https://www.scmp.com/rss/518861/feed Hydrogen, produced commercially from fossil fuels for industrial applications for over two centuries, has emerged as a promising clean fuel for transportation, power generation and steel-making in the next few decades. This requires the scaling up of newly-developed technology and supply chain that deploys renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Using “green” hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels to drive economic activities is one of the key solutions to reduce greenhouse... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Carol Yang Carol Yang Amid heightening global anxieties over energy security fuelled by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, China’s top energy regulator has pledged to accelerate the development of its hydrogen industry, hailing the fuel as a “strategic lever” to fortify national energy resilience. The National Energy Administration (NEA) called for “bold innovation” in the sector during a recent meeting reviewing the progress of hydrogen pilots and outlining future tasks, according to an official readout... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350313/china-fast-tracks-hydrogen-strategy-scale-phase-high-stakes-energy-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350313/china-fast-tracks-hydrogen-strategy-scale-phase-high-stakes-energy-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China’s abundant renewable power and government support could bring a once prohibitively expensive green energy solution into the mainstream – hydrogen. Extensive access to low-cost solar and wind power could let the country produce huge quantities of hydrogen in an environmentally friendly and affordable manner. The government is also stoking demand for the zero-emission fuel, potentially creating incentives for investors to put money into the infrastructure needed for production and... https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/climate-and-energy/article/3348964/green-hydrogen-drive-may-help-china-reach-carbon-neutral-goal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/business/climate-and-energy/article/3348964/green-hydrogen-drive-may-help-china-reach-carbon-neutral-goal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:00:19 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China has launched a revolutionary facility in the eastern province of Shandong that produces fresh water from seawater for just two yuan (US$0.28) per cubic metre, generating green hydrogen as a by-product in a breakthrough that could redefine global water and energy systems. This small but world-first installation in the city of Rizhao is powered entirely by seawater and low-grade waste heat from nearby steel and petrochemical plants, official provincial news outlet Dazhong reported on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335518/chinese-desalination-plant-makes-fresh-water-cheaper-tap-water-plus-green-hydrogen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3335518/chinese-desalination-plant-makes-fresh-water-cheaper-tap-water-plus-green-hydrogen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 16:00:11 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Sungrow Power Supply, the world’s largest producer of solar inverters and energy storage systems, has joined a growing number of mainland Chinese companies seeking to float shares in Hong Kong, taking advantage of the city’s stock market boom. Based in Hefei, the capital of eastern Anhui province, Sungrow led the world with 870 gigawatts of cumulative installed capacity of inverters – devices that convert the power produced by solar panels into a format of electricity that can be consumed by... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3328118/chinese-solar-inverter-and-energy-storage-giant-sungrow-seeks-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3328118/chinese-solar-inverter-and-energy-storage-giant-sungrow-seeks-hong-kong-ipo?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:42:47 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao As China transitions from the 14th to the 15th five-year plan, its economic trajectory is once again under scrutiny. External commentary often focuses on the short-term headwinds from a cooling property market and commensurately lowered growth, but these challenges obscure a more important story. Beneath the surface, China has a vibrant backbone made strong by the synergistic effects of infrastructure, human capital, technology and an unparalleled commitment to a green transition. These... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326515/critics-are-missing-big-picture-chinas-economic-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3326515/critics-are-missing-big-picture-chinas-economic-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li China, which already boasts the world’s largest energy-storage capacity, is set to nearly double that level by 2027, with an anticipated investment of 250 billion yuan (US$35 billion), according to Beijing’s latest action plan. As outlined in the action plan, China’s “new-energy storage system” capacity – primarily based on lithium-ion batteries – is set to exceed 180 gigawatts within two years, up from 95GW as of June. Released jointly by the National Development and Reform Commission and the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3325610/china-supercharge-energy-storage-tech-world-leading-advancements-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3325610/china-supercharge-energy-storage-tech-world-leading-advancements-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji With billions in investments planned and a swelling roster of corporate partnerships, India’s green hydrogen drive is gathering momentum. But can the country overcome the economic and technical hurdles standing in its way? “We want to make India not only a major producer but also a global hub for green hydrogen export,” declared Shripad Naik, minister of state for power and new and renewable energy, at a business conference in New Delhi last week. Under its National Green Hydrogen Mission,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3323252/india-eyes-becoming-green-hydrogen-superpower-can-us92-billion-get-it-there?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3323252/india-eyes-becoming-green-hydrogen-superpower-can-us92-billion-get-it-there?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:00:13 +0000 Andy Xie Andy Xie China has been increasing investment in renewable energy to give its economy a boost. In the first half of 2025, China’s solar power generation capacity jumped 54.2 per cent year on year, while wind power’s generation capacity increased by 22.7 per cent in the same time period. The country is also constructing what is set to be the world’s largest hydropower project, expected to cost less than 1 per cent of China’s gross domestic product (GDP). Reduced consumption of crude oil coupled with lower... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320834/chinas-clean-energy-transition-solves-several-problems-once?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3320834/chinas-clean-energy-transition-solves-several-problems-once?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 08:28:59 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Hong Kong’s major natural gas company is looking to produce hydrogen for application in other industries, showing commitment to the market at a time when companies and governments are cancelling or scaling back plans amid cost challenges. Hong Kong and China Gas, or Towngas as the sole natural gas producer is known, will start work on building the city’s first public electric vehicle (EV) charging station powered by hydrogen, it said on Friday. The venture was expected to commence operations... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319649/towngas-build-hydrogen-powered-ev-charging-stations-amid-mixed-industry-signals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-evs/article/3319649/towngas-build-hydrogen-powered-ev-charging-stations-amid-mixed-industry-signals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese wind-power developer Envision Energy has commissioned the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia plant, as Beijing seeks to decarbonise its hard-to-abate industries and dominate the growing clean-fuel market. The Shanghai-headquartered company launched the first phase of the project in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia, on Wednesday, which is capable of producing 320,000 tonnes per year of green ammonia, Envision said. “This is more than a technological milestone,” said Zhang Lei, Envision’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3317846/envision-launches-worlds-largest-green-hydrogen-ammonia-plant-inner-mongolia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3317846/envision-launches-worlds-largest-green-hydrogen-ammonia-plant-inner-mongolia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 07:17:09 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue The rain and gloomy skies during the SNEC PV Conference – the biggest in China’s solar-panel manufacturing industry – summed up the mood in the market, whose major players congregated in Shanghai earlier this month for the four-day annual event. The scale was noticeably smaller this year. Several leading companies opted out for a variety of reasons, including tight budgets. More tellingly, CEOs from major producers Longi Green Technology and Tongwei – keynote speakers last year – gave it a... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3316074/cloudy-chance-bankruptcy-us-tariffs-hurt-chinas-solar-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3316074/cloudy-chance-bankruptcy-us-tariffs-hurt-chinas-solar-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 03:00:11 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese solar and energy-storage companies will continue to press ahead with their overseas expansion with or without a long-term agreement on trade tariffs, as production abroad holds the key to their long-term survival, according to executives at China’s largest solar industry exhibition. Although the US and China reached a 90-day truce in their ongoing tariff war in May, solar panel exports from China and Southeast Asia to the US are still subject to tariffs of as much as 3,521 per cent, with... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3314180/chinese-solar-firms-bank-overseas-expansion-ensure-survival-face-us-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3314180/chinese-solar-firms-bank-overseas-expansion-ensure-survival-face-us-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:30:11 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China accounted for more than a third of global hydrogen output last year, making it possibly the biggest producer as the country reached a critical point to push for large-scale projects. The country produced about 36.5 million tons of hydrogen last year, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said in a report on Monday. Fossil fuel-based hydrogen remains the dominant source, accounting for 56 per cent of the production, while hydrogen generated through electrolysis process amounted to only... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3308367/china-leads-global-hydrogen-production-amid-clean-energy-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3308367/china-leads-global-hydrogen-production-amid-clean-energy-race?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:00:20 +0000 In 2024, China’s crude steel production remained above the 1-billion-tonne mark, while consumption fell to 892 million tonnes, a 5.4 per cent decline year on year. Thus, even as demand for steel has decreased, overcapacity has persisted. Meanwhile, carbon intensity remains relatively high due to the dominance of coal-reliant steelmaking production processes. At the corporate level, factors such as green steel premiums and international tariffs are putting some pressure on profit margins, which... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3303006/china-has-what-it-takes-lead-global-green-steel-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3303006/china-has-what-it-takes-lead-global-green-steel-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:30:07 +0000 Yujie Xue,Salina Li Yujie Xue,Salina Li Towngas Smart Energy reported a profit increase last year amid a slowing economy, as the subsidiary of Hong Kong’s sole gas provider reaped the benefits from its investments in renewable energy in mainland China. Net profit rose 2 per cent from a year earlier to HK$1.6 billion (US$206 million), the company said in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing on Friday. Revenue increased 7.4 per cent from 2023 to HK$21.3 billion last year. Its core operating profit surged 34.5 per cent to HK$1.6 billion,... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3302454/towngas-smart-energys-2024-profit-rises-bets-chinas-renewable-energy-pay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3302454/towngas-smart-energys-2024-profit-rises-bets-chinas-renewable-energy-pay?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 11:31:49 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China’s dominance in the global cleantech market was set to wane amid overcapacity, a weak domestic economy, slow global demand and export barriers, according to S&P Global. China’s share of solar photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing would decline to 65 per cent in 2030 from 70 per cent last year, while its share of battery-cell manufacturing would drop to 61 per cent from 80 per cent last year, the rating company said in a report on Thursday. “As we look towards 2025, manufacturing growth in... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3299479/chinas-cleantech-dominance-wane-amid-overcapacity-trade-curbs-sp-global?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3299479/chinas-cleantech-dominance-wane-amid-overcapacity-trade-curbs-sp-global?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:30:08 +0000 China’s top economic planner unveiled a plan on Sunday aimed at advancing towards the government’s target of building a “unified national electricity market system”. The National Reform and Development Commission and the National Energy Administration issued a joint notice announcing that prices for electricity generated by clean-energy projects completed after June 1 will be set by market forces rather than at preferential rates that were established to support the transition to renewables. The... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3298173/china-moves-towards-market-pricing-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3298173/china-moves-towards-market-pricing-clean-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Feb 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Criticism against China’s energy sector over its fossil fuels usage has lessened lately – and with good reason. The country leads the world in renewable energy development, with more to come. In 2023, China had installed an impressive 301 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy, led by wind, solar and hydropower. Its 180GW of utility-scale solar and 159GW of wind power under construction last year was nearly twice as much as the rest of the world combined, according to a Global Energy Monitor report.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3297315/how-battery-storage-development-can-wean-china-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3297315/how-battery-storage-development-can-wean-china-fossil-fuels?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong and China Gas (Towngas), the city’s sole gas provider, has teamed up with a Singapore marine fuel and logistics provider to develop a green methanol supply chain, the company’s latest initiative to meet the region’s energy transition needs. Towngas signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Global Energy Trading to develop green methanol supply chains across Asia, the Hong Kong-listed company said in a statement on Monday. “This partnership represents a significant milestone in... https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3295605/hong-kongs-towngas-and-singapores-global-energy-develop-green-methanol-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/commodities/article/3295605/hong-kongs-towngas-and-singapores-global-energy-develop-green-methanol-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jan 2025 05:30:08 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hans Group Holdings, the majority owner of Hong Kong bus operator Citybus, has secured a supply of hydrogen from a mainland producer, part of its effort to decarbonise its fleet by using the clean fuel. Hans Group, Citybus and Grand Resource Hydrogen Energy Science & Technology, which is based in Shenzhen and controlled by the Guangdong provincial government, signed a supply agreement on Wednesday. Grand Resource Hydrogen has guaranteed a minimum daily supply of five tonnes of hydrogen at prices... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3294909/citybus-majority-owner-hans-group-makes-deal-fuel-hydrogen-powered-buses-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3294909/citybus-majority-owner-hans-group-makes-deal-fuel-hydrogen-powered-buses-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:03:24 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Low-carbon hydrogen is expected to get more support in China after Beijing said it would accelerate its development as a part of a national decarbonisation push and high demand from the industrial, shipping and aviation sectors, according to analysts. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly unveiled a plan to accelerate the application of low-carbon hydrogen in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3293099/low-carbon-hydrogen-get-more-support-2025-beijings-new-policy-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3293099/low-carbon-hydrogen-get-more-support-2025-beijings-new-policy-push?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 04:00:20 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Hong Kong-based private equity firm Templewater is teaming up with countries in the Middle East to unlock investment opportunities arising from the region’s energy transition programmes, while delivering returns for its investors. It is working with the Future Fund Oman, a 2 billion Omani rial (US$5.2 billion) investment fund established by the sultanate’s sovereign wealth fund, Oman Investment Authority (OIA), to “focus on energy transition and localisation opportunities”, according to Yufeng... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3293016/hong-kongs-templewater-builds-middle-east-ties-unlock-energy-transition-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3293016/hong-kongs-templewater-builds-middle-east-ties-unlock-energy-transition-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:30:08 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng The construction industry needs to see faster progress on regulations and pilot programmes to boost the uptake of low-carbon materials and technology to accelerate the sector’s decarbonisation in Hong Kong and mainland China, according to Hang Lung Properties. “The policy environment matters a lot, because we can only rely on the industries to move things so far so fast,” said John Haffner, deputy director of sustainability at the developer, which is active in Hong Kong and the... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3290661/hang-lung-pushes-faster-decarbonisation-hong-kong-and-chinas-construction-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3290661/hang-lung-pushes-faster-decarbonisation-hong-kong-and-chinas-construction-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Dec 2024 02:00:10 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong’s standing as an aviation and maritime hub was dealt a severe blow by the Covid-19 pandemic, China’s economic downturn and intensifying competition. Now, it faces another challenge: green fuel. The city trails regional rival Singapore on policies and supply chain development for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the most feasible decarbonisation solution for the sector. It also lags the city state, Shanghai and Shenzhen, on green fuel marine refuelling services, known as bunkering. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3289542/hong-kongs-green-fuel-goal-can-it-catch-singapore-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3289542/hong-kongs-green-fuel-goal-can-it-catch-singapore-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2024 02:00:13 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng The Hong Kong government must quickly come up with a new business model for the city’s two franchised bus companies, which face nearly HK$6 billion (US$771 million) in investments to overhaul their fleets to reach zero-emissions targets, according to a think tank. The clock is ticking because the companies have less than eight years to stop buying diesel-powered buses, and the bulk of their diesel models are slated for retirement between 2028 and 2036. “There is an urgency to devise a new... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3289468/hong-kong-bus-firms-need-urgent-help-buy-zero-emission-fleets-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3289468/hong-kong-bus-firms-need-urgent-help-buy-zero-emission-fleets-think-tank?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 09:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg China needs to boost investment in a new generation of clean energy technology including storage, hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel, according to executives speaking at the BloombergNEF Summit in Shanghai. Huge funding for renewables and electric vehicles has already put the country on the cusp of peaking emissions, years before its own 2030 target. But that has also left supply chains saturated, squeezing company profits and raising international trade tensions. Companies need to shift... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3289154/china-needs-investments-new-generation-clean-energy-tech-after-wind-and-solar-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3289154/china-needs-investments-new-generation-clean-energy-tech-after-wind-and-solar-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:42:36 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng The CEO of Hong Kong’s largest power supplier said electricity sales have risen because of digitalisation and electrification in the city’s economy, which has brought growth opportunities and decarbonisation challenges. “Electrification is a global trend for achieving decarbonisation in some sectors like transportation and home cooking, which has resulted in greater demand for electricity,” CLP Holdings’ Chiang Tung-keung said in an interview. “But this comes with challenges from government... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3285317/data-centres-evs-bring-growth-and-climate-challenges-hong-kong-utility-clp-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3285317/data-centres-evs-bring-growth-and-climate-challenges-hong-kong-utility-clp-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China led the world in employment related to renewable energy last year, and the sector is expected to continue generating jobs, as record-breaking production, installation and export of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles (EVs) stand in contrast to bleak job prospects in other sectors. An estimated 7.4 million people in mainland China worked in renewable-energy jobs in 2023, representing 46 per cent of the global total and a 32 per cent increase over 2022, when China... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3284788/chinas-clean-energy-boom-creates-74-million-jobs-nearly-half-global-total?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3284788/chinas-clean-energy-boom-creates-74-million-jobs-nearly-half-global-total?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Nov 2024 10:00:41 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China will continue to dominate the global clean energy market with its exports of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, and electric vehicles (EVs) on track to triple in the coming decade, according to an analysis published this week by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The country’s clean technology exports are expected to exceed US$340 billion in 2035, up from nearly US$100 billion last year, the IEA said. The Paris-based organisation’s report looked into the top six mass-manufactured... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3284770/chinas-dominance-solar-panels-evs-will-not-be-shaken-us-and-eu-curbs-iea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3284770/chinas-dominance-solar-panels-evs-will-not-be-shaken-us-and-eu-curbs-iea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Nov 2024 06:36:04 +0000 It has been more than a decade since China started its shale gas trajectory. Now all of that hard work is paying off. Shale gas made up an estimated 12 per cent of China’s natural gas output last year, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). This is no mean feat. Back in 2013, when China was bent on emulating the US shale oil and natural gas success story, it had so many hurdles to surmount that many analysts thought the government should discontinue its support for the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3283539/china-choosing-green-hydrogen-over-shale-gas-should-be-no-brainer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3283539/china-choosing-green-hydrogen-over-shale-gas-should-be-no-brainer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Oct 2024 08:30:07 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Hong Kong’s uptake of hydrogen, hampered by limited supplies, high costs and infrastructure, can be solved by allowing logistics vehicles to fill up on the zero-emission fuel across the border, according to a start-up. Qian Wei, founder and CEO of Hong Kong-based H2 Solution, which markets hydrogen fuel cell systems overseas, said the city can tap relatively cheaper hydrogen and refuelling infrastructure in Foshan, a two-hour drive northwest of Hong Kong and a major hydrogen production... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3283907/hong-kong-can-fulfil-its-hydrogen-ambitions-foshan-suggests-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3283907/hong-kong-can-fulfil-its-hydrogen-ambitions-foshan-suggests-start?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Oct 2024 04:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong has world-class clean energy ambitions. The government has committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, by targeting electricity generation, waste reduction and transport. Having one of the most well-managed mass transit networks in the world, Hong Kong must also deal with transport’s sizeable share of carbon emissions – 18 per cent of the city’s total. To meet the goals set by the Paris Agreement, Hong Kong will have to cut transport emissions by 59 per cent by 2030. Hong Kong’s Climate... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283363/how-hong-kong-could-be-regional-leader-green-transport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3283363/how-hong-kong-could-be-regional-leader-green-transport?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Oct 2024 01:30:09 +0000 Eric Ng,Yujie Xue Eric Ng,Yujie Xue Senior executives from across the energy supply chain in Hong Kong have called for more support to accelerate the development of the city’s hydrogen ecosystem. The government should streamline approval procedures, allow more pilot projects and offer more financial support, all of which would accelerate investment and help reduce costs, industry leaders said on Friday at the InnoTech Forum hosted by InvestHK, the government department tasked with promoting foreign investment in the city. “If the... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3282969/innotech-forum-hong-kong-officials-must-do-more-nurture-hydrogen-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3282969/innotech-forum-hong-kong-officials-must-do-more-nurture-hydrogen-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2024 11:00:16 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng China accounts for 40 per cent of all new low-emission hydrogen production projects that have received the financial green light in the past year and is dominant in the sector’s manufacturing, according to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report. The nation is expanding its capacity to make electrolysers, which use renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and that will lower the cost of the device around the world, the IEA said. Electrolysers are critical for producing... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3280748/china-leads-world-green-hydrogen-projects-dominates-equipment-manufacturing-iea-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3280748/china-leads-world-green-hydrogen-projects-dominates-equipment-manufacturing-iea-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Oct 2024 05:01:09 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Yutong Bus, the world’s largest electric-bus maker, has unveiled a new technology platform that aims to boost driving ranges and cut operating costs, as it vies for a bigger slice of a growing market amid a decarbonisation push by public transport fleets worldwide. The company, based in Zhengzhou in China’s central Henan province, announced the Asia-Pacific launch of the platform on Tuesday at Australia’s biennial National Bus and Coach show in Brisbane, where it showcased four electric buses.... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279100/chinas-yutong-worlds-top-electric-bus-maker-touts-new-technology-exports-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3279100/chinas-yutong-worlds-top-electric-bus-maker-touts-new-technology-exports-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:00:08 +0000 China’s consumption of fossil fuels has been declining this year due to the rise of electric vehicle use and surging capacities in renewable energy sources. With capacity of renewables potentially growing faster than the likely growth in energy demand, China’s consumption of hydrocarbons is entering a path of secular decline. China may have already peaked its carbon emissions seven years ahead of the deadline for its Paris Agreement commitments. China’s petrol consumption increased by 0.32 per... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3278889/how-china-becoming-saudi-arabia-renewables?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3278889/how-china-becoming-saudi-arabia-renewables?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2024 21:30:08 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Banking authorities in Hong Kong and Dubai are strengthening their ties to promote sustainable finance, pledging to attract more investments to address climate change in addition to earlier collaboration on policy responses. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Monday to cement their partnership on the matter, pledging to enhance cross-border dialogue, deepen information exchange and explore ways... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3278771/hong-kong-dubai-seek-strengthen-ties-sustainable-finance-climate-risks-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3278771/hong-kong-dubai-seek-strengthen-ties-sustainable-finance-climate-risks-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 13:52:59 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Chinese renewable energy developer Envision Energy is planning to build a US$1 billion green hydrogen industrial park in Spain to help the European country’s clean energy transition, while furthering China’s ambition to dominate the industry. The firm, which is the world’s second largest wind-turbine supplier, will partner with the Spanish government and local industrial and financial bodies to build a facility to produce electrolysers, according to a statement. Electrolysers are used to produce... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3278152/envision-energy-build-us1-billion-green-hydrogen-industrial-park-spain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3278152/envision-energy-build-us1-billion-green-hydrogen-industrial-park-spain?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 15:16:53 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue Faced with US and EU trade barriers that aim to curb their dominance in the global solar equipment supply chain, Chinese manufacturers have been forced to reassess their overseas expansion strategies, with the Middle East emerging as a perceived safe haven. Since last year, several Chinese solar giants have announced plans or expressed interest in building factories in Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. Last month, Jinko Solar and TCL Zhonghuan, two of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3275073/chinas-solar-manufacturers-eye-middle-east-haven-us-eu-trade-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3275073/chinas-solar-manufacturers-eye-middle-east-haven-us-eu-trade-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Aug 2024 22:30:08 +0000 Amid the clanging of hammers and the glow of molten metal, an unexpected environmental revolution is taking shape. The steel industry, long perceived as a climate villain, is forging a new identity as a champion in the fight against global warming. This transformation isn’t just reshaping an age-old industry, it’s redefining our understanding of how even the most carbon-intensive sectors can pivot towards a sustainable future. Steel is fundamental to modern civilisation, used in everything from... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3273249/steel-industry-forging-new-identity-champion-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3273249/steel-industry-forging-new-identity-champion-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:30:09 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng 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... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3273748/hong-kongs-green-fuel-transport-hub-vision-needs-policy-support-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3273748/hong-kongs-green-fuel-transport-hub-vision-needs-policy-support-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Aug 2024 00:30:09 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has surpassed a goal for financing climate-change projects two years ahead of schedule and will continue to ramp up such lending, focusing on projects with private sector participation and in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region, according to its president. Around 20 per cent of the more than US$50 billion of financing AIIB has approved to date went to the Asean, the union of 10 states that is home to more than 600 million people,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3272564/asian-infrastructure-bank-aiibs-president-looks-fund-climate-linked-projects-asean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3272564/asian-infrastructure-bank-aiibs-president-looks-fund-climate-linked-projects-asean?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Jul 2024 03:45:08 +0000 Despite its ambitious plans to become carbon neutral and energy self-sufficient by 2060, China remains dependent on the import of fossil fuels. But China - unlike the European Union, which has begun an “energy divorce” from Russia since the invasion of Ukraine - can still rely on inexpensive Russian natural gas and oil. Cut off from Western markets, Russia – whose oil and gas income accounts for nearly 30 per cent of its national budget – desperately aims to find new customers for its energy.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3271667/russia-needs-chinas-market-more-china-needs-russian-gas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3271667/russia-needs-chinas-market-more-china-needs-russian-gas?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 12:30:10 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Global governments must incentivise low-carbon steel production and consumption, while construction, automotive and shipping firms should partner with climate-conscious clients to jointly pay for the higher cost of green hydrogen-produced steel which will help shrink the carbon footprint of the metal, according to a new report. Such partnerships should particularly be pursued in the construction and automobile sectors, because the price premium of green hydrogen-produced steel over fossil... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3271826/climate-change-new-study-shows-green-steel-adoption-should-focus-buildings-and-cars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3271826/climate-change-new-study-shows-green-steel-adoption-should-focus-buildings-and-cars?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 06:00:20 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China will set up a platform to support the trading of net-zero hydrogen and its derivatives in a bid to catalyse the country’s ambition to lead the global hydrogen sector and decarbonise the heavy-emitting shipping industry. The platform will focus on the certification and trading of green hydrogen, green methanol and green ammonia in China, and eventually aims to expand its service globally. The Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange (SEEE), Shanghai International Port Group, China Energy... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3269746/china-plans-trading-platform-green-hydrogen-derived-fuels-decarbonise-shipping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3269746/china-plans-trading-platform-green-hydrogen-derived-fuels-decarbonise-shipping?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jul 2024 09:00:18 +0000 Yujie Xue Yujie Xue China’s rapidly expanding renewable energy production and electricity market liberalisation will open up opportunities for investors, developers and end users, according to an energy expert. “What we will continue to see in the Chinese electricity market is continued opening up and liberalisation of the way in which electricity is being bought and sold,” Christian Romig, associate director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), said at the China Conference organised by the South China Morning Post on... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3269160/chinas-goal-become-carbon-neutral-hinges-unified-power-market-energy-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3269160/chinas-goal-become-carbon-neutral-hinges-unified-power-market-energy-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:00:09 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil and gas company by market capitalisation, will leverage its conventional oil supplier ties with China to jointly develop clean energy technologies and help Beijing accomplish its carbon neutral goal by 2060. Aramco has been supplying China with crude oil since 1991, according to its website. China imported 86 million tonnes of crude oil from Saudi Arabia last year, or 15.2 per cent of its total imports of 564 million tonnes, according to China Customs... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3269126/saudi-aramco-reiterates-oil-based-ties-support-chinas-clean-energy-rollout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3269126/saudi-aramco-reiterates-oil-based-ties-support-chinas-clean-energy-rollout?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 04:39:39 +0000 Moving ahead with the times may not necessarily be the Hong Kong government’s forte, though efforts have been made to narrow the gaps. The application of green hydrogen energy is a case in point. After Beijing published an ambitious road map in 2020 to develop the hydrogen economy, local officials are catching up with a blueprint on the promising new energy, which, hopefully, will pave the way for its wider use in the city while helping reduce pollution and global warming. Announcing the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3268586/prepare-well-so-hong-kong-can-benefit-hydrogen-advances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3268586/prepare-well-so-hong-kong-can-benefit-hydrogen-advances?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jun 2024 21:30:19 +0000 Eric Ng,Martin Choi Eric Ng,Martin Choi In the last of a four-part series, Eric Ng and Martin Choi look at the government’s efforts to ignite a local hydrogen economy in Hong Kong. However, those involved in the promising sector would like the authorities to do more. Tucked inside an unremarkable Citybus depot sandwiched between a busy highway and the waterfront in West Kowloon, Hong Kong’s first hydrogen-refuelling station has been powering the city’s first and only zero-emission bus since February. After taking on 40kg of compressed... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3268438/hong-kongs-nascent-hydrogen-economy-needs-bigger-push-get-rolling-advocates-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3268438/hong-kongs-nascent-hydrogen-economy-needs-bigger-push-get-rolling-advocates-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jun 2024 02:00:18 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification To address climate threats, the Environment and Ecology Bureau recently announced a strategy for hydrogen development in Hong Kong that focuses more on the transport sector. More consideration is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3268087/hong-kong-would-benefit-more-targeted-push-green-hydrogen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3268087/hong-kong-would-benefit-more-targeted-push-green-hydrogen?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2024 03:30:09 +0000