Baoding, Hebei province, which continues to linger at the bottom of the national air quality rankings, needs to put more effort into exploring solar energy to reduce coal consumption and motivate economic growth, according to an environmental official in the city.

"To develop solar energy and other greener energies is away to cut coal consumption, away to improve air quality," said Wang Jinfu, deputy head of the city's environmental protection bureau.

In the last 10 days of December, the city had only one day with air quality meeting national safety standards. The other nine days had severe pollution, according to the China National Environment Monitoring Center.

Ironically, the city is known for solar panel production and set targets to develop solar energy about nine years ago.

Low-Carbon Park, a pilot project, is a fully enclosed park that uses photovoltaic panels to generate electricity. The panels reduce coal consumption by 1,512 metric tons annually.

"I like to sit in the enclosed park and play with my 2-year-old daughter. It's a beautiful place to avoid the smog, yet the walk there is frustrating," said Dai Wei, a 29-year-old resident in Baoding.

In Sihuangfu village in Laishui county, more than 100 households have installed solar power panels, which could support their daily needs, as well as make money from excess energy sent to the grid.

The city plans to encourage the use of polar panels, making them more workable, said Wang Zhixin, spokesman for Yingli Group in Baoding.