consumption. By developing a cooperative framework, two-way flow of energy,
resources, revenue, and emissions can be achieved between urban and rural areas,
bridging economic and environmental gaps through rational system design.
Table 5.1 Feasible technical options for different types of local energy system users
User type
Rural area
Urban area
Residential
Solar heater
Photovoltaic (PV) system
Micro combined heat and power (CHP) (liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG), biomass)
Micro wind turbine
Solar heater
PV system
Micro CHP (city gas)
Micro wind turbine
Commercial Micro CHP
Solar heating system
PV system
PV system
CHP
District heating and cooling
Mega solar heating system
Industrial
Livestock biomass plant (CHP)
Wood biomass plant (CHP)
Agriculture biomass plant (CHP)
Micro hydropower
Mega solar heating system
CHP system
Heat interconnecting network between factories
Sewage sludge biomass
plant (CHP)
Food biomass plant (CHP)
Electricity/heat
Renewable
energy
Rural area
Waste
Urban area
Return
Optimization of local energy system
Urban-rural cooperation in energy system
Heat
Benefits
Energy and
resources
Environment
Economy
CO2
Biomass
Return
Fossil
fuel
Energy
efficiency
Electricity/heat
Electricity
Feasibility
Fig. 5.1 Concept of local energy system based on urban-rural cooperation
5 Realizing a Local Low-Carbon Society Through Urban-Rural Linkage
107