Does the residential photovoltaic station programme aid poverty alleviation? Evidence from rural China

China has made globally recognised improvements in poverty alleviation through a comprehensive array of support policies, of which the residential photovoltaic station programme, implemented in several northern and western provinces, stands out. This study evaluates the residential photovoltaic station programme's impact using difference-in-differences analysis tracking 2434 impoverished households in a border county in northeastern China from 2016 to 2022. Our findings demonstrate that the RPSP significantly raised households’ income, with particularly pronounced benefits for families with fewer members, lower educational attainment and those impoverished due to health issues. These results offer valuable insights for designing sustainable rural development policies, indicating that anti-poverty policies that integrate clean energy solutions can target vulnerable groups in rural China and other emerging economies facing similar challenges more effectively.