Research on Potential Evaluation and Sustainable Development of Rural Biomass Energy in Gansu Province of China

Sheng Zhong, Shuwen Niu and Yipeng Wang
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Sheng Zhong: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui S Rd, Chengguan Qu, Lanzhou 730000, China
Shuwen Niu: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui S Rd, Chengguan Qu, Lanzhou 730000, China
Yipeng Wang: College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, 222 Tianshui S Rd, Chengguan Qu, Lanzhou 730000, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: The development and utilization of renewable energy is an important way to solve the environmental dilemma. Biomass energy is a kind of renewable energy and one of the most widely distributed and easily accessible energy forms. It has currently become a main direction of renewable energy development. This paper took Gansu Province of China as the research object to calculate its theoretical reserves of biomass energy resources and then evaluate its potential of biomass energy development by using TOPSIS method under different agricultural development and geographical environmental conditions. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was also performed to reveal the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the potential of biomass energy development in Gansu Province. The results show that: (1) The total reserves of biomass energy resources from agricultural wastes in Gansu Province reach 7.28 × 10 7 t/year, with equivalent biogas production of about 1.95 × 10 10 m 3 /year. (2) In most counties of Gansu Province, the C i value is smaller than 0.5000, indicating that the potential of biomass energy development is relatively low in Gansu Province. (3) The spatial agglomeration of biomass energy development potential occurs mainly in the Hexi area, the Gannan area and the Loess Plateau area of East Gansu Province. (4) There is an area with obvious high-low (H-L) agglomeration of biomass energy development potential to the north-west side of the Gannan area with low-low (L-L) agglomeration of biomass energy development potential. It is a key zone to help drive biomass energy development in the Gannan area. (5) The spatial range of positive correlation (high-high and low-low agglomeration) areas shrunk during the evaluation period.

Keywords: biomass energy; rural energy; potential evaluation; spatial-temporal analysis; growth pole; Gansu province; the northwest region of China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3800-:d:177129

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