Clean energy: government wants to make it easier for Hong Kong schools to sell electricity to the public
Officials seek to make feed-in tariff scheme less bureaucratic amid complaints from educational institutions and non-profit groups
Schools in Hong Kong want to sell electricity to the public grid but there are concerns over red tape and high entry costs.
The possibility has arisen as more educational institutions have shown an interest in signing up to the feed-in tariff, which allows private premises with renewable energy facilities, such as rooftop solar panels or wind systems, to sell power at above-market rates depending on capacity.
Some 60,000 village houses are in the scheme’s cross hairs, but schools and non-profit organisations with relatively larger floor areas are expected to be major contributors.
“The Environment Bureau and the Education Bureau are discussing detailed arrangements for schools to participate in a ‘schools feed-in tariff plan’,” an Education Bureau spokesman said, noting more details would be announced soon.
At St Bonaventure Catholic Primary School in Diamond Hill, 60 solar photovoltaic panels are piled up on the auditorium roof waiting to be installed and connected to the public grid.