Curbing Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Industrial Boilers in China

China's industrial boiler systems consume 700 million tons of coal annually, accounting for 18% of the nation's total coal consumption. Together these boiler systems are one of the major sources of China's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, producing approximately 1.3 gigatons (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO₂) annually. These boiler systems are also responsible for 33% and 27% of total soot and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions in China, respectively, making a substantial contribution to China's local environmental degradation. The Chinese government — at both the national and local level — is taking actions to mitigate the significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution related to the country's extensive use of coal-fired industrial boilers. The United States and China are pursuing a collaborative effort under the U.S.-China Climate Change Working Group to conduct a comprehensive assessment of China's coal-fired industrial boilers and to develop an implementation roadmap that will improve industrial boiler efficiency and maximize fuel-switching opportunities. Two Chinese cities — Ningbo and Xi'an — have been selected for the assessment. These cities represent coastal areas with access to liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports and inland regions with access to interprovincial natural gas pipelines, respectively.