Based on an analysis of a nationally representative rural
household survey and various sources of aggregate statistics, we explore
patterns of residential energy use in rural China within the conceptual
framework of the energy transition. We find that residential energy
consumption varies tremendously across geographic regions due to
disparities of access to different energy sources, prices, climate, income
and urbanisation level. Household demographic characteristics, in
particular household size, have an important impact on residential energy
use. Aggregate time series data show that the transition from biomass to
modern commercial sources is still at an early stage, and cross-sectional
data suggest that incomes may have to rise substantially in order for
absolute biomass use to fall. We also find that energy use patterns as a
function of net income, rather than total expenditure, are more consistent
with the energy transition model in rural China.