By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. Workers produce large blocks of ice in the ice production workshop of Xincheng Cold Storage Co. in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China, July 5, 2024. /VCG Workers produce large blocks of ice in the ice production workshop of Xincheng Cold Storage Co. in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China, July 5, 2024. /VCG As another summer of extreme heat pushes air-conditioning demand higher across China, cities are facing a growing challenge: how to stay cool without placing ever greater pressure on the power grid. Instead of simply installing more air conditioners, many Chinese cities are beginning to rethink how cooling is produced and delivered. Through centralized cooling networks, cleaner energy sources, and intelligent energy management systems, they are transforming cooling from something provided by individual buildings into shared urban infrastructure. The shift reflects a broader effort to build greener, more resilient cities as China adapts to hotter summers while advancing its low-carbon development goals. One of the clearest examples is district cooling. Rather than equipping every office tower, shopping mall, or residential complex with its own chiller plant, a centralized energy station produces chilled water and distributes it through underground pipelines to multiple buildings. After absorbing heat indoors, the water returns to the station to be cooled again, creating a continuous closed-loop system. By sharing equipment across an entire district, the system reduces duplicated infrastructure, improves energy efficiency, and frees up valuable building space. Shenzhen's Qianhai cooperation zone has become one of China's flagship projects. According to Shenzhen Qianhai Energy, its No. 5 cooling station â the largest centralized cooling station in Asia when it entered operation â can provide cooling for about 2.75