In 2023, Hong Kong SAR China relied on fossil fuels for about three-quarters of its electricity consumption: gas supplied almost half and coal just over a quarter. Net imports accounted for nearly another quarter, while local low-carbon generation supplied less than 1%. The data do not identify the sources of imported electricity, so imports cannot automatically be classified as either fossil or clean electricity. Overall, the figures show substantial scope to replace fossil electricity with low-carbon supplies, reducing climate-changing emissions and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Hong Kong SAR China?

Electricity consumption per person has not surpassed its historical peak. In 2023, it stood at 6,615 kWh per person, about 160 kWh—or 2%—below the record of 6,772 kWh set in 2012. These figures indicate that per-person consumption remains below its peak, rather than establishing whether total consumption is growing. Local low-carbon electricity generation, however, reached a new record of 48 kWh per person, up from 44 kWh in 2022—an increase of about 9%. That progress is welcome, but the small scale highlights the need for much faster clean electricity growth to support electrification and emerging demand, including AI.

Suggestions

Hong Kong can expand low-carbon electricity by accelerating rooftop and building-integrated solar, while pursuing additional nuclear electricity through regional cooperation and considering opportunities for new nuclear capacity. Nearby reference regions offer useful lessons: solar supplies about 12% of electricity generation in mainland China and 11% in Japan, demonstrating a stronger role for solar in regional electricity systems. South Korea generates a quarter of its electricity from nuclear, while France obtains about two-thirds, illustrating nuclear’s potential to provide large volumes of clean electricity. Hong Kong could also assess offshore wind opportunities, drawing lessons from the United Kingdom, where wind provides about 30% of generation. Together, solar, nuclear and suitable wind projects could substantially increase clean electricity supplies.

History

The reported history shows limited changes in local low-carbon electricity generation from the mid-2000s through the late 2010s. Wind recorded no change in 2006 and 2007, while the listed biofuel entries from 2007 through 2018 also showed no change at the reported precision. Solar likewise recorded no change in 2011. The first listed increase was about 0.1 TWh from biofuels in 2019; solar then added about 0.1 TWh in each of 2021 and 2022, following no reported change in 2019 and 2020. In 2023, both solar and biofuels recorded no change at the stated precision. These modest gains are encouraging, but the latest pause underscores the need for a more sustained expansion of low-carbon electricity generation.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade