Christiaensen, LucHeltberg, Rasmus2012-06-292012-06-292012-06https://hdl.handle.net/10986/9318Clean, safe energy for rural areas is an important component of green growth and sustainable development. Biogas could be an important contributor, if its record in reality lives up to its expected potential. This paper provides a preliminary assessment of biogas use by smallholder farmers in rural China, using data collected from 2,700 households in five provinces. The authors find that user satisfaction is high, and environmental and economic benefits appear tangible. There are strong indications of reduced use of wood and crop residues for fuel. Less time is spent on collecting fuel wood and cooking, which is especially beneficial to women. Adopters also save on fertilizers, because of the use of biogas residues. Moreover, problems with suspension of biogas use, whether due to technical or human factors, remained limited. However, few tangible benefits to respiratory health were detected. Overall, these findings are grounds for optimism about the potential for of smallholder biogas to contribute to more sustainable development, in China and beyond.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOADVERSE EFFECTSAIRAIR POLLUTIONAIR QUALITYANAEROBIC DIGESTIONANIMAL WASTEAPPROACHAVAILABILITYBIOGASBIOGAS DIGESTERBIOGAS DIGESTERSBIOGAS PRODUCTIONBIOGAS PROMOTIONBIOGAS SUPPLYBIOGAS SYSTEMSBIOGAS TECHNOLOGYBIOMASSBIOMASS COMBUSTIONBIOMASS FUELSBIOMASS STOVESBURNING BIOMASSCANCERCARBONCARBON FINANCINGCARBON INTENSITYCEMENTCHARCOALCLEAN ENERGYCLEAN FUELSCLIMATECLIMATE CHANGECOCOALCOAL CONSUMPTIONCOAL USECOMMERCIAL ENERGYCONSUMER ACCEPTANCECOOKINGCORNCROPCROP RESIDUECROP RESIDUESCROP WASTECULTIVATED LANDDEFORESTATIONDIRTY FUELDOMESTIC ENERGYDUNGELECTRICITYEMISSIONSEMISSIONS OF METHANEENERGY CONSUMPTIONENERGY DEMANDENERGY ECONOMICSENERGY EXPENDITURESENERGY MIXENERGY OUTLOOKENERGY POLICYENERGY SOURCEENERGY SOURCESENERGY SUBSTITUTIONENERGY USEENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITSENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGESENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURESENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMSENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ENERGYFEEDSTOCKFERMENTATIONFERTILIZERSFIREFORESTFOREST CONSERVATIONFOREST DEGRADATIONFORESTSFUELFUEL COLLECTIONFUEL DEMANDFUEL MIXFUEL SWITCHINGFUEL USEFUEL WOODFUELWOODGREENHOUSEGREENHOUSE GASGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONSGROWTH IN ENERGY DEMANDHEATINGHOUSEHOLD ENERGYHOUSEHOLD ENERGY TECHNOLOGIESHOUSEHOLD ENERGY TECHNOLOGYHOUSEHOLD ENERGY USEHOUSEHOLD FUELINCOMEINSECTICIDESLARGE-SCALE BIOGASMANUREMEASUREMENTSPER CAPITA INCOMEPRICE OF COALPRICES OF COALQUANTITY OF GASRENEWABLE ENERGYRENEWABLE ENERGY OPTIONSRENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCERENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGYRURAL AREASRURAL ENERGYRURAL ENERGY USERURAL HOUSEHOLDRURAL HOUSEHOLDSSIGNSSOLID BIOMASSSOLID BIOMASS FUELSSOLID FUELSOLID FUELSSTRUCTURESSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTSUSTAINABLE ENERGYTECHNICIANSTEMPERATUREVILLAGE LEVELWOODWORLD ENERGYWORLD ENERGY OUTLOOKWorld Bank10.1596/1813-9450-6102