Consumption is a mirror of economic development, and the trend toward greener consumption and more low-carbon living is a hallmark of high-quality development in the new era. State Grid Huangyan, in collaboration with the local government, has innovatively introduced the "Residential Energy-Saving Voucher Subsidy Campaign". This campaign deeply integrates the distribution of "residential electricity consumption voucher" with "household energy-saving subsidy", encouraging citizens to voluntarily turn up their air conditioning temperature by one degree in the summer. This initiative fosters an atmosphere where everyone engages in energy saving and contributes to green development.

As night falls and the street lights are on, the bustling night life of the city comes alive. On the evening of August 13, 2024, a group of individuals in bright red vests appeared at the business hub Wuyue Plaza in Huangyan district, Taizhou. Lin Jialu, Director of the Marketing Department at State Grid Taizhou Huangyan Power Supply Company(鈥淪tate Grid Huangyan鈥?for short), together with his colleagues, was promoting energy-saving awareness to the surrounding crowd. 鈥淏etween July and September, residents who register successfully and lower their monthly electricity bill by more than 5% year on year are eligible for energy-saving subsidy. The amount of subsidy is equivalent to the reduction in their monthly electricity bill, which means that you may receive RMB 1 worth of vouchers as long as you reduce RMB 1 on your bills,鈥?Lin explained enthusiastically and proficiently, standing in front of colorful display boards on electricity safety and energy conservation. This was already his second year organizing the 鈥淩esidential Energy-Saving Voucher Subsidy Campaign鈥? When asked about the inspiration behind the initiative, he said that it all started with a brilliant idea.

A Golden Idea Paves a New Way for Energy Efficiency

In recent years, with the steady and high-quality growth of the economic performance in Huangyan district, the demand for electricity has been rising. During peak summer and winter seasons, the strain on the power grid has grown significantly. By 2023, the maximum electricity load in Huangyan had exceeded 900 MWh, prompting serious attention from both the Party Committee and Government of Huangyan District and State Grid Huangyan.

Faced with the challenging power supply situation, the marketing team from the company conducted in-depth research and analysis in collaboration with the Development and Reform Bureau, the Environmental Protection Bureau, and other departments of Huangyan District.
They identified the rapid increase in residential electricity usage as a major contributor to peak loads, with the widespread use of air conditioners and other high-power appliances being a key factor. During the peak summer period, air conditioning alone accounted for approximately 40% of the total power load, yet it also offered significant potential for energy conservation. After several discussions, a bold idea emerged. They adopted a new energy management model鈥攖he 鈥淟oad Reduction Voucher Subsidy for Residents鈥? It is designed to encourage residents to actively participate in energy conservation, thus reducing peak power demand. The innovation of this model lies in its virtuous cycle of energy savings and emissions reduction created collectively by the government, businesses, and consumers, with State Grid Huangyan serving as the executing entity. By distributing vouchers, residents would receive tangible benefits while stimulating local economic activities. This innovative model earned the honorary titles of Top Ten Excellent Golden Ideas in Zhejiang Province and the Most Popular Online Golden Idea.

The company had engaged in close communication with relevant government departments to ensure the swift implementation of this golden idea. However, designing a fair and effective subsidy policy that would encourage public engagement in energy conservation became a key challenge. During a series of meetings on energy-saving load management held between State Grid Huangyan and the government, multiple subsidy proposals were put forward. But they either proved too idealistic to be put into practice or lacked the financial incentive to capture public interest. What鈥檚 worse, the pressing timeframe for the peak summer season heightened the pressure on the company.

Undeterred, State Grid Huangyan pushed forward, working tirelessly with the Development and Reform Bureau and the Environmental Protection Bureau of the district to work out on the proposals after thorough survey. After extensive deliberation and refinement, in January 2023, the Huangyan District government officially issued the Residential Energy-Saving Subsidy Plan in Response to Power Load (Trial) , the first of its kind in Zhejiang Province. The district government set up a subsidy reward pool of RMB 6 million for residential energy-saving efforts, with RMB 4 million allocated for summer peak periods and RMB 2 million for winter. The subsidies, provided in the form of vouchers, were aimed at reducing the load from air conditioners and other appliances during peak demand periods, thus laying a solid financial and policy foundation for the company鈥檚 subsequent efforts.

In July 2023, State Grid Huangyan, in cooperation with the government, launched a summer energy-saving initiative and introduced the 鈥淩esidential Energy-Saving Voucher Subsidy Campaign in Huangyan District鈥? By tightly linking the issuance of energy-saving vouchers with household energy efficiency, residents were encouraged to save more electricity and earn more vouchers. This approach has subtly increased public awareness of energy conservation, ensuring that every kilowatt-hour was used efficiently. The golden idea thus became the 鈥済olden key鈥?to guiding voluntary energy-saving behavior and promoting green and low-carbon development.

Beyond working with the government, the company also coordinated efforts with higher level authorities, financial institutions, and local towns and communities. This collaboration resulted in a partnership mechanism, with the Huangyan District Development and Reform Bureau serving as the lead organizer, the power supply company as a co-organizer, and the Huangyan District Media Center and Taizhou Bank as partners. Together, they created a fully integrated process from publicization, to residents鈥?registration, energy savings, amount verification, voucher distribution, and a final review, ensuring the smooth and orderly execution of the campaign.

A 鈥淥ne-Click Registration鈥?Experience

An efficient and intelligent registration management system is often crucial to enhancing the overall flow of a campaign and improving participants鈥?experience.

During the planning phase of the initiative, Lin Jialu identified a tough problem. The absence of a unified registration platform led to frequent repeat submissions, which had not only increased the workload for backend review and also affected the accuracy and manageability of the data.

鈥淚t would be nice if State Grid Huangyan could establish its own centralized registration portal,鈥?Lin thought. He quickly reached out to the marketing and scientific data departments at State Grid Taizhou Power Supply Company to propose the joint development of a unified registration platform. After multiple rounds of testing and optimization, the platform was finally established. It encompasses the entire system architecture, data structure, front-end interface, and voucher redemption process, offering seamless user interaction and safer data processing. During the campaign, with the official launch of the unified registration platform, users were pleasantly surprised to find out that they could complete the registration with just one click. After verifying their electricity account number, account holder鈥檚 name, and mobile phone number, they could choose between the 鈥淭aizhou Huangyan District Media Center鈥?or 鈥淭aizhou Bank Co., Ltd.鈥?platforms to instantly complete the registration process.

To ensure that residents who meet the voucher distribution criteria could precisely redeem their benefits according to the principle of 鈥渟aving RMB one on bills and receiving RMB one in vouchers鈥? the team leveraged the cloud platform of State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. and the data usage environment platform to build a comprehensive electricity usage data profile model for all residents. This model enabled real-time comparison of electricity usage data for the same period in history. With the platform鈥檚 data comparison and analysis capabilities, Lin Jialu and his team could monitor registration status and data trends in real time, providing strong support for the continued success of the initiative.

Power-Saving Initiative Sparks Public Engagement

After thorough preparation, the 鈥淩esidential Energy-Saving Voucher Subsidy Campaign in Huangyan District 鈥?was officially launched in June and July 2023.

State Grid Huangyan organized two launching ceremonies at Beimen Square and Jinlang Village, incorporating activities like 鈥淟earning Power-Saving Tips鈥? 鈥淩eading Out the Energy-Conservation Initiative鈥? 鈥淧articipating in Explanation鈥? 鈥淨&A Session鈥? and 鈥淓nergy-Saving Fair鈥? These activities promoted awareness of energy conservation and low-carbon living, resonating strongly with attendees. Over 500 residents registered for the campaign on the spot.

To further expand the reach and impact of the initiative, the company launched widespread publicity efforts across broadcasting radios, newspapers, as well as major WeChat accounts in Huangyan District, short-video and live streaming platforms. The live streaming alone attracted more than 3,000 viewers, and a total of over 30,300 users registered for the campaign, significantly boosting the event鈥檚 visibility and influence.

The large crowds during the event also successfully stimulated local business growth. Supermarkets, restaurants, and over 3,000 merchants at the commercial hub Wuyue Plaza participated. Merchants expressed that the voucher distribution through platforms like Taizhou Bank鈥檚 鈥淟ife Circle鈥?and the District Media Center attracted numerous citizens to shop. This event not only increased visitors but also improved their sales, giving them confidence in future business prospects.

Saving Energy is to Earn Consumption Vouchers and Save Money

鈥淭he 2023 summer voucher distribution exceeded 80% of the total amount of RMB 3 million in the reward pool, receiving an enthusiastic response from the public,鈥?Lin Jialu said with delight on the success of the campaign. However, he acknowledged that the key challenge moving forward is to engage even more people in the campaign.

After a year of review, analysis, expert consultation, and improvements, the 2024 residential energy-saving voucher subsidy campaign themed 鈥淓nergy-Saving Challenge Awaits鈥?kicks off once again. Compared to the previous year, the government has invested another RMB 3 million into the reward pool, distributing vouchers based on the month-on-month reduction in household electricity bills.

This year, the campaign also focuses on pilot users who have installed 鈥渇lexible load control devices for residential air conditioners鈥? During peak summer periods, these users could reduce their energy load during designated times (compared to baseline data) as required by the power company, earning additional reward vouchers of RMB 2 per kilowatt hour saved. So far, RMB 10,000 worth of vouchers has been distributed to 72 pilot users with flexible AC load control devices installed. In addition to benefiting households, this year鈥檚 campaign also extends subsidies to businesses. The Huangyan District government sets up an additional reward pool of RMB 3 million for enterprise users participating in the 鈥減eak-shaving and valley-filling鈥?project, allowing pilot businesses to receive corresponding subsidies as well.

Promoting Low-Carbon Life Among the Youngsters

鈥淓veryone, must not touch switches with wet hands.鈥?鈥淪et your air conditioner to 26 degrees. It keeps you cool and saves energy too!鈥?At the 鈥淟ittle Electricians Brighten the Future鈥?class, Zhan Yuxing, a member of the State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power (Huangyan) Red Boat Communist Party Service Team, kicked off the lesson by discussing everyday appliances. Through the use of cartoons, interactive Q&A, and engaging explanations, Zhan introduced the concepts of energy conservation and electrical safety in a simple, accessible way. 鈥淭he session was really fun! I didn鈥檛 know saving energy could be so easy. I鈥檓 going to share these tips with my parents at home,鈥?one student said enthusiastically. The lively and informative class left a lasting impression on the students, who expressed a desire to start small, cultivate energy-saving habits, and become 鈥渓ittle eco-warriors鈥?for low-carbon living and smart energy use.

The 鈥淟ittle Electricians Brighten the Future鈥?public service class has been introduced into schools in Huangyan since 2018, offering diversified quality education courses, including scientific enlightenment, electrical experiments, career awareness, and safety education. The initiative continuously enhances students鈥?electrical safety awareness, scientific literacy, and career insights. This year, leveraging the energy-saving voucher subsidy campaign, State Grid Huangyan organized activities such as 鈥淓nergy-Saving Awareness in Schools鈥?and the 鈥淣ational Ecology Day: Green Power Ark in Action鈥?during the summer break. Through these activities, children were taught about safe electricity usage, energy conservation, and ecological protection. This effort has successfully fostered a 鈥渟mall hands holding big hands鈥?effect, encouraging children to cultivate energy-saving habits at home and thus creating a societal ripple effect that educates one child, influences one family, and benefits the entire community.

Long as the journey is, we will reach our destination if we stay the course.

In Huangyan District of Taizhou city, it has become widely recognized among residents and businesses alike that by conserving energy, they can enjoy both consumption vouchers and reduced electricity bills. The successful implementation of the residential energy-saving voucher subsidy campaign has also attracted widespread attention, with coverage from major media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency and People鈥檚 Daily. To date, Huangyan district has issued vouchers totaling RMB 5 million, with an average electricity bill reduction of RMB 50 per household, resulting in a 20,000-kilowatt decrease in peak summer electricity load. This reduction is equivalent to cutting 9,970 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024, residents participating in the energy-saving initiative achieved a total electricity bill reduction of more than RMB 2.6 million compared to the previous year.

The energy-saving voucher subsidy campaign is not only a successful marketing innovation but also an exemplary effort of State Grid Huangyan to fulfill its social responsibilities and enhance public awareness of sustainable development and green consumption. 鈥淲e are encouraging families of employees from government institutions and businesses in Huangyan to take part in the campaign. I firmly believe that more and more residents and businesses will join us in the future,鈥?said Lin Jialu with optimism. Low-carbon living is no longer a distant ideal but a tangible reality. Huangyan is actively creating 鈥淓nergy Saving for All鈥? setting a vivid example for sustainable development in cities.