A car air-conditioning system that runs on fuel-saving solar power is slowly gaining traction among firms and the government, with its Hong Kong makers saying the technology is unparalleled in the world.
Around 20 vehicles, including taxis and minibuses, have been testing the system jointly developed by private research firm Green Power and Polytechnic University - and one customer has already seen favourable results.
A 10-month test done by Swire Coca-Cola, which fitted some of its trucks with solar panels and the special air-conditioning system, concluded that it could cut carbon dioxide emissions by 12 tonnes each year.
'We have already been granted the approval [to test it on] a number of different vehicle types already and should be expecting more vehicle types to be [approved] this summer,' said Jacky Lau, the vice-president of Green Power, which is based in the Science Park in the New Territories.
The Hong Kong government is even selecting a few official cars from its fleet for a trial run of the new system. If approved, the government will join around 10 companies - including Hongkong Electric, the Airport Authority, Polytechnic University and several tour bus and taxi operators - that have already been using the technology.
The new system requires vehicles to be retrofitted with solar panels on the roof. These convert the sun's energy into electrical power, which is stored in a tailor-made battery that can be used for back-up power or to power air conditioning with the help of the car's compressor system.