Energy Efficiency
Implementation of Phase IV of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme
To promote energy savings, reduce carbon emissions and raise public awareness of energy conservation, Phase IV of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MEELS) officially came into effect on 1 September 2023. Its coverage expanded from eight to eleven prescribed products, with the addition of LED lamps, gas cookers and gas instantaneous water heaters. This initiative aims at assisting consumers in selecting more energy-efficient products, so that they can save energy in daily life and join in to work towards carbon neutrality. After the implementation of Phase IV, the products covered by the MEELS would account for 80% of total residential energy consumption, and consumers can additionally save about 570 terajoules (approximately 160 million kilowatt-hours), equivalent to a reduction of around 75 000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
Successful Conclusion of the Solar Harvest Scheme
Since 2019, the EMSD has implemented the five-year Solar Harvest scheme to design and install small solar energy generation systems for eligible schools and welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs), so that they could participate in the Feed-in Tariff scheme of the two power companies. This Solar Harvest scheme was successfully concluded during the year, helping to install over 700 sets of 10-kilowatt solar energy generation systems for 500 schools and NGOs. These systems were expected to generate up to 6.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 1 950 three-person households per year.
Use of Global Navigation Satellite System in Use of Global Navigation Satellite System in Use of Global Navigation Satellite System in
During the year, the EMSD successfully developed a solution using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology to monitor in real time the settlement of underground pipes in the Kai Tak District Cooling System. This innovation won a silver medal at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva.
Since several engineering projects in the Kai Tak Development Area posed potential risks to the underground pipes, we needed to effectively and extensively monitor the extent of their settlement. To this end, we have improved the traditional time and to continuously monitor the situation. This system could monitor the settlement risk of underground pipes in real time, allowing the Energy Efficiency Office to monitor the underground pipeline networks through the online platform around the clock and take immediate actions in the event of settlement. In the future, we plan to further apply this technology in new development areas to enhance the reliability of district cooling systems.
