Tibet Adopts Clean Energy For Centralised Heating

Winter has arrived, and Tibet, China, has entered its coldest season of the year. In the past, due to Tibet’s high altitude and cold weather, coal burning was commonly used to provide centralised heating for buildings. However, with advancements in technology, Tibet’s clean energy power generation now accounts for 99 per cent of its total energy production, reducing the annual consumption of standard coal by approximately 4.73 million tons. This shift has significantly contributed to reducing carbon emissions. Tibet has now achieved nearly 100 per cent clean electricity supply, making it the province with the highest proportion of clean energy power generation in China.

 This year, Tibet launched seven pilot projects for centralised heating using clean energy under a concessionary model. The Chinese government has invested $521 million to construct and upgrade centralised heating facilities in Tibet, covering a total area of 6.22 million square meters. Once completed, these facilities will provide eco-friendly and cost-effective heating for 200,000 Tibetans. Moreover, pilot programmes for centralised heating have been initiated in areas over 5,000 meters above sea level. With further investments and technological advancements, more Tibetans are expected to benefit from convenient, comfortable, and affordable heating solutions.

 The Chinese government has introduced a concessionary model in Tibet to support this initiative. This approach involves private capital in the construction of urban centralised heating systems based on clean energy. To ensure the scalability and efficiency of this initiative, the Tibet Autonomous Region government selected seven counties and districts, including Lhasa, Nyingchi, Nagqu, and Ngari, as pilot locations. The clean energy centralised heating system adopts a “heating + domestic hot water” model, addressing both household heating and hot water needs. In Coqên County, Ngari Prefecture, the pilot program is already in full swing, and the remaining six counties and districts are expected to implement the system by January 2025, around the Chinese Lunar New Year.

 A notable highlight is the implementation of centralised heating in regions above 5,000 meters, where the climate is especially harsh. For example, Shuanghu County and Nyima County in Nagqu Prefecture are such extreme high-altitude areas, where winter temperatures can drop as low as -40°C, and freezing conditions persist for up to nine months a year. Pumajiangtang Township, the highest-altitude township in China, located in Langkazi County of Shannan City and bordering Bhutan, has also begun a centralised heating pilot project this year. Covering an area of 13,914.38 square meters, the project is set to be completed by the end of this month. Heating equipment has already been installed for 723 households in 14 villages, providing residents with a warm and comfortable living environment. Meanwhile, 830 households in 11 other villages will benefit from an advanced heating system based on “solar photovoltaic + energy storage + heat pump air heaters.”

 These social developments and advancements in Tibet are underpinned by the rapid growth of clean energy, driven by the upgrading of the Tibetan power grid in recent years. As of September 2024, the Chinese government has invested nearly $12.2 billion in upgrading Tibet’s power grid. Tibet’s total installed clean electricity capacity has reached 7.176 million kilowatts, nearly doubling in the past 12 years. A new comprehensive energy system has been established, dominated by hydropower and complemented by geothermal, wind, and solar energy.

 Currently, Tibet’s electricity supply serves over 3.5 million people, with power supply reliability reaching 99.48 per cent. Voltage compliance rates in rural areas stand at 97.50 per cent, and rural power supply reliability has reached 99.52 per cent. Even during the busiest harvest periods, electricity supply in rural areas is guaranteed. 

Furthermore, after meeting its own electricity demand, Tibet has gradually established channels for transmitting surplus power during the abundant water season. Tibet not only possesses the world’s most advanced ultra-high-altitude, ultra-high-voltage DC transmission technology but also excels in large-scale renewable energy grid integration, thanks to the collective efforts of Chinese engineers and scientists.

Feng Jianguo, Chief Engineer of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region, stated that they would summarise experiences from the pilot projects to develop replicable and scalable project implementation models. Coupled with supportive policies in subsidies, taxes, pricing, land use, and financing, Tibet’s centralised heating system is expected to achieve full coverage in the near future.

(The author is a professor at the School of Public Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, and Deputy Director of the Pan-Himalaya Information and Communication Research Centre.)