology.
Second, it will examine the type of biogas technology that
has been developed in rural China, and the reasoning behind
the method and technologies put into operation.
Third, it will consider why different biogas technologies
have been developed in different countries, with particular
reference to the differences between India and China.
Fourth, it will attempt to outline a few suggestions and recommendations
for the furthering of biogas development in China.
Lastly, it will offer a few conclusions as well as some suggestions
for further research.
- Gordon and Tovey, 1995.[Return]
- Lomborg, 1998:119.[Return]
- Reddy and Goldemberg, 1991.[Return]
- Flavin, 2002.[Return]
- China New Energy[Return]
- China New Energy[Return]
- Flavin, 2002: 19.[Return]
- Fischer and King.[Return]
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