Monday, September 24, 2018

China: Special Economic Zone Looks to Geothermal to Provide Clean Power

Xiongan to run on 100% clean power (China Daily)

(Courtesy Caixin)
Xiongan New Area in Hebei province - a State-level economic zone set up last year to reduce Beijing's non-capital functions - is aiming to run on 100 percent clean power.

The region, located around 100 kilometers southwest of the nation's capital, will see its energy mix optimized, and act as a guide and demonstration hub for clean heating in the north, said Guo Zhi, chief economist with the National Energy Administration, during the international clean heating exhibition 2018 held in Xiongan on Saturday.

The administration has attached significant importance to clean heating in the country's northern regions, and will continuously urge local authorities to step up clean heating implementation plans with policy and market guidance, Guo said.

Natural gas, together with biomass, geothermal and solar energy, will be encouraged in Xiongan, said Xie Qiuye, head of the China Electric Power Planning and Engineering Institute.

China Petroleum and Chemical Corp said it would increase investment into geothermal energy in the region. China National Petroleum Corp and China National Offshore Oil Corp have promised plentiful supplies of clean energy.