Cost–Benefit Analysis of the China’s Household Coal-to-Electricity Transition: A Case Study on the Beijing Mentougou Area

Since 2013, China has implemented clean heating projects such as the coal-to-electricity project to reduce emissions and improve air quality in northern China, but it still requires significant investment from governments, businesses, and households. However, the benefits of coal-to-electricity to improve the rural family environment have received less attention. In this study, we conducted a cost–benefit analysis of the coal-to-electricity transition in Beijing’s Mentougou District from 2013 to 2017, distinguishing private costs and benefits, government costs and public benefits, and social costs and benefits. The results show that for all coal-to-electricity households, the private benefits far outweigh the private costs, with a benefit–cost ratio of 15.9. The government costs outweigh the benefit of air pollutants and carbon dioxide emission reduction, with a benefit–cost ratio of 0.4. Overall, the social benefits outweigh the social costs: the benefit–cost ratio for society was 2.2. The environmental benefits of the coal-to-electricity policies did not offset the large amount of investment of the government, but society received a positive net benefit owing to the large benefits gained by rural households. This also proves that the investment by the government is efficient and verifies the government’s next step to continue to promote the coal-to-electricity transition.