According to a report by the National Development and Reform Commission (发改委) of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region on August 31st, Xinjiang has completed its “Renewable energy clean heating program 2017-2021”. According to the plan, by 2021 heating from “surplus” renewable energy sources will cover around 38 million square meters across the whole of Xinjiang, and 1.17 million tons of standard coal will be saved by the use of this kind of heating.
At present, Xinjiang provides heating to areas totalling around 675 million square meters, including 235 million square meters equipped with gas-fired boiler heating, 80 million square meters with heat and power combination heating, 177 million square meters with central coal burning boiler heating, 168 million square meters with coal-burning heating, 3.45 million square meters with heating from the heat of industrial waste, and 9.53 million square meters with electric heating.
The report predicts that there will be a high demand for heating by 2021, and the total demand for heating within the Xinjiang Autonomous Region will cover an area of 907 million square meters, adding about 232 million square meters to the current coverage.
It is well-known that Xinjiang has rich wind and solar resources and a strong electricity supply capability, so the autonomous region possesses the fundamental conditions to make use of renewable energies for its heating system.
