Analysis of Changes in Energy Consumption and Demand Trend in China’s Agricultural Production

• DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.113410
• Publication Date: 2011-01-01
• Authors: Zhu, Li-Zhi; Liu, Jing; Xu, Ran; Xiang, Meng; Zhu, Li-Zhi; Liu, Jing; Xu, Ran; Xiang, Meng
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; Energy structure; China; 13. Climate action; 11. Sustainability; Rural energy; Agribusiness; Rural energy, Energy structure, Consumption elasticity, Consumption projection, China, Agribusiness,; Consumption elasticity; 7. Clean energy; Consumption projection; 12. Responsible consumption

China’s energy consumption for agricultural production has relied on petroleum and coal with relatively low input from power and other types of energy for a long time. Projections indicate that as China’s existing development trend leads to substantial growth of energy demand for agricultural production, such a long term irrational energy consumption pattern would unlikely be able to meet the needs of the country’s developing agricultural sector. As such, it is recommended that China’s agricultural sector should follow the national energy development strategy guideline by gradually increasing the use of wind power, solar energy, biomass and other new energy sources while advancing technological innovations on traditional energy sources. Meanwhile, as the consumption structure of three major energy sources (i.e. petroleum, coal, and power) is optimized, development and application of biomass from agriculture as raw materials for alternative energy should be enhanced. Lastly, the development and application of wind power, solar energy, and hydropower in agricultural production should be increased in areas where appropriate.