Journal of Smart Energy Systems and Sustainable Technologies

Articles

Vol. 1 (2025)

Rural New Energy Development and Farmers’ Welfare: Mechanisms, Pathways, and Policy Implications for Sustainable Rural Revitalization

Submitted
November 10, 2025
Published
2025-12-02

Abstract

This study aims to systematically elaborate on how the development of rural new energy industries in China enhances the welfare effects of farmers. Under the dual strategic background of the national "rural revitalization" and "dual carbon" goals, rural new energy is not only a key area for the transformation of the energy structure but also an important engine for improving farmers 'living standards and increasing their income. The research reviews the mechanisms and pathways through which the development of rural new energy (photovoltaic, wind power, biomass, geothermal) in China enhances farmers' welfare. Through a retrospective analysis of existing empirical studies, the research finds that welfare improvement is mainly achieved through four mechanisms: (1) resource assetization; (2) nearby employment and skills training; (3) clean energy improves the environment; (4) project participation enhances rural governance. The study illustrates the specific benefits of different energy forms through case studies such as photovoltaic in Xinjiang's Tuoli County, wind power in Shandong's Tancheng, biomass in Hebei's Julu, and geothermal in Tianjin's Binhai. Finally, to address challenges such as grid access, technical operation and maintenance, financing channels, and insufficient farmer participation in rural new energy, four countermeasures are proposed: building a multi-energy complementary integrated energy system, strengthening technology and digital management, innovating co-construction and sharing models for business and distribution, and improving differentiated policies while enhancing farmers' capacity building. This aims to maximize the inclusive effects of rural new energy industries and provide references for related decision-making.

References

  1. Duan, R., Hu, J., Xiao, X., Qin, W., & Zheng, Z. (2026). Optimal planning and operation of rural integrated energy service stations considering battery swapping for electric agricultural machinery. Journal of Energy Storage, 141, 119149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2025.119149
  2. Wu, J., Qi, Y., Guan, X., Wu, X., & Li, H. (2024). Farmers’ attitudes and adoption preferences toward household solar photovoltaics: A survey from Guangdong Province in China. Renewable Energy, 225, 120239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2024.120239
  3. Zhang, L., & Feng, Y. (2023). Beyond energy access: The multidimensional welfare effects of rural renewable energy in China. World Development, 161, 106-118.
  4. Saleth, R. M., Amarasinghe, U. A., Amarnath, G., Ait El Mekki, A., Seelanatha, K., & Brouziyne, Y. (2025). Climate change, transformative adaptation options, multiscale polycentric governance, and rural welfare in the Oum Er Rbia Basin, Morocco: empirical evaluation with policy implications (Research Report No. 194). International Water Management Institute (IWMI). https://doi.org/10.5337/2025.240
  5. Li, M., Li, C., Zhang, L., Zheng, H., & Liu, J. (2024). Energy-poverty-inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 121(52), e2408167121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2408167121
  6. Yin, S., Zhao, Y., Hussain, A., & Ullah, K. (2024). Comprehensive evaluation of rural regional integrated clean energy systems considering multi-subject interest coordination with pythagorean fuzzy information. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 138, 109342. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engappai.2024.109342
  7. Zhang, H., Wu, K., Qiu, Y., Chan, G., Wang, S., Zhou, D., & Ren, X. (2020). Solar photovoltaic interventions have reduced rural poverty in China. Nature Communications, 11(1), 1969. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15826-4
  8. Standardization Administration of China. (2018). Targeted poverty alleviation—Technical guide of village photovoltaic power station(Standard No. GB/T 36115-2018)
  9. Zhang, M., Yu, S., & Li, H. (2023). Inter-zone optimal scheduling of rural wind–biomass–hydrogen integrated energy system. Energies, 16(17), 6202. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176202
  10. N/A. (2025). Economic and environmental outlook on agrivoltaics: Review and perspectives. Energies, 18(21), 5836. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18215836
  11. Wiseman, J., & O'Geen, A. (2025). Can renewable energy zones become regional equity zones? Policy coherence and social equity in the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap in New South Wales, Australia. Energy Policy, 195, 114321.
  12. Thet Thet Oo, Kang-wook Cho, & Soo-jin Park. (2025). Techno-Economic Comparison of Microgrids and Traditional Grid Expansion: A Case Study of Myanmar. Energies, 18(18), 4988. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18184988
  13. Fisher, D. R., & Stokes, C. (2025).How can policy balance the goals of transition acceleration and justice? Permitting reform, large-scale renewable energy, and host communities in the United States. Energy Policy, 195, 115236.
  14. Yin, S., Wang, Y., Liu, Y., & Wang, S. (2024). Exploring drivers of behavioral willingness to use clean energy to reduce environmental emissions in rural China: An extension of the UTAUT2 model. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 16(4), 045903. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0211668
  15. Elmallah, S., Nilson, R., Rand, J., Uridge, E., & Hoen, B. (2025). Under-capacitated and over-powered? Rural austerity and asymmetrical negotiating relationships in US wind energy development. Journal of Rural Studies, 119, 103749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103749
  16. Rakshit, R., Shahi, C., Smith, M. A., & Cornwell, A. (2019). Energy transition complexities in rural and remote Indigenous communities: A case study of Poplar Hill First Nation in northern Ontario. Local Environment, 24(11), 1084-1100. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2019.1648400
  17. Yin, S., Gao, Z., & Mahmood, T. (2025). Artificial intelligence-driven bioenergy system: digital green innovation partner selection of bioenergy enterprises based on interval fuzzy field model. Kybernetes, 54(3), 1344-1372. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-08-2023-1495
  18. Yin, S., Wang, Y., & Zhang, Q. (2025). Mechanisms and implementation pathways for distributed photovoltaic grid integration in rural power systems: A study based on multi-agent game theory approach. Energy Strategy Reviews, 60, 101801. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2025.101801
  19. Wang, Y., Gu, C., Xie, D., Alhazmi, M., Kim, J., & Wang, X. (2025). Enhancing peer-to-peer energy trading in Integrated Energy Systems: Gamified engagement strategies and differentiable robust optimization. Energy Reports, 13, 3225-3236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2025.02.034
  20. Määttä, S. (2024). Community-developer collaboration and voluntary community benefits in Scotland: Are community benefits a gift or compensation? Energy Policy, 114164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114164