The "Liaocheng Heat to Jinan" project, operated by Jinan Energy Group in Lixia district, Jinan, began supplying heat on Nov 8, bringing industrial waste heat from Xinfa Group's power plant in Liaocheng to the city's central urban area.

The pipeline, spanning 110 kilometers and with a diameter of 1.6 meters, constitutes the north line of the project and is China's largest and longest long-distance heating pipeline.

A south line is now under construction and expected to be completed by the end of this year. Once both lines are in operation, the entire heating network will extend 150 kilometers, supplying clean heat for an area of 100 million square meters.

This innovative approach supplies clean heat to Jinan's central urban area and allows the power plant to reuse the water in power generation, significantly reducing costs for cooling waste heat and bringing economic benefits of at least 500 million yuan ($70.4 million).

The project faces significant engineering challenges, as it crosses three cities, five counties and districts, and 140 natural villages. The south heating pipeline must pass beneath the riverbed of the Yellow River.

To ensure efficient and reliable operation, Jinan Energy Group has introduced an intelligent management system capable of accurately forecasting heating load for the next 72 hours. The system automatically controls pumps and valves, achieving fully intelligent, on-demand distribution.

Each heating season, it is projected to reduce standard coal consumption by 1.29 million metric tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 3.56 million tons.

Supplying 40 percent of Jinan's heating needs, the project will ease the city's energy demand and supports the phase-out of coal. By year-end, 54 coal-fired heating boilers in Jinan's central urban area will be permanently closed.

The construction site for the heat transmission project from Liaocheng to Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: tjbj1983]