An industrial heat source dataset based on remotely sensed active fire/hotspot detection in China from 2012 to 2021

Abstract The distribution of industrial heat sources (IHSs) is a crucial indicator for evaluating energy consumption and air pollution levels. However, there is a notable lack of IHS datasets in China that are frequently updated, span long periods, contain detailed characteristic information, have been individually validated and are publicly available. In this study, IHS datasets from China between 2012 and 2021 were constructed using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) I Band 375 m NRT Active Fire/Hotspots (ACF) Product (VNP14IMGTDL_NRT) to monitor and analyse large‐scale IHSs. First, a density segmentation method based on an improved K‐means algorithm using ACF data and spatial topological correlation analysis was conducted to construct the IHS. Then, 4410 records covering China between 2012 and 2021, with 21 attributes, were obtained and verified, with an individual identification precision of 95.08% via manual verification based on high‐resolution remote‐sensing images and point of interest (POI) data. Finally, the trend of the spatiotemporal variation in IHSs was analysed using a long time series. The results showed that the spatial distribution of IHSs in China from 2012 to 2021 exhibited local aggregation and a gradual shift from east to west. In addition, the number of IHSs in China showed an initial increasing trend from 2012 to 2014, followed by a decrease since 2014, consistent with national energy reform‐related policies. The results of this study indicate the temporal variation in IHSs, enhance the precision of identifying fire location categories and demonstrate the potential for improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions and ensuring sustainable development in China.