Ａｐｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎ　ｏｆ　Ａｌｔｅｒｎａｔｉｖｅ　Ｅｎｅｒｇｙ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　Ｃｏｕｎｔｒｙｓｉ.docVIP

Ａｐｐｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎ　ｏｆ　Ａｌｔｅｒｎａｔｉｖｅ　Ｅｎｅｒｇｙ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　Ｃｏｕｎｔｒｙｓｉ 　　 　　LIUMINYING Village, 30 kilometers south of downtown Beijing in Daxing District, is a modest settlement, populated by modest, hard-working people. But their commitment to achieving energy diversity has marked them out as true conservation pioneers. The solar-powered street lamps of the village are the most visible manifestation of a concerted drive by the villagers and municipal authorities to promote alternative energy. 　　Zhang Zhihui’s home lies along the main street, and like those of many other villagers, it is equipped with energy-saving devices provided free-of-charge by municipal authorities, such as a methane stove and a suspended kang (brick bed) that conserves heat much better than a regular kang. The stove in particular is a direct consequence of a decision taken 20 years ago to begin public construction of methane pits for the village’s use, a move that was followed up by a campaign launched in 2005 to popularize a range of alternative energy and energy-saving technologies. 　　 　　 　　A Changing Life 　　 　　When Zhang Zhihui mentions the village’s methane pit, she could not be more to the point regarding the benefits it has brought her. “It is much more convenient to cook and heat water using methane stoves,” she said plainly. Methane gas costs RMB 0.6 per cubic meter, a fraction of the cost of natural gas. The annual cost to Zhang Zhihui’s family of five is a mere RMB 300 to 400. 　　In 1999, the village built its own methane station, with pipelines that lead directly into villagers’ kitchens. Thestation uses crop stalks and excrement as raw materials. After fermentation, methane gas is produced that can be used as fuel for cooking and heating, while the liquid waste and residue can be used as fertilizer. 　　The kitchen in Zhang Zhihui’s home is clean and tidy, its walls covered in white ceramic tiles, and it is a complete contrast to the way rural kitchens used to look just 20 years ago. Before 19