5 Ningxia 1,306 64,000

Hybrid village power systems consisting of wind and PV renewable energy technologies with diesel backup and battery storage have been demonstrated to be an effective means of supplying electricity to remote unelectrified rural regions in China. China in fact initiated the National Township Electrification Program at the end of 2001 to electrify more than 1000 townships in western China that includes 17 MW of predominately PV/battery systems. This paper will review the past experience and current barriers associated with the sustainable development of hybrid village power systems in China, and will discuss several unique opportunities and caveats generated by the current wave of government support for rural electrification based on these systems