Jinan's Central Business District (CBD) has started its summer centralized cooling operations, backed by the largest cooling and heating system in northern China.

Compared to conventional air-conditioning systems, centralized cooling offers significant environmental and energy-saving benefits. Buildings connected to the network use about 30 percent less energy on average, and refrigerant use is reduced by 30 to 40 percent through large-scale centralized operations. The system also removes the need for numerous rooftop cooling towers, optimizing the use of valuable urban space.

A self-developed smart management platform is the system's digital backbone, monitoring energy flows across the network in real time. This allows operators to track equipment performance and quickly identify abnormal energy consumption or temperature fluctuations.

The platform also uses artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency. By analyzing weather forecasts, holidays, and major event schedules, the system can predict cooling demand. This enables the energy station to produce and store ice during off-peak nighttime hours and release the stored cooling energy during peak electricity demand periods, reducing pressure on the power grid while further improving energy efficiency.

The project highlights Jinan's efforts to integrate digital technologies with green development, providing a model for smarter and more sustainable urban energy management.

Jinan's Central Business District begins its summer centralized cooling operations. [Photo/Jinan Daily]