Air Quality Improvement in the Greater BTH Region—Shandong Clean Heating and Cooling Project

Client: Asian Development Bank

Duration: 2019-present

Location: Shandong Province, PRC

Contract Value: USD 393,660

Catalogue: Energy

Project Description

The project responds directly to the urgent national, provincial, and municipal government priorities to reduce coal consumption and improve air quality by introducing more efficient methods and advanced technology for heat production, through coal substitution and utilizing cleaner sources of energy such as natural gas and renewable energy, and reducing raw coal burning among households. The proposed project is well aligned with the priorities on managing climate change and environment in ADB's Country Partnership Strategy (2016 - 2020) and will support the government's priorities in realizing an ecological civilization, articulated in its 13th Five Year Plan. The expected outcome of this TA is to reduce emissions of pollutants and carbon dioxide in Shandong Province, and achieve improved public health in the BTH region.

Services Provided by NAREE

Development of rural clean heating road map - As living standards have been improved in the rural areas, households have transitioned from direct burning of traditional, low-quality fuel: straw, fuelwood, and other biomass—to raw coal in household stoves and heating facilities. Raw coal combustion, especially low-quality coal combustion, produces a large amount of particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter and carbon monoxide. Therefore, NAREE will assist loan borrower in developing a road map to help rural residents’ transition to clean heating which is important to address air pollution in northern PRC.

Measurement of air pollution reduction - By using ADB loan, the implementing agencies will procure appropriate portable air quality monitoring devices and train local women residents in their operation and maintenance. NAREE provides technical assistance to support measure and report indoor air pollution reduction in the rural households before and after the installation of clean heating systems in the project areas. NAREE also checks and verifies if there is a coalition between the air quality and solid fuel when using of the solid fuel as supplementary.

Involvement of wider audience – Base on the social survey about baseline information and residents’ willingness/ability to pay, lack of awareness and knowledge of the health and environmental impacts of air pollution, willingness, and access to cleaner and energy efficient technologies could be obstacles to the adoption of cleaner heating, especially in rural areas. NAREE will design and implement an awareness-raising program on the impacts of air pollution and the environmental and health benefits of clean heating, which will support gender mainstreaming by ensuring that at least 40% of participants are women. NAREE will conduct a participant feedback survey after the clean heating systems installed to verify the benefits of clean heating and the residents’ satisfaction with the heating supply, including time savings in the preparation of household energy for heating.