OREANDA-NEWS. August 30, 2011. Two cities, one county and one town in Anhui province were added onto the list of this year's models for the use of renewable energy in buildings jointly released by China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

Chizhou and Lu'an were designated as a "National Model City for the Use of Renewable Energy in Buildings", Wuhu as a "National Model County for the Use of Renewable Energy in Buildings", and Chahe township of Lai'an county as a "National Model Town for the Use of Renewable Energy in Buildings".

Such places are expected to get a special fund of 146 million yuan (USD 22.5 million) from the central government, of which 98 million yuan has already been earmarked.

The fund will be reserved for solar energy heating and cooling, solar photoelectricity, solar energy illumination in public areas and water source heat pumps supplying heat and cooling.

Since 2009 when the country initiated the campaign of renewable energy utilization in buildings, six cities including Hefei, Tongling, Wuhu and Huangshan, three counties and a township have been selected as models, winning a fund of 450 million yuan from the central government.