Qian Xiaodong, executive director and vice-president of China Ever-bright Environment Group Ltd, smiles during an interview with China Daily, at Far East Finance Centre, in Admiralty, Hong Kong, on July 10, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

The Chinese mainland's rich experience in developing photovoltaics, waste-to-energy incineration and other green technologies will provide a valuable reference for Hong Kong as it seeks to enhance its foothold in renewable energy. This will bring the city closer to its lofty goal of achieving carbon neutrality before 2050, according to a senior executive of a green tech company based in the special administrative region.

Qian Xiaodong, executive director and vice-president of China Ever-bright Environment Group Ltd, made the remarks at a media briefing on Monday, pledging to proactively introduce the mainland's advanced environmental technologies and management strategies to Hong Kong.

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China Everbright Environment is a subsidiary of China Everbright Ltd — a State-owned financial service provider established in Hong Kong. With roots in the environmental protection industry spanning two decades, the environmental solution provider has grown into one of the leading environmental enterprises in Asia.

Qian said that the company now runs 575 projects, serving more than 120 million residents on the Chinese mainland, and in Germany, Poland, Vietnam and Africa, among other markets. The programs cover a wide business scope, including waste-to-energy incineration, sewage treatment, photovoltaics, and high-end environmental equipment manufacturing.

To make use of the region's prowess in scientific and innovation research, Qian's company is co-developing carbon capture technology — a technical process of capturing and transporting carbon dioxide produced by industrial activities — with the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, Guangdong province

Qian said the company has stood out in carrying out projects in Hong Kong with its rich experiences, including high technical standards, construction capacity and cost management, gathered through many complicated and large-scale mainland projects.

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The company can play a role in the city's pursuit of carbon neutralization and net-zero electricity generation before 2050, using its waste-to-energy technologies, Qian said.

In 2022, the company's projects generated nearly 24.8 billion kilowatt-hours from over 57 million metric tons of waste of different types. The kilowatt-hours generated equal the average annual electricity consumption of 20.64 million mainland households.

Everbright Environment began its photovoltaic business in Hong Kong in 2021 after acquiring a local company. Currently, the enterprise operates 12 photovoltaic projects across the city, with a design generation capacity of 3.4 megawatts. The three latest projects are located in Yuen Long, the Everbright Centre in Wan Chai, and the CNAC House in Chek Lap Kok, with a total investment of HK$21.42 million ($2.74 million).

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The company also helps promote Hong Kong' green technologies, green finance and green investment in cooperation with local partners, such as the Hong Kong SAR government, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Hong Kong Science Park.

Qian said the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has great potential in the development of green technologies. "The Greater Bay Area has set high standards in green infrastructure development ... The region also leads the country in the number of environmental infrastructures," Qian said.

To make use of the region's prowess in scientific and innovation research, Qian's company is co-developing carbon capture technology — a technical process of capturing and transporting carbon dioxide produced by industrial activities — with the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

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The company also established an ecology park in Boluo county of Huizhou, another GBA city in Guangdong, to showcase its achievement in waste-to-energy technology. Some Hong Kong professionals have been invited to visit the park.

The park and incineration plant is capable of treating 1,900 tons of domestic waste and 100 tons of kitchen waste per day and generating electricity for about 370 million kWh annually. The incinerated waste materials are discharged after they meet the standards of the European Union and are proved to be safe to the surrounding environment.