Homes in most of western China heat and cook with charcoal. The charcoal guy rides up every day to deliver loads of 1 kilo bricks of the stuff. When a cold snap happens, he delivers twice a day, and you have pollution like your picture. I was working in Nanjing that is powered by hydro. Not a coal burning plant in sight, but when it got cold, the streets look like your picture. It stinks too, 'cause it's not Kingsford.
Opps. Eastern China, not western ...
I disagree with your statement that it’s NOT coal.
I think it is a combination of every kind of ‘pollution’.
Coal, charcoal, sulfur, and a myriad of toxic substances emitted into the air because the Chinese have so many people that need these for energy resources, and spend very little on the ‘pollution’ aspect of the problem.