Prof. BU Siqi, Member of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), Associate Head (Research) and Professor of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, recently gave an exclusive interview to Ta Kung Wen Wei, in which he shared views on the development of cross-border electricity supply for Hong Kong.
Prof. Bu noted that Hong Kong’s electricity supply still relies primarily on natural gas power generation, making it relatively susceptible to fluctuations in international energy prices. He emphasised that, if Hong Kong is to advance its green transition, the city should invest a lot on the charging facilities on the consumption side in order to meet the growing charging demand of EVs. For the generation upgrade, there is a technology to mix natural gas and hydrogen for generation, but the cost of hydrogen is still high and the percentage of hydrogen in the mix is still restricted.
However, given the city’s limited land resources and natural conditions, the potential for wind and solar power development is relatively limited. In the longer term, Hong Kong should therefore actively expand its cross-border power transmission network and import lower-cost, more stable green electricity from the Greater Bay Area, particularly Guangdong Province. This would help increase the share of renewable energy in Hong Kong’s energy mix, enhance the stability of electricity supply, and alleviate upward pressure on tariffs.
He also pointed out that as Hong Kong’s existing power grid facilities continue to age, the two power companies face constraints related to financing and project duration in carrying out large-scale upgrade investments under the Scheme of Control Agreements framework. On the consumption side, Hong Kong’s electric vehicle charging facilities remain insufficient, charging times for heavy goods vehicles are still relatively long, and the related cost-sharing mechanism has yet to be fully addressed. In his view, it is more reasonable for end users to share the related costs.
To support the development of green electricity, Prof. Bu suggested introducing time-of-use tariffs to encourage the public to charge vehicles during off-peak periods or when green electricity supply is more abundant. He also proposed integrating solutions such as energy storage systems, vehicle-to-grid technology and virtual power plants to further enhance grid flexibility, helping Hong Kong move towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future.
Online coverage:
Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/421xenY
Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/4c7Ff0E
| Research Units | Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy |
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