Changsha Tests the Water with River Heating Technology Changsha, PRC

Wider reach for clean power generation. The locals of Malekula Island are the future beneficiaries of the Energy Access Project. The project will assist Vanuatu to install hydropower generation to replace diesel generation in Malekula and will extend the distribution grid in both Malekula and Espiritu Santo (photo by ADB).

141K

TONs OF CO₂ EMIssIONs REdUCEd EVERY YEAR

Inhabitants Kyzylorda: 312,861 Shu: 37,234

GdP per capita Kyzylorda: $2,129 Shu: $1,582

Geographic area Kyzylorda: 240 km² Shu: 23 km²

ThE ChAllENGE

There is a significant electricity supply shortage, particularly in Kazakhstan’s southern region, where the electricity sector has a reliance on outdated coal-fired plants.

CO-BENEFITs

Economic

The project will indirectly contribute to economic growth, further poverty reduction, job creation, and improvement of electricity supply in Kazakhstan.

Social

Local leaders, communities, and government units were engaged prior to the project development, and job opportunities were provided for local workers.

KYzYlorda and shU, KazaKhstan energizing Kazakhstan’s south with solar

Kazakhstan has added two new solar power plants with a total installed capacity of 150 MW of renewable power to the energy mix as the country aims to increase the share of renewables in the electricity.

Over 1,500 PV solar panels have been installed 30 km east of the Kazakh city of Kyzylorda and over 400,000 panels close to the town of Shu. Together they have added 150 MW of clean energy to Kazakhstan’s grid as part of the country’s effort to further boost renewables in a nation blessed with high solar and wind potential.

Both plants lie in an area that receives more sunshine and less rain than most, and where average summer temperatures are consistently above 30°C. It is estimated that together, these projects reduce an estimated 141,000 tCO2e emissions annually, helping the country toward the goal of making a 15% reduction in carbon emissions below 1990 levels by 2030. Power from each project is being sold under 15-year power purchase agreements.

The 100 MW plant just outside of Shu town is utilizing single-axis tracking technology, so the panels rotate throughout the day to optimize the capture of solar energy. It is the first time that such technology has been implemented in Kazakhstan.

ADB has provided a loan of up to $ 12 million as part of the $70 million project.

Boosting Kazakhstan’s renewable energy generation. The solar projects are helping the country fulfill its Paris Agreement commitment of 15% emissions reductions by 2030 (photo by Baikonyr solar limited liability Company).

25K

TONs OF CO₂ EMIssIONs REdUCEd PER YEAR

Inhabitants 8.39 million

GdP per capita $19,700

Geographic area 11,800 km²

ThE ChAllENGE

Most of Hunan’s central heating system relies on traditional heating mechanisms, including electricity and gas boilers, which release greater amounts of GHGs than cleaner alternatives.

CO-BENEFITs

Economic

The project will reduce operating costs by 40%–50%, resulting in significant energy cost savings for both residential and commercial buildings.

Environmental

The water source heat pump energy system results in no pollution, smoke, wastewater, or exhaust gas, which will improve local environmental conditions when compared to traditional heating.

social

The central heating system will feature 24-hour uninterrupted service, supplying residents with a cost-effective and reliable heating source.

Changsha tests the Water with river heating technology

A new distributed heating project in Changsha uses river water as an energy source, cutting down on both operating costs and GhG emissions.

Two smart energy centers in the most populous city of Hunan Province will adopt river water source heat pump (RWSHP) technology, which will use water from the Xiangjiang River as an energy source for central heating.

These systems take advantage of temperature differences between the river and ambient air in both summer and winter; they will extract water as a cooling mechanism for air conditioning systems in the summer, and extract heat energy to transfer to building heating in the winter.

The energy centers, located in the new districts of Binjiang and Xiangjiang, will allow communities within a 2 km radius to connect to the heating system. Overall, around 320,000 square meters of commercial and residential buildings will be serviced by this sustainable energy system.

Compared to traditional systems, RWSHP technology will result in energy savings of around 20% in the summer and 40% in the winter. This will save the equivalent of 5,064 tons of standard coal and reduce emissions by 12,622 tCO2 each energy center. e per year in

a cleaner alternative for the locals. Changsha has more than 700 residential and 50 commercial users connected to regional central heating services (photo by Changsha Ecological Environment Bureau).