HEBEI, China: Clean energy is slated to power China's next growth cycle. The surge in interest in the field also means more Chinese residents may get to use clean energy sooner than expected.

China is now the world's second largest energy user. Its total power consumption reached more than 3 trillion kilowatt hours in 2008 - equivalent to the power consumption of 170 billion Beijing Olympic stadiums.

The country is now trying to bring down the mind-boggling figure by tapping on clean energy, and this top-down initiative has given a new lease of life to some cities.

Baoding city, located in Hebei Province, began its transformation into an "Electricity Valley" in 2006, specialising in manufacturing solar photovoltaic, wind power and energy-saving equipment.

It was a leap of faith for the agriculture-based society, said its mayor, Yu Qun.

"It was a tough decision with lots of conflicting views among officials. Some argued about the rationale of getting into something unknown when it is easier and more convenient to expand on traditional industries like textile and automobile," Yu said.

Today, the new energy sector is a core economic driver for the city's 10 million population, and Baoding residents are fast getting used to a low-carbon lifestyle.

More than 90 per cent of the city's traffic lights are solar powered, which brings savings of up to US$220 at every road junction.

After being charged for one full day, the solar-powered traffic lights can function for eight rainy and cloudy days consecutively. They can also be powered using electricity as a back-up measure.

Yu, who hopes Baoding will become the icon of low-carbon living in China in time to come, said the government provides subsidies for residential areas that adopt solar power system and is actively promoting awareness through publicity.


- CNA/so