Clean Heating Technologies: A Pilot Project Case Study from Northern People’s Republic of China

By Asian Development Bank

Nearly 40% of the world’s population use open fires or simple stoves that burn wood or coal for heating. The inefficient combustion of these solid fuels deteriorates air quality, causes severe health problems, and generates significant carbon dioxide emissions. The impacts are aggravated in peri-urban and rural communities that lack access to clean district heating options. There is a need to identify and deploy appropriate decentralized clean heating solutions to replace coal-based heating. This publication presents an overview of clean heating technologies and the results of a pilot in northern People’s Republic of China. The country’s clean heating policy framework and the lessons learned from the online clean heating monitoring platform can guide the development of similar tools. The report provides recommendations in developing clean heating programs to stimulate market transformation toward more efficient and low-carbon heating.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Asian Development Bank
• Release date: Mar 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9789292693282

Book preview

CLEAN HEATING TECHNOLOGIES

A PILOT PROJECT CASE STUDY FROM NORTHERN PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

MARCH 2022

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO license (CC BY 3.0 IGO)

© 2022 Asian Development Bank

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Some rights reserved. Published in 2022.

ISBN 978-92-9269-327-5 (print), 978-92-9269-328-2 (electronic), 978-92-9269-329-9 (ebook)

Publication Stock No. TCS210548-2

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22617/TCS210548-2

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Cover design by Kris Guico.

Contents

Tables, Figures, and Boxes

Acknowledgments

Clean Heating Technologies: A Pilot Project Case Study from Northern People’s Republic of China is an output of the pilot demonstration project on individual clean heating solutions in a bid to reduce the reliance on raw coal-based heating in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The pilot was carried out by the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department (SDCC) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under regional technical assistance 8946: Promoting Sustainable Energy for All in Asia and the Pacific—Energy Access for the Urban Poor (increasing access to clean cooking and heating) (Subproject B). The pilot project was conducted by a team in the Sector Advisory Service Cluster–Energy Sector Group (SDSC-ENE) led by Kee-Yung Nam, principal energy economist and Stephen Peters, senior energy specialist. Yongping Zhai, chief of Energy Sector Group, SDSC-ENE and Robert Guild, chief sector officer of the SDCC, provided overall guidance.

The pilot was implemented in cooperation with the Changzhi Development and Reform Commission through the contributions of Ligang Sang, Guiping Wang, Jia Wu, Shizhong Zhang and Zhizong Ren; and the Zhangzi County government through Wenbo Yuan, Song Li, Jianfei Liang, and Xiaofang Liu. A group of international and national experts provided invaluable contributions as authors of background papers.

This case study was written by a team of experts from the SDSC-ENE, under the guidance of Kee-Yung Nam and the supervision of Yongping Zhai. The team comprised Stephen Peters, Ming Shan, X Suliya, Ana Maria Tolentino, Maria Fritzie Vergel, and the Beijing Jiashu Technology Consulting Co., Ltd. (Jiashu Consulting). Charity Torregosa, senior energy officer; Maria Dona Aliboso, operations analyst; Marinette De Jesus Glo, operations assistant; and Elmar Elbling, Felicisima Arriola, and Grace Yeneza, TA team members, provided technical advisory and administrative support. Maria Theresa Mercado copyedited the report and Principe Nicdao did the layout.

The report benefited from insights and comments of ADB colleagues from the energy divisions of ADB’s regional departments.

Foreword

Space heating is much needed in the northern regions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In 2016, coal-based heating in this region covered 83% of the heated areas. The burning of raw coal has caused severe environmental and health problems and led to a high level of carbon emissions. Since 2017, the government has accelerated its efforts to address this issue through a 5-year clean winter heating plan. This has emphasized switching households and businesses from burning inferior coal to cleaner low-carbon fuels while expanding district heating networks. Despite the successful interventions and related environmental benefits, the shift from coal-based heating to natural gas and electricity-based heating has resulted in new challenges such as gas supply shortages and increased gas prices. To overcome these challenges, the government is continuously stepping up its efforts and planning to implement diversified, affordable, and tailor-made solutions through active engagement and partnerships with both the public and private sectors.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) works with its developing member countries (DMCs) to facilitate the provision of adequate and clean heating services. In the 1980s, it financed the construction or rehabilitation of combined heat and power plants; it has since shifted to exploring renewable energy-based and hybrid district heating. ADB has implemented technical assistance projects and capacity building activities that focused on small-scale clean heating technologies. This work is in line with ADB’s 2021 Energy Policy to "help DMCs accelerate the development of