On May 14, a local member asked the authorities how many electric vehicles (EVs) are registered in the city. The answer was that the number has grown to over 110,000, which is eight times more than five years ago. This is putting more and more pressure on the city’s charging infrastructure.Â
About seven out of every ten new private vehicles registered in the city are electric, and the number of electric automobiles is growing faster than almost any other kind of car in the globe.Â
Government officials said that creative solutions are required to keep up with demand and help Hong Kong reach its ambitious climate targets, even if over 100,000 parking spots already have EV charging stations.Â
Hydrogen fuel cells are already being used in several transportation and construction industries throughout the world. Now, Hong Kong is testing them in a hydrogen pilot project to diversify the city’s energy sources and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The new hydrogen pilot project system is designed to run completely on its own, providing up to five 7-kilowatt charging outlets per day. It also has built-in energy storage to ensure consistent electricity supply.
Tse Chin-wan, secretary for Environment and Ecology, highlighted Hong Kong’s sustainable progress in cutting carbon emissions and the strategic importance of hydrogen energy.
He said that the project makes use of the city’s extensive gas pipeline network to extract hydrogen, serving as a demonstration for future applications.Â
Tse said again that the government supports further hydrogen pilot projects. The objective is to make Hong Kong a regional showcase for hydrogen technology.Â
“As we look to the future, the government will continue to support and encourage the industry to explore more hydrogen pilot and collaborative projects, driving Hong Kong to become a demonstration base for hydrogen technology,” Tse said.Â
“This pioneering project injects new energy into our goal of building a sustainable, low-carbon city.”
