Abstract: Rural energy transition is one of the main aspects of rural modernization，and is currently the weakness of China's energy system transformation. This paper reviews the achievements of China's rural energy development in the last four decades，such as divesting energy supply，popularizing clean energy， significantly upgrading electricity infrastructure，and dramatically reducing electricity use price. It finds the problems and reasons in rural energy development，such as traditional and modern energy coexistence，low commercial energy use，difficulties in clean energy infrastructure construction，lacks of maintenance funding，many low income households and clean energy unaffordability，and insufficient awareness on health risks and stove quality. It further discusses the potential risk and social-economic impacts of solid fuel use，and draws some advices on future energy development according to China's situations.