Conference Agenda

Addressing rural poverty through renewable energy initiatives offers a sustainable pathway for economic and environmental development. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of the Solar Energy for Poverty Alleviation Program (SEPAP) in China, utilizing a comprehensive dataset that combines satellite and official data across a wide range of counties over an extended period. Advanced econometric methods, including staggered difference-in-difference, event study designs, and synthetic controls, are employed to rigorously assess the program's impacts while controlling for potential biases. The analysis reveals significant increases in vegetation index and nightlight intensity in counties that participated in SEPAP, indicating a shift towards sustainable energy and enhanced economic activities. Further robustness checks, which exclude counties benefiting from multiple interventions, demonstrate the persistence of nightlight intensity effects, although the impact on vegetation index diminishes. These findings highlight the critical role of SEPAP in promoting economic growth and environmental sustainability in rural China, providing valuable insights into the scalability and effectiveness of renewable energy projects in addressing rural poverty.