The new Yunhe-Longquan natural gas pipeline started trial operations on Jan 28, marking the establishment by Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province of a natural gas pipeline network covering all its regions, according to a report in the Lishui Daily.

Local officials said access to natural gas in every district, county and county-level city in Lishui would have important strategic significance for adjusting the city's energy structure, improving people's living standards and promoting energy conservation and emission reductions.

For industrial users, industrial gas is mostly used to provide heat to boilers. Compared with traditional coal fired and fuel-fired boilers, gas-fired boilers occupy less area, are more environmentally friendly and have a stable calorific value.

For residents and commercial users, pipelined natural gas is more convenient and cheaper than traditional coal gas.