A pilot in Xianyang, Shaanxi, will drill 2–3 km into the Earth's crust to deploy a district heating system powered by geothermal energy. Once operational, it will heat 1.1 million square meters of buildings (10,000–20,000 homes) and displace 20,000 tonnes of coal annually. This model, inspired by projects like France's Rittershoffen, could revolutionize heating in northern China, where coal-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plants dominate.