New energy projects for the city of Tangshan, Hebei province have attracted millions of dollars worth of investment from the World Bank in relation to a national plan on new energy exploration in rural parts of the province, city authorities have reported.

The bank has set aside $32 million for projects in four counties and districts - Zunhua, Yutian, Laoting and Guye – which account for a third of the total loans for the province in 2013.

When the projects are finished, more than 60,000 rural households will have access to central heating. The new system allows for the proper disposal of more than 130,000 tons of livestock and poultry manure and 200,000 tons of straw every year, which is a big step toward reduce environmental pollution. In addition, the projects will help farmers, bringing in an expected 20 million to 30 million yuan ($4.9 million) in salaries annually.