The SAR’s government has revealed a comprehensive new safety regulatory framework and a collaborative plan with Guangdong to accelerate its goal of lowering carbon emissions
Hong Kong unveils hydrogen fuel plan backed by new laws and Guangdong collaboration
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The Hong Kong government has announced its ambition to promote hydrogen as a fuel source, aiming to cut carbon emissions by half from 2005 levels before a 2035 deadline.
The announcement was made on Monday at the International Hydrogen Development Symposium, a three-day flagship event for Hydrogen Week that gathered over 1,000 global experts and participants at the Convention and Exhibition Centre
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Hong Kong’s acting environment secretary Diane Wong confirmed that the use of hydrogen fuel will soon be governed by comprehensive regulations that will place hydrogen under the safety regulatory provisions of the Gas Safety Ordinance.
New subsidiary legislation covering the importation, manufacture, storage, transport, supply, and use of hydrogen as fuel will be presented to the Legislative Council for negative vetting within 2026. The objective is for both the main ordinance and the subsidiary legislation to come into effect on the same day.
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Furthermore, officials are advancing hydrogen standards, launching a dedicated study in August 2024 to propose a preliminary green hydrogen certification system. This framework will be supported by mainland China’s standards, compatible with global practices, and customised for Hong Kong’s specific circumstances. Currently, 37 hydrogen energy trial projects are either underway or in preparation across the city.
Wong emphasised that cross-boundary collaboration is essential to hasten hydrogen development in Hong Kong. This includes sharing data and simplifying customs clearance for vehicles transporting the fuel from the mainland.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department plan to sign a memorandum with their Guangdong counterparts to establish a joint collaborative framework.
Separately, during the symposium, the SAR government also signed agreements with South Korea to exchange expertise on hydrogen policies, safety standards, certification, and technology sharing.
