Beijing plans to replace coal with clean energy sources in 700 villages on its surrounding flatlands within the year. This would eliminate coal burning from seven of the city’s districts including Chaoyang, Haidian, Fengtai, Shijingshan, Daxing, Tongzhou and Fangshan, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Rural Affairs.
As of November 2016, Beijing had replaced coal with clean energy sources for 227,000 rural households in 663 villages, surpassing the target number by 43 percent. Of these households, 198,000 in 574 villages were fitted with electrical energy and 29,000 in 89 villages were provided with natural gas replacements.
In addition, Beijing will also promote clean energy use in 1,400 village committees and public areas as well as in agricultural facilities covering 790,000 square meters.
Air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps and storage electric heaters are currently the three most common electricity-powered heating sources in Beijing. To ensure quality standard, the National Quality Surveillance and Testing Center of Air Conditioning Equipment is responsible for sample testing and giving feedbacks to districts, if there were any problem. Three hundred sets of equipment have been tested so far.
This year Beijing has launched the coal-to-power switch in nine rural towns and three sub-districts, benefiting 46,269 households. After open tendering and field visits, the capital city has selected 23 manufacturers of air-source heat pumps and 11 energy storage companies to contribute to the transition.
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