The fuel mix for electricity generation for the two power companies in Hong Kong rely mostly on coal (44% CLP and 80% HK Electric Holdings in 2009)l. A balanced fuel strategy is important for supply, reliability and tariff management. The power plants in Hong Kong mainly use coal, natural gas and nuclear energy as fuel to generate electricity. The combustion of coal especially generates harmful by-products, such as sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury vapor, respirable suspended particulates (RSP) containing heavy metals and Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) are emitted concurrently. Some of the substances emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels causes potential health and environmental problems. More stringent control over emission of power plants will substantially enhance local air quality. Although the Government has toughened the emissions caps for 2010 they are still too high by first world standards.

From 2006 there has been an improvement of the quality of the fuel mix from our 2 power producers.

In 2009 the fuel mix for China Light & Power (CLP) was :

Coal : 44.5% Nuclear : 30.6% Gas : 24.7% Oil : 0.2%

CLP figures on the fuel mix (presumably mainly coal) for generation of CLP’s 13,433 Terajoules of electricity exported to Guangdong in 2009 were absent.

HK Electric Company (HEC) now has two gas turbines with a capacity of 680MWh. Figures for HEC fuel mix for 2009 were :

Coal : 80% Gas : 20%. HEC states it intends to increase its gas mix to 30% in 2010.

Figure 2. CLP Fuel Mix for Electricity Generation in 2006

Figure 3. Hong Kong Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions. 2009. Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. 11 July 2010. [Link]

For 2010, the government has set a target of cutting sulfur dioxide emissions by 45%, nitrogen oxide by 20%, respirable suspended particles and volatile organic compounds by 55%. Hongkong Electric has launched a HK$1 billion project to meet pollution-reduction targets. The first phase, is installation of a flue-gas desulfurization system and a NOx burner system at Lamma Island power station, was completed.

However, CLP has emitted more air pollutants last year as a result of coal burning. The emissions of nitrogen oxides grew by 6%, sulfur dioxide grew by 20% and particulates grew by 30% in 2009. The firm claimed that they deliberately allocate the use of natural gas in 2009 until 2013, when the new suppliers are ready. Moreover, they vowed to meet the more stringent emissions targets for this year as they have invested in new FGD emission control devices in two of the four coal-fired generation units at its Castle Peak Power Station which are already commissioned. However, their report is simplistic and lacks merit. How can Hong Kong import clean nuclear energy from South China when South China requested Hong Kong to increase their electricity output to Guandong? What about the Hua Zheng 4000 MWh power station in Shenzhen that burns coal and directly affects Hong Kong? The ships, diesel vehicles and diesel factory generators just over the border contribute 37% of local emissions and pollutants ; and why would they be concerned about CO2 released into the atmosphere , which does not cause deaths with ground level pollution.

The Chief Executive said that our aim is to increase the use of gas to 50% for power generation. From last year power generation data,  power stations generated 39 GWh energy for local usage. In order to reach the 50% gas rule, at least 5.5 billion cubic meters of gas are required. However, we have no way of receiving enough gas. Da Peng LNG Plant, which supplies HK Electric and Towngas, only has 680 MW gas fired capacity at HKEH’s Lamma plant, which is far below the supposed 50% capability. Moreover, MOU does not provide enough gas and the two new sources for CLP (Caspian west east pipeline and LNG terminal in South China) will not be ready for  at least 5-6 years. CLP is believed to have signed a deal with Petrochina for additional Natural gas via a pipeline from Russia. It is predicted that we will have less gas than what CLP gets now from the expiring Ya-cheng 13 source and there will be a heavier dependency on coal burning. It is worrying to see that there is a decreasing trend in the use of “clean” gas while coal is still used heavily.  Meanwhile a second nuclear plant has come online  adjoining Daya Bay plant and CLP intends to import a percentage of this clean generation.

Problems that we are facing now…

We can recognize why the local air is bad by looking at the fuel mix numbers. In 1999, CLP burned 102,959 terajoules of “clean” gas, which is 32.87% more than that of 2008. In 2008, CLP burnt only 77,487 terajoules of “clean” gas, while they depended heavily on coal burning. In 2008, CLP burnt 2.78 times more polluting coal releasing huge quantities of PM 2.5 than it burned in 1999. CLP and HKEH have both declined technology from Indigo Technologies Agglomerator (Australia) that could more effectively control the emissions of microfine (lethal) heavy metal particulates. In general, CLP generated more energy now compared to the past. In 2008 CLP generated locally 38.7% more GWh than in 1999 and exported more back to Southern Guangdong.

The government has required all new generation capacity to use natural gas since it is a better fuel than coal.  Nuclear fuel generation has zero emissions.

Air Quality Objectives (AQOs), which the Government intends to adopt to measure air pollution in Hong Kong, were established in 1987 under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO). However, it has never been reviewed since 1987. It is believed that the AQOs have become outdated as we have gained more knowledge on air pollutants harmful effects and related health problem issues. WHO has established a set of guidelines, which has the same function as the AQOs and are more up-to-date. They are recognized as an international benchmark and are already adopted by a growing number of countries. However, there is still a sign that the Government is reluctant to adopt these WHO standards.

The source of the local air pollution also extends to the Guangdong province, located north of Hong Kong. Local air quality is not only affected by air pollution generated by Hong Kong itself, but also greatly affected by the rapid industrialization and urbanization of the Pearl River Delta region. Again, the power generating capacity and methodology in Guangdong province is another major source of the pollution. The development of power generating capacity in Guangdong cannot catch up with the rapid industrialization, so there is a shortage of power supply to many ‘browned out’ factories. This forces many factories to frequently run their own generators, which usually burn low quality diesel fuel, and results in the emission of enormous amounts of polluted airborne gases. Although authorities have issued warnings and fines, the air quality there is still very poor as can be seen on satellite photos daily.

From the Hong Kong energy end-use data 2009 report, in 2007, only 15% of the total fuels came from town gas and LPG, while 35% came from oil and coal products and the rest came from electricity. Although there is an increasing use of LPG, the boost is not significant (the use of town gas (natural gas) and LPG only increased by 4% from 1997 to 2007) - it is shown that there was still a heavy dependency on coal and oil products in 2007.

Figure 4. Hong Kong Energy End-Use Data 2009. Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. 11 July 2010. [Link]

In addition, the transition from current coal-fired power generation to cleaner industry is massive and expensive. TRUenergy in Australia, a subsidiary company of Hong Kong-based CLP Group, is experiencing such transition. New South Wales and Victoria in Australia are going to have two gas-fired power stations by 2013, as TRUenergy is planning to invest more than $2 billion to provide cleaner power to about 1.2 million homes, provided that they can receive enough compensation from the government. So, what about Hong Kong ?

Hong Kong’s aim…

• Reduce harmful pollutants (PM2.5) from power station emissions through more stringent Air Quality Standards, not Objectives. Standards are written into the Law Books and enforceable.
• Support the use of Best Available Current Technology, which can take 75% of the ultrafine and PM2.5 heavy metal particulates out of the air.
• Work to improve energy savings and efficiency in all public and private buildings across Hong Kong.

What can be done…

As it is mentioned, there is a need to review and tighten the Air Quality STANDARDS.
The most lethal substances causing air pollution are PM 2.5 and PM 1.0. They are particulates less than 2.5 micrograms and ultrafine particles, formed by combustion. Coal burning power plants and diesel vehicles are the main sources of these air pollutants. Some countries, such as United States, Europe and Australia, have already recognized their damage and they all have effective PM 2.5 Standards now. Hong Kong must also enact PM 2.5 Standards.

As the local air quality is also affected by our neighbours, there is a need to work with Guangdong province, to establish suitable policies to tackle the problem. Agglomerator manufacturers are already talking with a major power plant (Hua Zheng) over the border in Shenzhen which we hope will proceed as it will have a major effect on local air pollution here.

Nevertheless there is still a constant rapid rise in the total electricity consumption by local population. From CLP reports, Capco stations’ 2007 production has increased by 25.3% above 1999 level. Development in energy technologies is not the best and ultimate solution. It is more important to improve energy savings. It is necessary for the population to realise the importance of saving energy. A lot of ‘hot air’ advocacy work has been done by Government and environmental organizations to encourage energy savings. However, it is still one of the hardest tasks to bring public together to achieve this goal, since over 30% of energy consumption is pure waste, due to massive energy consumption by commercial buildings, excessive lighting and air conditioning.

Government has introduced Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labeling Scheme (MEELS) in May 2008 in order to make it easier for consumers  to choose better energy saving products (including those supplied by the Chief Executive’s relative) . Only a few types of prescribed products are covered so far and the MEELS are not yet known to many people in Hong Kong. More advertisement on this issue would be constructive.

Other than promoting energy savings, improving energy efficiency is another major field to be developed. Since about 89% of the total electricity consumption in Hong Kong comes from buildings, it is constructive to improve energy efficiency in buildings. In 2009, the Buildings Energy Efficiency Bill for mandatory implementation of the Building Energy Code (BEC) was completed and introduced to the Legislative Council. The bill is still (like most contentious items needing a positive Government decision in Hong Kong ) under vetting. It should make BEC mandatory for all buildings and appliances.

The expanding renewable energy…

Smart meter:

In October 2008, the government has announced that all households are required to install smart meters over the next ten years. The smart meters can tell households exactly how much gas and electricity that they are using. It is believed to be a major step forward as we are the first in the world to have moved the smart meter roll-out on this scale. It is also seen by peers as integral to the success of a new renewable energy feed-in tariff. Conservative House of Lords Peer, Baroness Wilcox said, “Smart meters are not only critical for energy savings at home but will soon be inextricably linked with the feed-in tariff”.

Fly ash:

One of the by-products formed by the combustion of coal is called fly ash. It is a fine, glass-like powder recovered from the flue gases. It is an inexpensive replacement for Portland cement used in concrete, and it is environmentally friendly because it can be recycled. The components and properties of the fly ash allow it to provide excellent strength, segregation, and ease of pumping of the concrete. However, since the Clean Air Ordinance in 1990, when the power plants were required to cut nitric oxide emissions, plants restrict oxygen and high-carbon fly ash results. High carbon fly ash must be reprocessed for cement production. Therefore, fly ash will be less available and more costly in the future. There is research going on to study other treatment options. It is desired to find environmental friendly ways to use the by-products from the combustion of fuels. 

Good news from hydrogen car production:

Professor Issam Mudawar along with his research team has developed a hydrogen storage system that would allow a car tank to be filled in five minutes with fuel, which is enough to support a 300 miles ride. This project is funded by General Motors Corporation. The biggest hurdle was the problem of heating while refueling the tank, and they also had to shorten the time limit for refill. In order to refill quickly, they use a very fine powder, called metal hydride, which is able to absorb hydrogen efficiently. Their cooling system consists of a U shaped tube, a pressure chamber and an aluminum heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is designed in such a way that when the hydrogen is absorbed, a smooth temperature absorption mechanism will start immediately. It is expected that better metal hydrides and heat exchanger design can be developed by research teams worldwide in the future. If Hong Kong used hydrogen fuel cell buses on major thoroughfares such as those currently available in Europe and elsewhere our roadside air quality would improve massively.

Proposed wind farm:

CLP has proposed to build 67 wind turbines 135 meters high in the sea off Sai Kung. Some people regarded this as a milestone for Hong Kong in developing renewable energy. Others, like WWF, are concerned about its effect on marine life. The project of this small wind farm would cost as much as HK$2.8 billion and satisfy only 0.7% of the total local electricity demand whilst adding to the electricity costs to the public under the Scheme of Control. Earlier, CLP had lost its cash cow in the Sokos proposed plant under the Scheme of Control whereby they can increase their charges in relation to the infrastructure investment . It allows Exxon Mobil (61% owner of CLP power generation) to spend more money to increase their rate of return on tariffs now. Moreover, they have already installed new generating capacity of 8888MWh, which is enough to supple the electricity for the whole Hong Kong and parts of southern China. It is considered a major possibility from many sources that they invested in this wind farm in order to claim more tariff under the Scheme of Control. Meanwhile, they are seemingly delaying their report on their test Agglomerator installation.

Agglomerator reduces emissions in China:

Environmental friendly technology has developed quickly. An agglomerator (a device in the flue gas stack which charges tiny particles so they stick to larger particles which are then caught by the existing Electrostatic Precipitator at the top of the stack)  has been installed at a Chinese government-owned and operated power plant in December 2007. It has produced extremely good results with different kinds of coals and operating conditions. After the commissioning of the agglomerator in 2008, particle size testing was conducted and historical comparisons were made. Analysis showed that for all particles less than 10µm, the agglomerator can reduce particles by 45% on average. It is reasonable to believe that the installation of a second agglomerator can reduce more. Based on historical analysis, it can be concluded that 40% of the total opacity emission can be reduced. The agglomerator has already been installed in eight stations in three different countries using  many different coals, boilers and particulate collection devices. They all reach strong opacity reductions. The development in this technology (partnered in USA by NASA) will hopefully reduce a significant amount of air pollutants emitted from power plants. It’s a shame that the local power companies rejected it here.

The MAPSystem:

link

There are new technologies to reduce emissions of fine particulates.
The MAPSystem is a new sustainable multi-pollutant control technology,
Results from Alabama Power’s Gadsden Plant trials : Gadsden trials are designed to prove the transition from sodium based chemistry to lime based chemistry. It is developed in partnership with FMC Corporation and NASA. With enhanced chemical, physical and electrostatic processes, the removal of fine particles (PM 2.5 and opacity), nitrogen oxides and mercury becomes more efficient. They target to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by 60%, mercury by 80% and fine particles by 70%.

Coal’s Assault on Human Health:

link

Coal combustion emissions threaten human health by damaging the respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. They contribute to major causes of mortal diseases, such as heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Many of these diseases are developed under oxidative stress and inflammation brought by air pollution. Coal combustion releases a mixture of harmful chemicals into the environment and contributes significantly to global warming. Harmful chemicals include sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5 ), nitrogen oxides (NOx), mercury etc.

Coal’s effect on the Respiratory System of humans and animals:

• affects lung development and reduces forced expiratory volume (FEV) among children
• triggers attacks of asthma
• develops chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disease characterized by permanent narrowing of airways
• causes lung cancer

Coal’s effect on the Cardiovascular System:

• causes coronary heart disease (CHD), which is a leading cause of death
• causes cardiovascular diseases, such as arterial occlusion (artery blockages, leading to heart attack) and infarction formation (tissue death due to oxygen deprivation, leading to permanent heart damage)
• nitrous oxides and PM2.5 cause potentially fatal cardiac rhythm disturbances

Coal’s effect on the Nervous System:

• ambient level of PM2.5 has been correlated with hospital admission rates for cerebrovascular disease, especially among post-menopausal women
• ambient level of PM10 has been correlated with hospital admission rates for ischemic stroke (80% of strokes are ischemic)
• causes loss of intellectual capacity, primarily through mercury absorption

Coal’s effect on Global Warming (indirect health effects):

• WHO estimated that global warming correlates to 166,000 deaths in year 2000, due to additional mortality from malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea and drowning
• Heat waves lead to a rise in heat exhaustion and heat stroke