The 12th Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development, drafted in 2011, develops the concept of green and low-carbon development, related to its objectives towards an increased application of renewable energies and their integration with conventional energy systems, as well as towards the improvement of the overall capability for innovation in renewable energy technologies and strategies. Additionally, it aims to foster the deployment of key demonstration projects for energy conservation and low-carbon pilot projects, and the development of a circular economy.

In such a framework, a five-year cooperation project between the European Union and China, called Europe-China Clean Energy Centre (EC2), was launched in March 2010, with the aim of promoting an increased introduction and adoption of clean innovative technologies in China and supporting the Government's efforts to shape a more sustainable, environmental friendly and efficient energy sector.

EC2 focuses on four more specific objectives, regarding fostering technological cooperation, providing policy advisory to China and EU towards clean energy policies, building capacity on clean energy and helping awareness raising about the environmental benefits of clean energy policies and technologies in China. A specific work package, called Technology Platform, focuses on the promotion of technological cooperation and business between European Union and China through the setting up of Demo Zones, which are namely demonstrative actions concentrated in specific geographical areas.

The Demo Zone concept is a new area of exploration for EC2. Although its exact definition is still open to debate, according to EC2 Strategic Plan a Demo Zone "represents the capability of focusing on a demonstration site, by using EC2 common methodological tools, which will unify joint actions and efforts. The Demo Zone will be made available by the Chinese counterparts, while the EU partners will provide the professional and industrial expertise for the start- up of the Demo Zone design and technological solutions".

To test the concept of Demo Zone, EC2 was assigned the challenge of designing a development strategy for Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, leading city in northwestern China, located dose to the ancient Silk Route, and currently one of the most polluted cities in China and in the world.

The Europe-China Clean Energy Centre is drafting a large-scale energy- oriented masterplan for the Demo Zone with a 2030 timeframe, promoting strong and effective partnerships among the Urumqi Government, public authorities and European private companies.

"The Demo Zone is, primarily, a methodological challenge. Given its intrinsic complexity, the challenge can only be met with a strong methodological background, creating a win-win strategy and advantages for both the local community and investors, and inspiration for other Chinese cities."2 In order to cope with this, a set of methodological tools called Toolkit has been drawn up and it is being tested in the Urumqi Demo Zone.

The Toolkit is based on selected successful EU methodologies to support the design of urban demonstration projects in the most efficient, effective and sustainable way. It represents a set of planning tools specifically selected for helping Chinese decision makers, managers and technical staff at city level in decisional and planning processes involving community representatives, businesses, technology providers, investors and experts, with the aim of developing the Demo Zone masterplan. Its structure includes four main fields, connected to the main factors characterizing the transformation process, such as Decision Planning, Action Planning, Technology Planning and Business Planning.

The aim of this thesis is focusing on the key aspects of the Demo Zone Toolkit testing, as a new innovative instrument for urban demonstration projects implementation, analyzing the main outcomes and its direct impact on the sustainable development of Urumqi.