Low-carbon Heating in Inner Mongolia

Phasing out fossil fuels in Inner Mongolia’s heating sector is a requirement to meet the central government’s climate objectives. Achieving the Chinese national goals of peaking emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 (“30/60 goals”) will require the energy systems of all provinces and sectors to transform away from fossil fuels to the wide penetration of renewables. Such transformation will require careful and timely planning to allow for the development and commercialisation of appropriate technology and to avoid locking in fossil fuel reliant technologies and infrastructure. As one of the coldest Chinese provinces and endowed with rich coal resources, the heating sector of Inner Mongolia is energy intensive and a large CO2 emitter, Following population growth, urbanisation and increasing living standards, residential heat demand in Inner Mongolia is growing more rapidly compared to any other Chinese province. Yet, Inner Mongolia is among the provinces with the highest renewables potential. Using that potential with already available and emerging heating technologies could be an opportunity for the province to avoid carbon lock-in of long-life fossil fuel-based heating infrastructure while delivering additional sustainable development benefits.