Hong Kong’s green-fuel transport hub vision needs policy support, investments
- The city has to introduce favourable policies and make strategic investments in green hydrogen projects to secure future supplies and create an ecosystem, expert says
Hong Kong’s ambition of becoming a hydrogen-fuel supply hub for marine and air transport depends on policies and strategic investments to secure supply, according to experts.
The government has to take bold steps to provide favourable conditions to create demand and entice companies with the best technologies to invest in pilot projects and infrastructure in the city to foster the use of zero-emission hydrogen, methanol and ammonia made from renewable feedstocks, said Leo Yang Xiaohu, president of CIMC Enric Holdings.
The Hong Kong-listed company built the city’s first hydrogen refuelling station and related infrastructure that led to deployment of a hydrogen fuel-cell double decker bus. This was among 14 pilots approved by the government to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of hydrogen in various contexts.
“We need more demonstration projects on hydrogen utilisation in Hong Kong,” he said. “We need more support from the government and other partners to promote the clean fuel.”
This involves much more than just the equipment, as both the government and industry participants need to figure out supplies of the green hydrogen, costs, logistics and regulations, he added.
Two months ago, the Hong Kong government announced a strategy to promote hydrogen use by improving regulations, setting standards, supporting talent training and assisting infrastructure development.
