The 2025 International Conference on Renewable Energy Heating Technology took place at the Kunle Bay in Handan from March 29 to 30, 2025. Organized by the National Solar Thermal Industry Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance (referred to as the National Solar Alliance), along with co-hosts including Handan Industrial Investment Group Co., Ltd., Handan Cultural Tourism Industry Group Co., Ltd., Handan Jianxu New Energy Co., Ltd., and Inner Mongolia Xucheng Energy Co., Ltd., this event emphasized the theme of “Green Thermal Energy, Driving the Future.”
The conference featured notable attendees such as Academician He Yaling from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Deputy Mayor Su Yanhua of Handan, and Zhang Yuqing, former Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration. Over 300 representatives from various institutions, including universities and research organizations, participated in the event. The opening ceremony was presided over by Kou Jianyu, General Manager of the Inner Mongolia Electric Power Survey and Design Institute and Vice Chairman of the National Solar Alliance.
During the opening ceremony, Deputy Mayor Su Yanhua highlighted Handan’s rich cultural heritage and the city’s commitment to a dual-engine development strategy focused on new energy and cultural tourism. The Handan Industrial Investment Group has initiated projects to build a charging network in the main urban area and promote new energy projects within the cultural tourism sector. The Kunle Bay project stands out as the first major application of solar thermal technology in the cultural tourism industry, exemplifying Handan’s push towards green transformation and support for carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals.
Hao Jingfei, General Manager of the Handan Cultural Tourism Group, emphasized the group’s dedication to aligning with the Handan municipal government’s nine major industry initiatives by fostering a new collaborative development model for wind, solar, electricity, and energy storage. The objective is to create a smart, convenient, and safe charging infrastructure while advancing rooftop distributed photovoltaic and wind power projects. The Kunle Bay project aims to reshape the cultural tourism model with a “zero-carbon gene,” serving as an innovative application for renewable energy technologies.
Academician He Yaling stressed the significance of thermal energy as a key driver of energy demand in buildings and industries, underlining the importance of the heating sector in the transition to clean energy. The Guiding Opinions on Vigorously Implementing Renewable Energy Substitution Actions, issued by six departments including the National Development and Reform Commission, provide strategic guidance for future efforts. Key areas of focus will include promoting the use of renewable energy for low-temperature heating in industries like papermaking and food processing, integrating renewable energy with oil and gas exploration, and expanding solar thermal applications in buildings with stable hot water needs.
Qiao Yong from the New Energy and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration highlighted the urgent need for renewable energy heating to support China’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Despite the significant potential and market opportunity for renewable energy heating, the current scale remains low compared to total heating needs, indicating a need for increased awareness and promotion across the industry.
The conference chairman, Wang Zhifeng, a researcher from the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chairman of the National Solar Alliance, noted that the meeting brought together experts from various fields to discuss the demonstration and application of renewable energy heating. The goal is to advance this sector and address practical application challenges, thereby supporting sustainable energy use and heating methods.
In the main report session following the opening, former Deputy Director Zhang Yuqing shared preliminary thoughts on high-quality development in China’s energy sector for the 14th Five-Year Plan. Other speakers included Hu Runqing from the National Development and Reform Commission, who discussed renewable energy substitution paths for the heating sector, and Wang Ruzhu, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, who presented on flexible low-carbon heating through heat pumps and thermal storage.
The two-day event featured 39 speakers addressing topics such as renewable energy heating policies, solar heating in buildings, heat pumps, seasonal thermal storage, and the integration of solar energy with biomass hydrogen production. The discussions aimed to build consensus on high-quality development paths and ensure ongoing momentum for a zero-carbon future.
Located in the Kunle Bay International Tourism Resort, the conference showcased the world’s first large-scale integration of solar thermal energy with the cultural tourism sector, setting a new model for industry development. Li Guifeng, Chairman of Handan Jianxu New Energy, reported that the project spans approximately 900 acres and includes a 114,000-square-meter solar collector field, 12 storage tanks, and other facilities, fulfilling about 97% of the energy needs of the resort. This innovative implementation has saved over 110 million kilowatt-hours annually compared to traditional energy sources, resulting in a reduction of over 38,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
Kunle Bay is becoming a new landmark for clean energy and low-carbon economy tourism in Hebei Province. Over a hundred experts visited the solar energy center and other facilities during the conference.
The event was organized by the Zhongan Village New Source Solar Thermal Utilization Technology Service Center and the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with support from various national industry alliances and committees.
Let us join hands in igniting a green future through technology and let green thermal energy illuminate the new journey of human civilization.
