IMPACT EVALUATION OF THE CHINESE BRIGHTNESS-PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTED DURING 1996-2006

ABSTRACT: Aiming at an improvement of the living and working conditions of people in remote un-electrified areas of Western China the at that time State Development Planning Commission (SDPC) today National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), initiated the so-called “Brightness Programme ” in 1996. According to the objective of the Brightness Programme it is planned that approximately 23 million people in remote area shall be electrified by means of decentralized wind and PV technologies by 2010. Back in 1996 a number of challenges and problems like financing and affordability, technical quality, sales- and service network, and education and training for end-user which could be encountered in the course of implementation were identified. After a pilot phase (1999-2002) China launched the globally most ambitious national rural electrification programme, the so-called Township Programme in 2002 which today is considered to be the major reason for the stimulation of the phenomenal development of the Chinese PV industry. Until recently, the Chinese PV industry was relatively unknown but is today in terms of production capacities for solar cells just behind Japan and Germany