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Abstract: Qinghai–Tibet region is a unique geographic zone due to its average altitude of over 4000m, sparse human population and prevalent pastoral system. However, little is known about the energy consumption in the region. We reviewed current situation of energy consumption and its ecological impacts, outlined future energy prospects in the region. Per capita household energy consumption was about two and three times of the national average in Qinghai and Tibet. Per urban household consumed more energy than rural household in the region. Moreover, the urban households and rural households used different energy resources, natural gas and electricity accounted for 57.57% and 42.29%, respectively in household energy consumption in urban areas while biomass accounted for 79.13% and 94.19% in household energy consumption in rural areas in Qinghai and Tibet in 2007. This region was abundant in renewable energy resources and was among the richest in hydro-power and solar energy resources in China. Hydro-power accounted for 67.88% and 92.04% in total electricity in Qinghai and Tibet in 2007. Population density was rather low in this region (4.35 versus 137.63 persons per 100hm2 in Qinghai–Tibet region and China in 2007), thus small photovoltaic power stations and hydro-power plants were more cost-effective than the electricity grid. The overuse of biotic energy resources in rural areas caused decline in soil fertility and desertification. Whereas the low utilization of fossil energy in this region released less waste gas which was beneficial to the local, national and global carbon budgets. Accelerating economic growth and booming tourism have increased energy demand and posed a challenge to the unique ecosystem in the Qinghai–Tibet region. It was estimated that energy consumption of tourism accounted for 6.06% and 14.18% of the total energy consumption in Qinghai and Tibet in 2007. Thus, exploitation of renewable energy resources like solar energy, wind energy and biomass briquette is crucial in striving for a balance among economic development, booming tourism, and environmental protection in this region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Collection of fuelwood by local residents in or around nature reserves of China has caused problems such as disturbance of habitat for wildlife and deforestation. Thus, it is important to study the energy consumption patterns by those local residents live in or around nature reserves to find solutions to reduce the amount of fuelwood consumption. We chose four nature reserves: Longxi-Hongkou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, Taohongling National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi Province, Qingmuchuan Nature Reserve, Shaanxi Province, and Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve, Shaanxi Province in the subtropical zone of China to study this problem. We found no significant difference of total energy consumption per household per year in the four nature reserves, which was about 2ton of standard coal per year. But the energy consumption patterns in different reserves were different. People who live in deep mountains more relied on collecting fuelwoods from surrounding forests whereas those live in areas with relatively developed economy and better transportation condition consumed more coals, liquidinized petroleum gas and electricity. Such a pattern also reflects the changing energy spectrum during the process of modernization in China. We concluded that economic status of household and the transportation condition are two important factors affecting the energy consumption patterns in households in the nature reserves in China, which reflect the general energy consumption in rural China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We chose five study sites, from a traditional village, the Laoxiancheng Village, in remote mountainous areas to towns, the Houzhenzi Xiang Township, the Mazhao Town and the Zhouzhi County Town, as well as in a modern city, Xi’an in the Shaanxi Province of China, to study differences in energy consumption between rural and urban households and to assess its conservation implications. This study confirmed the prediction of the ‘ladder of fuel preferences’ theory. Energies used in urban households are more convenient, cleaner, and more efficient than those used in rural areas, where biomass and coal are common fuel. The amount of energy used for entertainment and electric appliances is greater in urban areas, whereas the quantity used for cooking is larger in rural districts. People in Laoxiancheng Village completely depended on fuelwood for cooking and heating. In the Houzhenzi Xiang Township, 16.7% household use coal ball, and 23.3% use LPG. Electricity and fuelwood were used in each household. In the Mazhao Town, 96.7% households used crop residue, 90% used coal, about 30% use LPG, and every household used electricity. In the Zhouzhi County Town, of the entire sampled household, 92.7% used coal, 92.7% of household used LPG and 37.5% household used gasoline. In the Xi’an city, of the entire sampled household, 32.8% household used natural gas, 67.2% used LPG; about 34.9% household used gasoline, 48.6% household used electricity and 51.4% used natural gas for heating in winter. In the five study areas, the ratio of each energy source consumed per household was also different. In the Houzhenzi Xiang Township, coal took 6.2%, LPG 1.4%, electricity 1.4% and fuelwood 91%. In the Mazhao Town, crop residue took 31.4%, coal 62.2%, LPG 2.2%, and electricity 4.2%. In the Zhouzhi County Town, the importance of energy ranked as follows: coal 75.8%, LPG 12.8%, electricity 5%, and gasoline 6.4%. In the Xi’an city, LPG took 17.6%, natural gas 27.3%, gasoline 16.9%, and electricity 38.2%. Comparing total annual consumption, households in villages used more energy compared to the households in cities. The mean of total annual energy consumption was 79.57, 63.07, 37.75, 42.53, and 29.73GJ in the Laoxiancheng Village, Houzhenzi Xiang Township, Mazhao Town, Zhouzhi County Town, and Xi’an City, respectively. We should improve the efficiency of fuel burning and introduce cleaner energy resources, such as biogas and hydropower in villages. For the households in rural areas, it is necessary to substitute coal with other cleaner energy resources and it is more important and urgent for urban households to save energy, considering large population in cities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]