Electricity in Hong Kong SAR China in 2022

Global Ranking: #169

0.5% #188 Low-carbon electricity

6497.53 kWh #42 Generation / person

In 2022, the electricity consumption in Hong Kong SAR, China, heavily leaned towards fossil energy, accounting for a significant portion of the overall consumption. More than half of the electricity, approximately 74%, was generated from fossil sources, with nearly 44% from gas and about 29% from coal. These numbers indicate a strong reliance on non-clean sources, which contributes to climate change and air pollution. Meanwhile, nearly 26% of electricity was supplied through net imports, an area that holds the potential for cleaner energy sources but does not specify the energy types.

Suggestions

To enhance its low-carbon electricity generation, Hong Kong can draw inspiration from countries successfully increasing their clean energy shares. France and Slovakia, having 67% and 60% of their electricity coming from nuclear energy, demonstrate the potential of expanding nuclear power. Similarly, Denmark's achievement of generating 59% of its electricity from wind sets a benchmark for exploiting wind energy. Hong Kong could benefit from investing in nuclear and wind technologies, aligning with similar urbanized regions like South Korea, where nuclear power contributes to 31% of electricity generation. Emulating these clean energy strategies would help Hong Kong reduce its carbon footprint while ensuring a reliable electricity supply.

History

The history of low-carbon electricity in Hong Kong reveals minimal advancement in clean energy development, particularly over the last couple of decades. Beginning in 2006, the region showed close to none progress in generating electricity from clean sources such as wind or biofuels, with no evident contributions until a minor biofuels generation change of 0.1 TWh occurred in 2019. Solar energy also showed negligible progress despite its potential. This tepid advancement highlights the need for Hong Kong to invigorate its commitment to clean energy expansion, learning from global leaders in nuclear, wind, and solar technologies to pave a sustainable path forward.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources

For the years 1980 to 1984 the data sources are EIA and IEA (imports/exports).

For the years 1985 to 1989 the data sources are Energy Institute and IEA (imports/exports).

For the years 1990 to 1999 the data source is IEA.

For the years 2000 to 2005 the data source is Ember.

For the years 2006 to 2018 the data source is IEA.

For the years 2019 to 2022 the data source is Ember.