Daniel Slotta
Research expert covering Greater China
Hong Kong's power sector - statistics & facts
Hong Kong is confined to a small land area and is entirely devoid of natural resources. At the same time, it is home to 7.5 million people and a 500 billion U.S. dollar economy. Therefore, energy supply is a critical aspect of Hong Kong's livelihood. However, as a city dependent on fossil fuels and facing the challenges of climate change, it has to innovate and adapt to a post-carbon future.
In 2021, the Hong Kong government unveiled its roadmap for the transformation to a decarbonized future that addresses energy generation as well as efficiency, including in building making. The Climate Action Plan 2050 outlines key milestones for reaching carbon neutrality by mid-century, including halving carbon emissions before 2023 compared to the 2005 level. A crucial segment of the plan also includes “net-zero electricity generation.”. However, as of 2021, only 0.6 percent of the region's power came from renewable sources.
What are Hong Kong’s energy sources
Due to its size and reliance on imported power, Hong Kong has little leverage over the sources of the energy it consumes. Around one-quarter of the electricity comes from mainland China, where over 12 percent of power comes from renewable sources, with coal accounting for the largest share. Local coal and gas power plants generated the remaining power demand. However, with its limited geographic resources, Hong Kong cannot easily expand its green energy capacity.Who produces energy in Hong Kong?
Currently, three power stations produce the majority of Hong Kong’s electricity. Black Point Power Station runs on gas, Castle Peak Power Station’s fuel is coal, and Lamma Power Station that uses both fuels. The first two are owned by CLP Group, a local power company, and China Southern Grid, which is a state-owned enterprise from mainland China. Finally, Hong Kong Electric operates Lamma Island Power Station, which also includes a wind park consisting of a singular wind turbine with a rotor length of 50 meter that provides 100kW of power to Hong Kong Island and Lamma Island.Energy consumption in Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s inhabitants and its economy consumed around 160 thousand terajoules of electricity per year. Without a large manufacturing sector, the largest power users were households, transportation, public services, and commercial activities. More precisely, buildings consumed 90 percent of the city’s electricity and were responsible for 60 percent of carbon emissions. Because of Hong Kong’s hot and humid climate, the largest single consumption category was air conditioning. The energy used for cooling buildings alone was more than double the energy consumed by cars.In 2021, the Hong Kong government unveiled its roadmap for the transformation to a decarbonized future that addresses energy generation as well as efficiency, including in building making. The Climate Action Plan 2050 outlines key milestones for reaching carbon neutrality by mid-century, including halving carbon emissions before 2023 compared to the 2005 level. A crucial segment of the plan also includes “net-zero electricity generation.”. However, as of 2021, only 0.6 percent of the region's power came from renewable sources.
