17 pilot households were selected in the heating season 2019-2020 for the demonstration and evaluation of three technologies, namely, photovoltaic power generation + water-heated bed structures, solar thermal + passive housing renovation, and biomass pellet fuel-adapted stoves . Another 5 coal-fired heating households served as control group.
The project team carried out a systematic assessment of the environmental effects of the demonstration technology.The assessment shows that all three technologies are effective in meeting the heating needs and engendering solid environmental benefits. According to calculations based on data collected from October 2019 to July 2020, the biomass stove option and the PV + water-heated bed structure option could reduce over 2,827.5 kg of pollutants and 96.2 tons of greenhouse gases; a total of 8,416 kWh of clean electricity was generated from mid-March to mid-September, when data were collected, generating an additional income of CNY3,198 for the residents. The clean heating technology options have served as coal substitutes, reduced the health and poisoning risks posed to residents by carbon monoxide, and improved their quality of life.
In the course of the project, the taskforce found it feasible to process locally sourced biomass raw materials, such as straw and discarded branches, into biomass fuel. They went on to incorporate the trial production of shaped biomass fuel to the pilot, and succeeded in producing biomass pellets, pioneering a path of producing shaped biomass fuel locally while providing a solution to the local straw pollution problem.
