In 2023, Hong Kong SAR China’s electricity consumption depended heavily on fossil fuels, which supplied about 76% of the total. Gas accounted for almost half of electricity consumption, while coal supplied about 27%. Net imports provided nearly a quarter, although the supplied data do not identify their electricity sources, so they cannot automatically be classified as clean or fossil-based. Locally generated low-carbon electricity supplied less than 1% of consumption, leaving considerable room to expand clean electricity and reduce the climate and air-pollution impacts of fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in Hong Kong SAR China?

Electricity consumption per person has not surpassed its previous peak. In 2023, it stood at about 6,600 kWh per person, roughly 160 kWh, or 2%, below the 2012 record of about 6,800 kWh. This indicates stagnation relative to the historic peak, rather than establishing whether total consumption grew in the latest year. Encouragingly, local low-carbon electricity generation reached a new record of 48 kWh per person, up from 44 kWh in 2022—an increase of about 9%. However, this remains a very small contribution, and faster clean electricity growth would help meet future demand from electrification and AI.

Suggestions

Hong Kong SAR China can expand low-carbon generation by accelerating rooftop and building-integrated solar, exploring suitable offshore wind projects, and pursuing greater nuclear electricity supply through regional cooperation, alongside considering opportunities for new nuclear capacity. Relevant examples include densely populated South Korea, where nuclear supplies 25% of electricity generation, and France, where it supplies about two-thirds. Japan and land-constrained Malta each generate 11% of their electricity from solar, offering useful reference points for making productive use of buildings and limited space. The Netherlands, with 19% solar and 25% wind, also illustrates how these technologies can make substantial contributions. These examples support a strategy combining local solar and offshore wind with expanded access to dependable nuclear electricity.

History

The supplied history shows very limited changes in local low-carbon electricity generation from the mid-2000s through much of the 2010s. Listed wind changes in 2006–2007 and solar changes in 2011 were zero at the reported precision, while biofuels also recorded mostly zero changes through 2018. Growth became more visible in 2019, when biofuels generation increased by 0.1 TWh, followed by solar increases of 0.1 TWh in both 2021 and 2022. Solar recorded no change at the supplied precision in 2019–2020 or 2023, and biofuels likewise showed no change in 2022–2023. These modest gains are welcome, but the prolonged periods of little reported growth underscore the need for a stronger, sustained expansion of clean electricity.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade