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China’s northeastern region largely relies on coal-powered heating to survive the harsh winters. And every year from November, as homes get warmer, the air tends to get hazier.

In Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, air quality reached extremely hazardous levels last month. Is there an alternative to the system that has existed for more than 50 years?

With winter here, people in Northeast China come back to their warm homes after a long day's work, thanks to the coal-powered heating system. But this means having to inhale the toxic air when outside.

Every winter when the country's northeast switches on its coal powered heating supply, cities are often shrouded in heavy smog. So, is there an alternative to coal? And if so, how cost-efficient can it be?

In a typical northeastern residential building, heat comes from a coal-fired boiler station. The warmer the home, the more pollutants released into the air. Using electricity is one solution: A group of environmentalists in Shenyang has replaced the old boiler at this station.

The initial investment, excluding the maintenance cost and wear and tear of the equipment, adds up to about 200 yuan per square meter per household," said Fang Ning, manager of Blue Sky 2015 Project.

One month after the project, data shows air quality of the area has improved significantly. But while 200 yuan (US$31) might not seem like much, try multiplying it by 270 million square meters, the combined total of the households in Shenyang.

"If we replace coal with electricity, people would have to pay twice what they are paying now for heat," said Fang.

And most people cannot afford it. So we come to see Wang Qinglin, a provincial advisory body member who has submitted a number of proposals related to such a project.

"The electricity bills of these heating stations are putting a constraint on promoting the project. If a preferential electricity price can be granted by authorities at the national level, the project will be much more feasible," Wang said.

For a region like the Northeast, whose economy is lagging way behind the rest of the country, the question remains of how people can afford to stay warm and still breathe.