Since its introduction in 2017, China’s clean heating policy has significantly improved air quality across the country. However, the proportion of non-fossil energy sources in China’s urban district heating system remains low. Dennis L. Mauzeral, William S. Todd Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Public and International Affairs, discusses how diversifying heat sources and decarbonizing district heating systems will help China achieve carbon dioxide emissions. I participated in a study that investigated the importance of Neutrality target by 2060.
District heating systems, which distribute heat from a central location through insulated pipes throughout a city, are widely used in China, similar to Princeton University’s geothermal heat pumps. These systems can integrate various heat sources. However, China’s central heating systems primarily utilize surplus heat from coal-fired power plants to provide district heat, and opportunities to decarbonize the system remain largely untapped. In 2020, fossil fuels accounted for 90% of the world’s district heating, particularly in China and Russia, the two largest markets. District heating currently accounts for 4% of global CO2 emissions, with China and, to a lesser extent, Russia and Europe contributing significantly.
