Centering on serving the overall development goals, the Hunan Provincial Bureau of Government Offices Administration has steadily advanced the construction of energy performance contracting (EPC) projects, driving the overall energy conservation and carbon reduction work of public institutions and achieving remarkable results. By the end of 2024, public institutions across the province had implemented 63 EPC projects with a total contract value of about 1.831 billion yuan, and the cumulative carbon emission reductions from these projects reached approximately 102,200 tons. In 2024, the per capita comprehensive energy consumption, energy consumption per unit building area, and water consumption of public institutions in the province decreased by 3.03%, 0.16%, and 6.08% year-on-year respectively, marking a new breakthrough in energy and resource conservation work.
I. Improving Systems and Standards to Build a New Mechanism for Project Advancement
Strengthening Institutional Supply
The bureau issued the "Notice on Encouraging and Supporting Public Institutions to Adopt Energy Cost Escrow Services", clarifying the combination of demonstration leadership and key promotion, as well as the simultaneous advancement of publicity and guidance with strengthened evaluation. The energy cost escrow model is prioritized in key energy-consuming units, centralized office areas, and new or renovated buildings.
Highlighting Standard Leadership
It released four energy consumption quota standards for Party and government organs, medical institutions, educational institutions, and venues, providing basic basis and evaluation norms for EPC projects. In 2023, together with the Hunan Provincial Department of Finance and the Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, it conducted on-site investigations on the construction of EPC projects in 7 cities (prefectures) including Chenzhou and Yueyang, compiled research reports, conducted in-depth analysis of problems, and summarized advanced experiences. In 2025, focusing on key links such as energy benchmark determination, cost settlement, and energy conservation effect verification, it will conduct further in-depth research and formulate the local standard "Implementation Specifications for Energy Cost Escrow Services of Public Institutions". Once officially implemented, this standard will further enhance the standardization and operability of energy cost escrow services in the province.
II. Intensifying Publicity and Promotion to Give Play to the New Effect of Demonstration Leadership
Focusing on Scenario-Based Display
Shaoyang City has promoted the "integrated intelligent energy performance contracting model" according to local conditions. Based on scientific energy audits, it has advanced the construction of EPC projects by building a four-dimensional synergy mechanism (management energy conservation, behavioral energy conservation, technological energy conservation, and intelligent energy conservation). Shaoyang City has implemented 17 EPC projects for public institutions, with the total energy and water saving rate of each project exceeding 25%. The provincial bureau designated Shaoyang as a pilot and held a provincial on-site promotion meeting, demonstrating project results to cities and prefectures through on-site observation and experience exchange, and promoting the replication and promotion of typical experiences across the province.
Carrying Out Case-Based Promotion
It issued the "Notice on Carrying Out the Selection of Demonstration Projects for Energy Cost Escrow Services and Distributed Photovoltaic Power Generation in Public Institutions", established and selected 21 demonstration sites for energy escrow services, which were commended at the provincial conference on energy conservation and resource saving in public institutions. With the help of platforms such as Hunan Daily, it conducted a series of reports on the demonstration projects. Shaoyang City's EPC model was recommended to be included in the typical cases of green and low-carbon development of public institutions in 2023-2024, and the energy cost escrow project of the government compound in Yuhua District, Changsha City was included in "Policies and Practices of Energy Cost Escrow Services for Public Institutions".
III. Improving Incentive and Restraint Mechanisms to Enhance New Momentum for Project Construction
Strengthening Policy Promotion
It issued the "Ten Specific Measures for Implementing the Requirements of Party and Government Organs to Get Used to Living a Tight Life", making detailed provisions on energy conservation of public institutions and management of official vehicles, promoting Party and government organs at all levels to turn energy and resource conservation into conscious actions and enhance energy conservation enthusiasm.
Implementing Positive Incentives
It formulated the "Measures for the Administration of Energy Conservation Subsidies for Public Institutions in Hunan Province", providing preferential subsidies for excellent energy conservation projects of public institutions in the province. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, it supported 16 EPC projects, effectively driving social capital to participate in energy conservation renovation of public institutions. Meanwhile, municipal finances in Shaoyang, Zhuzhou and other cities have set up energy conservation subsidies to accurately support local EPC projects for public institutions, guiding investment and development of energy conservation and carbon reduction projects in local public institutions.
Establishing Evaluation Mechanisms
It incorporated EPC and other energy conservation projects into the mid-term and annual evaluations of the 14th Five-Year Plan for energy conservation work of public institutions in cities and prefectures, urging all localities to accelerate project implementation. It jointly carried out annual energy conservation supervision on key energy-consuming units with the provincial Development and Reform Commission, promoting them to take the initiative to implement energy conservation and carbon reduction projects.
IV. Adhering to Innovation-Driven Development to Achieve a New Situation of Win-Win Benefits
By advancing the construction of EPC projects, project implementing units and energy service companies have worked together. Focusing on improving energy use efficiency, relying on the dual drive of technological innovation and management innovation, they have significantly enhanced environmental and economic benefits.
Strengthening Technological Innovation
It has actively introduced new energy sources and technologies. Most EPC projects of public institutions are equipped with intelligent energy consumption monitoring platforms integrating partitioned and sub-item collection of energy consumption data, energy consumption data analysis and early warning, and real-time remote monitoring. It deeply integrates technologies such as the Internet of Things and big data analysis with energy conservation and carbon reduction, providing accurate data support and decision-making support for energy management, and realizing the transformation from "human-based prevention" to "technology-based prevention".
Promoting Management Innovation
It has actively promoted energy cost escrow services, synchronously planning and advancing the upgrading and transformation of energy-using systems with projects such as rooftop distributed photovoltaic power generation and construction of new energy vehicles and their charging infrastructure. By introducing professional energy service companies for intensive and specialized operations, it optimizes management mechanisms and improves overall energy efficiency. For example, cities and prefectures such as Zhangjiajie have successfully promoted the construction of distributed photovoltaic power generation projects in public institutions by adopting the energy cost escrow model, achieving the dual goals of energy conservation and carbon reduction and reducing operating costs.
In the next step, the Hunan Provincial Bureau of Government Offices Administration will strictly implement the newly revised "Regulations on Practicing Economy and Opposing Waste in Party and Government Organs", scientifically plan key tasks for the 15th Five-Year Plan, continue to promote high-quality energy conservation projects such as EPC and distributed photovoltaic power generation, and constantly expand the depth and breadth of energy conservation work in public institutions, injecting stronger momentum into the high-quality green and low-carbon development of the province.
Source: Hunan Provincial Bureau of Government Offices Administration
