Solar Energy Serves as a Tool for Poverty Alleviation

REPORT RELEASE: “Recommendations and Suggestions for Combining Renewable Energy and Poverty Alleviation – Case Study of Solar Lights” (report content in Chinese)

BEIJING (October 26, 2016) – GEI released a new report, “Recommendations and Suggestions for Combining Renewable Energy and Poverty Alleviation – Case Study of Solar Lights,” on October 26 at the Beijing Liangmahe Yuyang Hotel.

The report compiles the findings from GEI’s 1-year research project funded by Oxfam (Hong Kong), for which the project team carried out pilot projects in the Shanxi, Gansu, Qinghai and Anhui provinces that introduced solar-powered technology as a way for poverty alleviation.

The report summarizes the findings of these pilot projects, outlines the domestic current utilization of solar energy as well as gives recommendations for future steps.

GEI’s Energy and Climate Change Program Manager, YU Qingchan (L)

Key findings of the report:

• The economic benefits of using solar powered tools for poverty alleviation;
• Innovative consideration of the environmental and ecological benefits for using solar power for poverty alleviation;
• How the method of using solar energy for poverty alleviation connects with China’s national rural poverty alleviation work;
• How this method syncs with China’s work to achieve a “win-win” development for the economy and environment.

At the start of the report launch event, GEI’s Energy and Climate Change Program Manager, Ms. YU Qingchan and a representative from Oxfam Hong Kong Climate Change Aggravates Poverty Team, Ms. HU Wei, presented the areas of work and summary of the findings of new energy and rural village poverty alleviation, respectively.

Also involved in the writing of the report were Ms. LUO Qun, Mr. WANG Fei and Mr. FANG Fang, each of who gave their advice for the report output, evaluation and self-assessment at the event.

Throughout the report launch, all participants actively discussed concerns and responses to the problems surrounding how China can use solar energy for poverty alleviation.

Participants: Global Environmental Institutes Energy and Climate Change Team; Oxfam Climate Change and Poverty Team; Gold Standard Foundation’s LUO Qun; Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science’s FANG Fang; Han Energy’s WANG Fei; as well as several representatives from China Daily, China Dialogue, Min Sheng Weekly, China Environmental News, National Resources and Defense Council (NRDC).  

The entire report (in Chinese) can be found on GEI’s website.