ENG-2019 — Page 290

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The Environment

Natural gas is imported from the Mainland via submarine pipelines to Black Point Power Station and Lamma Power Station for electricity generation, and to the Tai Po plant, and onward from Tai Po to the Ma Tau Kok plant via underground pipelines, for the production of town gas. Separately, CLP Power draws natural gas from the Mainland's Second West-East Natural Gas Pipeline through the submarine Hong Kong Branch Line facilities.

Energy Saving

Energy consumption is related closely to greenhouse gas emissions. Improving energy efficiency helps combat global climate change. End users consumed 286,270 terajoules in 2017, with the commercial, transport, residential and industrial sectors taking up 44, 31, 21 and 4 per cent respectively.

The bureau's Energy Saving Plan for Hong Kong's Built Environment 2015~25+ is the city's first energy-saving blueprint. It sets a target of reducing energy intensity by 40 per cent by 2025, and outlines the policy, strategies, targets and key actions that can help achieve that target. By end-2019, the city had lowered its energy intensity by more than 30 per cent. The bureau will continue to work with the built environment sector to promote energy-saving measures.

The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department's Energy Efficiency Office promotes efficient use of energy through legislation and public education. Its Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme requires prescribed products to bear energy labels informing consumers of the products' energy efficiency performance. It will consider suitable products for inclusion in phase 4 of the scheme.

The E&M InnoPortal, launched in June 2018, promotes energy-related innovation and technology (I&T). It lists the service needs of various government departments, public organisations and the trade. Universities and start-ups can propose I&T solutions to meet these service needs.

The government's district cooling system at the Kai Tak Development provides chilled water to non-domestic developments for air conditioning. It is being completed in phases and now provides chilled water to buildings including the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Trade and Industry Tower, Hong Kong Children's Hospital, schools and shopping centres. Upon full completion, the system would reduce annual electricity consumption by 85 million kilowatt-hours, equivalent to a carbon reduction of 60,000 tonnes, compared with conventional air-cooled air- conditioning systems. In view of the further increase in the projected demand for cooling services, plans are under way to build an additional district cooling system.

Renewable Energy

The Paris Agreement highlights the need for wider promotion of renewable energy. In Hong Kong, the government takes the lead in renewable energy development. New schools, educational buildings, open space and public parks are subject to its target for providing renewable energy. Existing government buildings undergoing major renovation must incorporate renewable energy technology where technically and financially practicable. The government has also earmarked $2 billion to implement projects at government premises, and

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