Monday, April 10, 2017

China: Geothermal Energy Powers Xiongan Special Economic Zone

New Economic Zone Heats Up With Geothermal Energy (Caixin Global)

Xiongxian has been named as one of three counties in Hebei province that will form the new Xiongan special economic zone, slated for major development to take pressure off nearby Beijing.

With only 390,000 residents, Xiongxian has been plucked from obscurity partly due to its unusual status as an area where all the heat comes from clean geothermal energy. That contrasts sharply with Beijing, about 110 km (70 miles) away, and most other cities in northern China that rely on coal for most of their winter heat.

Such coal burning is a major factor behind polluted air that has plagued Beijing and nearby cities for the last decade, and has made environmental protection a top priority for the central government under its current Five-Year Plan through 2020. Geothermal power could play a bigger role now with the rise of the Xiongan New Area, and the inclusion of the resource in China’s latest national economic development plan.

Monday, February 27, 2017 - China: Geothermal District Heating Makes Great Strides in Northern Hebei Province - Global Geothermal News