Contribution from Urban Heating to China’s 2020 Goal of Emission Reduction

Abstract

To reduce inhalable particle and SO(x) pollution from coal-based urban central heating (UCH), China has been vigorously developing natural gas-based UCH for years. The CO(2) emissions of UCH, having an average annual growth rate of 10.3%, accounted for 4.4% of China's total CO(2) emissions in 2009. This paper analyzes the feasibility of replacing UCH with heat pump heating (HPH) in China's climatic suitable regions and evaluates the corresponding potential for energy saving and emission reduction. Current strategy of replacing coal-based UCH with natural gas-based UCH is expected to decrease CO(2) emissions by 63.5%. However, the CO(2) emissions of HPH are 55.4% less than those of natural gas-based UCH. Replacing coal-based UCH with HPH is capable of decreasing CO(2) emissions by 83.7% and consequently decreases the CO(2) emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 4.2% by 2020 compared with 2005 level. This contributes about 10.5% to China's 2020 CO(2) emission reduction target. For controlling environmental pollution and protecting ecological environment better, China should adjust its strategy for CO(2) emission reduction by shifting its attention from replacing coal-based UCH with natural gas-based UCH to popularizing HPH in climatic suitable regions.

Energy and Exergy Analysis on China's Natural Gas Urban District Heating Systems for Replacing Coal: A Case Study of Beijing

“…For the on-demand heat pump heating (HPH), energy consumption per unit floor area is calculated using Eq. 6 [6]: (6) where E he is the average annual energy consumption per unit floor area of the economic operation of HPH, ε is the ratio of urban residential area to urban building area in the region feasible for replacing UDH with HPH at 0.894 [6], δ p is the ratio of the average annual energy consumption per unit floor area of the economic operation of HPH in public buildings to that of the 24-h operation of HPH at 0.7, and δ r is the ratio of the average annual energy consumption per unit floor area of the economic operation of HPH in residential buildings to that of the 24-h operation HPH at 0.4.…”

“…The total building area in China ranks first worldwide and continues to grow dramatically [5]. CO 2 emission from urban district heating (UDH), which Downloaded by [University of Connecticut] at 20:03 03 February 2015 has an average annual growth rate of 10.3%, was responsible for 4.4% of China's total CO 2 emission in 2009 [6]. Coal is the primary energy source for UDH in China [6,7].…”

“…CO 2 emission from urban district heating (UDH), which Downloaded by [University of Connecticut] at 20:03 03 February 2015 has an average annual growth rate of 10.3%, was responsible for 4.4% of China's total CO 2 emission in 2009 [6]. Coal is the primary energy source for UDH in China [6,7]. The oxides of sulfur and nitrogen and inhalable particles released from coal combustion are the predominant sources of air pollution in China [7,8].…”

“…The number of air conditioners has laid a solid foundation for the formation of a heating association of the DES and heat pump heating (DES+HPH) to replace coal-based UDH in the regions south of 41°N latitude in China [6].…”

Heat recovery from Internet data centers for space heating based on an integrated air conditioner with thermosyphon

“…However, the coal boiler has low energy efficiency as well as high air pollution, and is regarded as one of the main sources of CO 2 , SO 2 , NO X and particulate matters, such as PM2.5 and PM10 [3]. Atmospheric haze resulting from PM2.5 and PM10 is becoming an extremely serious issue for China, especially around Beijing [4].…”