Renewable energy for cleaner air: How cities and mayors in Central East Asia are leading the way

Improving air quality, creating healthier communities, and protecting vulnerable groups from the impacts of the climate crisis are critical, and renewable solutions are a big puzzle piece for climate recovery.

Recent studies show that China is building two-thirds of the world's wind and solar projects, leading the way in global renewable energy production. Learn more about the clean energy transition in C40 cities in Central East Asia and how mayors are leading the charge towards a greener future for all.

In Zhenjiang…

Biomass and biofuels are alternative energy sources to fossil fuels, and in the city of Zhenjiang, the biomass movement is taking off. In Danyang - a city under the jurisdiction of Zhenjiang - the city has been closely studying biomass power plants to explore even greater potential emission reductions.

The master plan includes incentivising enterprises that meet ultra-low emission requirements and reduce emissions in a sustainable way. At present, a project has been deployed in Danyang, which produces a steady source of power and heat based on crops like wheat and cotton.

"We will coordinate environmental protection and economic development, stay committed to new industrialisation, and strive to win the initiative for high-quality development," said Zhenjiang Mayor Xu Shuhai.

In Qingdao…

Qingdao prioritises greener low-carbon development of both urban and rural areas, incorporating the concept of "net-zero carbon emissions" into its urban construction works. The city has launched projects such as zero-carbon industrial parks and zero-carbon communities to spur building decarbonisation and energy transition in the city, which contributes to cleaner air around the globe. As a pilot in the C40 Green and Thriving Neighbourhoods programme, the Sino-German Ecopark is actively building a zero-carbon pilot zone, which is expected to save 20 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity and reduce 45,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year by creating ultra-low energy buildings on a large scale, fully integrating renewable energy sources, and developing an efficient ground-source heat pump system.

"We have made coordinated efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development, and pursue economic growth, gone all out to lower carbon emissions in key areas, and worked actively on green and low-carbon scientific and technological innovation to facilitate the green and low-carbon transition of development model," said Mayor of Qingdao Zhao Haozhi.

In Dalian…

Did you know that Dalian has built the largest and farthest offshore wind power project in northern China? With a total of 111 wind turbines, Zhuanghe Offshore Wind Farm has an installed capacity of 650 megawatts and delivers feed-in power up to 1.73 billion kWh annually, which can save 540,000 tonnes of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.12 million tonnes per year. The project will further drive regional development of the offshore wind power sector, and has great significance for accelerating the shift towards clean energy in the Liaoning Province."Dalian has maintained good air quality for more than 300 days for seven years in a row and saw 319 days with blue skies in 2023. We have sped up green and low-carbon transition through solid steps in three aspects of structural adjustment; and spared no effort to develop new energy industries, and built an energy base integrating wind, solar, thermal and nuclear power generation and power storage," said Mayor of Dalian Chen Shaowang.

In Nanjing…

Energy stations are the answer to developing a new power system for the modern city of Nanjing. The newly operational Nanjing Jiangbei Energy Storage Power Station, for example, produces enough electricity in an hour that support the energy use of 26,000 households in one day. In the future, the Jiangbei New Area will see the creation of a new power system and raise overall energy efficiency, with a power supply reliability rate of up to 99%.

"New quality productive forces themselves represent green productivity amid the prevailing trend of green and low-carbon development," said Mayor of Nanjing Chen Zhichang.

In Hangzhou…

Hangzhou plans to launch an integrated energy project, which uses reclaimed water as a dual cooling and heating source. The clean energy produced through this initiative will provide heating and cooling systems for approximately 2.3 million square metres of buildings in Transfar Innocity - a popular district of Hangzhou.

The project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 26,000 tonnes annually, which is a significant reduction compared with the emissions produced by traditional air conditioning systems. The outputs are expected to help mitigate the urban heat island effect and improve air quality through clean energy.