Untitled - Civic Exchange

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SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT IN HONG KONG: DIRECTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES Diverting some gas from power generation (especially from the retrofitted coal boilers) to transport and replacing it with coal would result in a net reduction of emissions in Hong Kong, except for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). 167 The advantages of this switch are even greater when one considers the location of the emissions from power stations and the fact that these emissions are highly diluted by the time they affect people. 168 In contrast, the emissions from traffic on congested streets are inhaled directly and at extremely unhealthy concentrations. Replacing transport diesel fuel with natural gas would also be commercially attractive because natural gas for power plants is priced to compete with coal. Hence, gas would be cheaper than transport diesel on an equivalent energy basis. In effect, diesel consumption would be cut, while coal consumption would increase. 169 There should be no need for ongoing government financial support in making this transition. As noted above, the only environmental drawback to diverting natural gas from power to transport is the modest increase in total CO 2 and SO 2 emissions resulting from the use of coal in place of gas in power generation. 170 However, such increases should be viewed within the context of major cutbacks in CO 2 and SO 2 in Hong Kong following the introduction of natural gas for power generation in 1994. In other words, one could argue that increases are a small step backwards after a major step forward. Future emissions of carbon and sulfur will drop even further as soon as Hong Kong Electric begins using natural gas. In addition, measures to conserve electricity have great potential in Hong Kong and would help reduce both the demand for power and the emissions from power plants. NGV do have moderately higher capital costs than their diesel and petrol equivalents. It is not clear how much of this difference is due to economies of scale (far fewer NGV produced than diesel or petrol vehicles) and how much is inherent in the technology. Considering the higher capital costs, there is a case for some form of government support to encourage potential customers to try using natural gas (e.g., reducing the first registration tax on NGV for several years). Such assistance from government would be in line with the support given for the conversion of taxis (and soon public light buses, as well) to LPG. Unfortunately, the Hong Kong government has historically taken a hands-off approach to cleaner vehicles - at least until faced with a crisis and then, as with LPG for taxis, it is forced to create incentives in order to secure user compliance and public acceptance. If a limited CNG fueling system were set up (i.e., with pipeline gas available at fueling stations and localized compression to fill the pressurized fuel tanks of vehicles), it could potentially be used not only for buses but also for medium and possibly some heavy goods vehicles, depending on trial results. • Future possibilities for NGV While there is some potential to divert gas from power generators at Castle Peak, the real potential for NGV depends on the status of the planned Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) port facility in Guangdong. In Hong Kong, this gas supply would be used primarily to expand the generation capacity of Hong Kong Electric, 50 167 Ibid. 168 This is not to suggest that pollution from power plants is unimportant. Some forms of pollution are damaging even when highly diluted. Sulfur emissions contribute to acid rain and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) contributes to climate change. 169 Barron W., and Steinbrecher, N., eds. (1999), Heading Towards Sustainability Practical Indicators of Environmental Sustainability for Hong Kong. 170 Barron, B. (2000), Natural Gas for Transport and Industry: A Major Option for Reducing Hong Kong's Air Pollution.
Chapter 5: Cleaner & More Efficient Road Transport but LNG port facilities could also be scaled to meet a range of demands. Another major market for the LNG would be created by the likely conversion of the Town gas system 171 to natural gas, which has a higher energy content. Replacing Town gas with natural gas would avoid the industrial emissions associated with producing Town gas in the HKSAR. Another possible source of natural gas is the existing pipeline from Hainan to Hong Kong. The pipeline is capable of carrying far more gas than it does at present. Exploration for gas reserves in the Hainan area is ongoing. If more gas is found, Guangdong and the HKSAR could bid for additional supplies. On a cost basis, bulk natural gas supplies by pipeline are highly competitive with liquid fuels and are far cleaner. If natural gas becomes widely available in the Pearl River Delta, it could transform the energy and environmental situation throughout the region. It is useful to remember that in the long run, Hong Kong's overall air quality depends in large part on what happens in Guangdong. Moving towards a regional energy based on natural gas is perhaps the most promising - and may be the only truly promising - long-term prospect for attaining safe air quality throughout the Pearl River Delta. Cleaner diesel and petrol While we feel that use of CNG and LNG should be encouraged, the introduction of both in Hong Kong will be restricted to particular types of vehicles for reasons of performance (e.g., LPG for lighter vehicles only) or re-fueling considerations (e.g., CNG). Hence, other alternatives must also be considered. 172 The major advantage of cleaner diesel and petrol is that both involve little or no change to existing fuel distribution systems. As such, they offer obvious advantages with regard to ease of implementation - indeed, except for somewhat higher prices, drivers would hardly notice the difference. 173 Cleaner fuel options for Hong Kong include ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD), oxygenated fuels, and bio-diesel. 174 For more detail on the specific costs and benefits of each, the reader is referred to the Cleaner Vehicles and Fuels report jointly published by Civic Exchange and the Asia Foundation. 175 CTS3 notes the emissions reduction advantages of reformulated diesel, of which ULSD would be an advanced example. The study also stresses the advantages of diesel catalytic converters and particulate traps. Yet CTS3 says nothing about oxygenated petrol options and bio-diesel. 176 51 171 Town gas has a chemical composition of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and hydrogen and is a product of the Hong Kong And China Gas Company Ltd (Towngas). 172 Cleaner Vehicles and Fuels, a report published by Civic Exchange and the Asia Foundation on May 18, 2001, offers an assessment of the options available for Hong Kong. Several of the free-wheeling road vehicle systems discussed here might provide cost-effective measures for mitigating Hong Kong's transport-related air quality problems. The report is available at . 173 The acceptability of any increase in prices for consumers (an internal cost) would be evaluated against the external benefits of better air quality. 174 ULSD has a sulfur content under 0.005%. Oxygenated fuels are created by mixing ethanol with petrol, reducing aromatics and carbon monoxide. Bio-diesel is fuel derived from vegetable oils or animal fats that is used in compression ignition engines (like petroleum-derived diesel fuel). This is an older technology and was used in many areas of the world during World War II in times of diesel fuel shortage. Bio-diesel can also be mixed with diesel to reduce tailpipe emissions of particulates by 5-15% and hydrocarbons by 15-20%. Civic Exchange & the Asia Foundation (2001), Cleaner Vehicles and Fuels, Hong Kong. 175 Civic Exchange & the Asia Foundation (2001), Cleaner Vehicles and Fuels. 176 Transport Department (1999), Third Comprehensive Transport Study: Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment.
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Civic Exchange and the Asia Foundat
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Page 100 and 101: AUTHORS Bill Barron (wbarron@hkucc.
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SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT IN HONG KONG:
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Civic Exchange Room 601, Hoseinee H
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Untitled - Civic Exchange

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