A visitor takes pictures in front of the statue for the Gansu Grand Theater in Lanzhou, Jan 19, 2014. [Photo by He Yini / chinadaily.com.cn]

The energy conservation and environmental protection industries have been emerging as a new engine to spur the economic growth, as the sector is rapidly scaling out in recent years.

By 2012, the province counted more than a thousand firms -- five are listed companies -- that are engaged in the industries, with sales revenue approaching 4 trillion yuan that took up 0.8 percent of local GDP in the same period.

"However, they are mostly small and micro firms that lack R&D investment and high-tech innovations," said Liu Zhaohua, deputy director of Gansu Development and Reform Commission, who attended the Jan 18 meeting.

"There are various reasons behind this," he said. "A significant one is that these companies are not fully motivated, politically as well as financially."

Liu added that the current incentive mechanisms in the field have yet to be completed and still need improving.

"With the support of the government, we are very optimistic that these industries will take off in the near future," said Niu Yunfei, chairman of Gansu Hongxinyuan Energy-saving Environmental Protection Co Ltd, a local company that provides comprehensive energy-saving services.

"Green transformation in Gansu province is a huge undertaking with massive opportunities. All stakeholders, including the government and companies, need to learn and cooperate more often in order to embrace it," said Li Junyang, IEEPA's secretary general.