What would you like to search for?

Our News

WWF Reveals Renewable Energy Survey Results

Over 80 per cent of Hong Kong citizens believe that the Hong Kong government should open up the electricity grid to encourage investors – other than the two power utility companies – to participate in renewable energy development. These findings were revealed by the Survey on Renewable Energy, jointly conducted by WWF-Hong Kong and the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong.

Over 80 per cent of Hong Kong citizens believe that the Hong Kong government should open up the electricity grid to encourage investors – other than the two power utility companies – to participate in renewable energy development. These findings were revealed by the Survey on Renewable Energy, jointly conducted by WWF-Hong Kong and the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong. Over half of the respondents stated that they would consider installing renewable energy generating devices if the power companies promised to purchase power from them.

WWF-Hong Kong therefore requests that two power companies adopt a feed-in tariff for distributed generation in the upcoming 2018 Scheme of Control Agreements.
 
There is only one month left before the end of the public consultation period on the future development of Hong Kong’s electricity market. It is important to note that the consultation paper provides a skewed perception to the general public: that only the two power companies are eligible to develop renewable energy, and that Hong Kong citizens have no choice but to accept this and pay more for their electricity.

The survey, conducted between 4 and 15 May 2015, interviewed 1,030 Hong Kong citizens and asked for their opinions on renewable energy. Eighty-three per cent of respondents agreed that in order to solve the problems of climate change and air pollution, the government should start to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy for electricity generation.

Meanwhile eighty-four per cent of respondents agreed that the government should open up the electricity grid in Hong Kong in order to encourage other investors to participate in renewable energy development. Sixty-six per cent of respondents also supported offering feed-in tariffs to institutions that use solar power or biodiesel to generate electricity.

These results reveal that a majority of citizens think that it is essential to open up the electricity market and allow citizens and private companies to participate in electricity generation and the development of renewable energy.

When asked whether they would consider installing renewable energy generating devices if the power companies promised to purchase the electricity they generated, 53 per cent of respondents responded with a “Yes”. “Citizens are interested in developing renewable energy, but current policies do not encourage them to enter the market, resulting in an unfair situation where only the power companies can profit from the electricity generated by renewable energy. What is even more unfair is that these enormous profits are currently guaranteed by the Scheme of Control Agreements, while investments made by other corporations and citizens receive no protection,” said Prentice Koo, WWF-Hong Kong’s Assistant Manager, Climate Policy and People.

In the pursuit of a healthier electricity market, with fair participation by citizens and private companies in the development of renewable energy, WWF-Hong Kong believes that a feed-in tariff must be adopted in the 2018 Scheme of Control Agreements.

Share This!

Help us spread the message