The source text is in Chinese. This English version is for reference only. In case of any discrepancy between this English version and the Chinese version, the Chinese version shall prevail. 

In recent years, Hong Kong has made significant progress in the application of hydrogen as a clean energy. In April this year, the Legislative Council passed the second reading of the Bills Committee on Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 2025, bringing Hong Kong a step closer to widespread use and regulated development of hydrogen energy. However, to enable broader adoption of hydrogen, Hong Kong still faces challenges in application scenarios, supply, and transportation.

In a jointly authored commentary, Kenny Shui, Vice President of Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) and Executive Director of Public Policy Institute (PPI); Pascal Siu, Head of Green & Sustainability of OHKF; and Cindy Xie, Researcher of OHKF, argued that Hong Kong should prioritise transportation—especially heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks—in its hydrogen application strategy. Currently, there are around 70,000 heavy vehicles in Hong Kong, accounting for roughly 10% of total carbon emissions in the city. Accelerating the construction of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is therefore essential.

Nevertheless, hydrogen transport infrastructure remains insufficient in Hong Kong. Currently, there is only one public hydrogen refuelling station located in Yuen Long, supplying about 1 tonne of hydrogen daily. Given that a medium-to-heavy truck or bus travelling 200km per day consumes approximately 7.5 to 10kg of hydrogen per 100km driven, existing facilities can only support around 50 to 60 vehicles daily—far below the existing number of heavy vehicles. Thus, there is an urgent need to promote the construction of more integrated energy service stations combining "fuel, gas, hydrogen, electricity, and services," and set up dedicated hydrogen refuelling facilities in heavy-vehicle-concentrated areas, such as border crossings and bus depots.

In addition, hydrogen application is viable in remote areas or locations not connected to the electricity grid, where traditional fossil fuels cause carbon emission issues. In contrast, hydrogen fuel cells offer clean power output. Moving forward, the Government could develop relevant guidelines to encourage research and development of fuel-cell technologies and hydrogen-storage equipment suitable for local conditions, ensuring stable system operation within Hong Kong.

Pros and Cons of 3 Hydrogen Transport Methods

To meet the future growing demand for hydrogen, Hong Kong must proactively plan and establish a comprehensive hydrogen supply chain. Importing hydrogen from Mainland China could be cost-effective. As a general overview, there are 3 hydrogen transportation methods widely discussed in Hong Kong. Firstly, pipeline transport of gaseous hydrogen is highly efficient and suitable for large-scale applications. Although existing town gas networks could be utilised, substantial upfront investment is required owing to the construction of pipeline branches and installation of equipment to extract pure hydrogen from town gas pipelines.

Secondly, road transport of high-pressure gaseous hydrogen is technologically mature and suitable for short-distance delivery, but it has high costs and limited transport capacity. Thirdly, liquid hydrogen transport is safe and has high storage density, making it suitable for long-distance, large-scale transportation. However, it requires maintenance at extremely low temperatures, involving higher technical thresholds and complex production and preparation processes.

Additionally, Hong Kong could consider local hydrogen production, particularly leveraging newly developed land such as the Northern Metropolis, to establish a local hydrogen industry and ensure supply-chain stability. The authors suggest that the key lies in initiating early industry discussions on the feasibility of various options. The Government should proactively prepare, plan ahead, and actively develop relevant infrastructure.

The Government is in a leading position for hydrogen development and has made commendable progress thus far. Nonetheless, it should adopt a more forward-looking approach when planning future developments. Therefore, it is recommended that the Government proactively embraces future challenges, strengthens cooperation with industry stakeholders, and formulates comprehensive policies. Only through such coordinated efforts can infrastructure, supply-chain development, and hydrogen applications advance synergistically.