China is facing important challenges stemming from increasing rates of urbanization and aging population. To pursue its ＂harmonious society＂ objective without disrupting its path to development major overhauls are n...China is facing important challenges stemming from increasing rates of urbanization and aging population. To pursue its ＂harmonious society＂ objective without disrupting its path to development major overhauls are necessary in education, health, social security and above all in public services, particularly in electricity. China＇s electricity industry is at the crossroads. To meet the challenges, new models of regulation should be developed and applied. This paper examines the current state of the Chinese electricity industry and the burden it imposes on its public finances. It also reviews and critically examines the existing FIT （Europe） and RPS （USA） models of regulation and of promotion of renewable energies and advances on whether they are advantageous for China. It is argued that the electricity industry has already undergone important reforms but cross subsidies still exist, equivalent to 1.5% of China＇s GDP. Drastic rate rebalancing policies will create sustainability problems and a deterioration of China＇s public finances. To avoid such negative results, China has to further reform its electricity industry gradually and use wisely FIT-type programs to bring renewables into the grid and fulfill the Kyoto Protocol展开更多
文摘China is facing important challenges stemming from increasing rates of urbanization and aging population. To pursue its ＂harmonious society＂ objective without disrupting its path to development major overhauls are necessary in education, health, social security and above all in public services, particularly in electricity. China＇s electricity industry is at the crossroads. To meet the challenges, new models of regulation should be developed and applied. This paper examines the current state of the Chinese electricity industry and the burden it imposes on its public finances. It also reviews and critically examines the existing FIT （Europe） and RPS （USA） models of regulation and of promotion of renewable energies and advances on whether they are advantageous for China. It is argued that the electricity industry has already undergone important reforms but cross subsidies still exist, equivalent to 1.5% of China＇s GDP. Drastic rate rebalancing policies will create sustainability problems and a deterioration of China＇s public finances. To avoid such negative results, China has to further reform its electricity industry gradually and use wisely FIT-type programs to bring renewables into the grid and fulfill the Kyoto Protocol
