SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1977
HONG KONG'S FIRST SOLAR ENERGY STUDY
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HONG KONG, LIKE MANY OTHER INDUSTRIALISED AREAS, IS BEGINNING TO REACH FOR THE SUN IN A BID TO CUT DOWN ON ITS ESCALATING ENERGY COSTS.
THE INITIATIVE IS BEING TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT, THROUGH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS ABOUT TO COMMISSION A CONSULTANT'S STUDY OF SOLAR ENERGY AS ONE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE +FOSSIL FUELS+ OIL AND GAS, THE COSTS OF WHICH HAVE SKYROCKETED SINCE THE OIL CRISIS OF 1974.
AT THE MOMENT IT IS COSTING THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT $51.7 MILLION A YEAR IN FUEL FOR LIGHTING AND POWER FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND INSTALLATIONS, HOSPITALS, CLINICS, PRISONS AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS AND RECREATION CENTRES. THE P.W.D. AND URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT HOPE TO REDUCE THIS ANNUAL BILL BY AUGMENTING OIL-BASED POWER SYSTEMS WITH SOLAR ENERGY UNITS USING THE SUN'S RAYS TO PROVIDE HEATING AND EVEN AIR-CONDITIONING.
+A IR-CONDITIONING IS OUR ULTIMATE TARGET,+ SAYS MR. FRANK AU, THE P.W.D.'S GOVERNMENT BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEER, WHO HAS BEEN STEERING THE P.W.D. IN TANDEM WITH THE U.S.D. ON THE SOLAR ENERGY INVESTIGATION.
+A IR-CONDITIONING IS BY FAR THE MAJOR ENERGY CONSUMER, BOTH IN THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTORS. IF WE COULD FIND A WAY OF USING SOLAR ENERGY TO REDUCE THE SYSTEM'S OIL-FUELLED POWER CONSUMPTION THE SAVINGS IN FUEL COSTS COULD BE QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.+
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SAVING MONEY BY CONSERVING ENERGY HAS BEEN ONE OF FRANK AU'S PET INTERESTS FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS ESPECIALLY SINCE THE 1974 ENERGY CRISIS, WHICH WAS TRIGGERED BY A WHACKING 270 PER CENT RISE IN OIL PRICES. FUEL COSTS WENT UP AGAIN BY 16 PER CENT IN 1975, AND BY ANOTHER SIX PER CENT LAST YEAR, AND THE UNITED STATÉS INSTITUTE OF ENERGY MANAGEMENT HAS FORECAST AN ANNUAL 20 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE COMING YEARS.
+ALMOST EVERY DEVELOPED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IS LOOKING AROUND FOR WAYS OF CONSERVING ITS ENERGY TO COMBAT RISING OIL PRICES, AND WE MUST CERTAINLY FOLLOW SUIT IF WE WANT TO AVOID INFLATIONARY CRISES IN THE FUTURE,+ SAYS MR. AU. ONE WAY IS TO FIND NEW ENERGY SOURCES THE OTHER, TO CUT BACK OR ECONOMISE ON PRESENT CONSUMPTION.+
ENERGY CONSERVATION HAS BEEN UNDER STUDY, QUIETLY AND PAINSTAKINGLY, WITHIN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME FOR SOME TIME NOW. TWO YEARS AGO FRANK AU PERSUADED THE P.W.D. THAT WITH OIL PRICES EXPECTED TO CONTINUE RISING THE TIME HAD COME TO SET UP AN ENERGY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO STUDY AND IMPLEMENT ENERGY-SAVING MEASURES IN P.W.D. BUILDINGS AND INSTALLATIONS AND THOSE OF OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
/FOR ITS