‘Ambitious’ target to cut Hong Kong energy use by 6 per cent in 10 years

Hong Kong has set a target for cutting energy consumption by 6 per cent from the 2012 level in the next decade.

Secretary for Environment Wong Kam-sing described the target as "ambitious" as he unveiled the first energy-saving blueprint for Hong Kong yesterday. "Achieving early reduction is easier. In future, the more energy we want to save, the more difficult it will be," he said.

The new initiative aims to cut energy intensity by 40 per cent by 2025 from the 2005 level. That replaces the old target of reducing it by 45 per cent by 2035, which was adopted at the 2011 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. The first Apec target adopted in 2007 was to cut energy intensity by 25 per cent by 2030.

Energy intensity refers to the quantity of energy needed to produce one unit of gross domestic product. To translate the new target into actual energy reduction, it would mean cutting consumption by 6 per cent of the total energy consumed in 2012, equivalent to about 17,278 terajoules. Such a reduction would be equal to reducing carbon emissions by about 2,340 kilotonnes.

Wong said the new target was more ambitious than that of some European countries and Singapore. The latter city plans to cut energy intensity by 35 per cent by 2030, based on the 2005 level.

Hong Kong, unlike Singapore, has little heavy industry.