ebulletin

November 5, 2024
Solar farm on a landfill
Veolia, Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), and CITIC Pacific recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the city’s first privately funded solar farm on a landfill. The project is targeted to start generating green electricity in the first half of 2025.
Located on a valley slope at the South East New Territories Landfill in Tseung Kwan O, the solar farm is estimated to generate 1,200,000 kWh of green electricity annually, enough to power approximately 360 households. By replacing conventional fuel sources with this renewable energy, it aims to reduce carbon emissions by around 468 tonnes a year, equivalent to the CO2 absorption of about 20,000 trees.
The solar farm will be operated by Green Valley Limited (GVL) – a joint venture between Veolia, SHKP and CITIC Pacific – who manages the landfill. This initiative, with the full backing of the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), not only provides a sustainable, low-carbon energy solution but also underscores the vast potential for similar solar farms across Hong Kong, supporting the city’s transition to a low-carbon future.

The solar farm will participate in the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Scheme of CLP Power Hong Kong Limited. At the same time, SUNeVision, a subsidiary of SHKP and Hong Kong’s largest data centre provider, will purchase CLP Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) linked to the solar power generated by the solar farm.
This solar farm consists of over 1,800 PV panels, spanning over 100,000 square feet, and features several technological and project execution breakthroughs. The civil engineering work is carefully designed to ensure slope stability and wind load protection. The installation is specifically intended for landfill restoration, which is a unique feature that avoids damaging the landfill liner and protects leachate and landfill gas collection. Furthermore, remote power generation and solar panel performance systems are designed to monitor all operational conditions, ensuring efficient and safe operation.
Speaking at the event, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan said, “The carbon emissions in Hong Kong peaked in 2014, an compared to the peak, our carbon emissions today have decreased by nearly 25%. Our carbon emissions per capita is just a quarter of those in the US and 60% of those in the European Union. The government has set a goal of reducing carbon emissions by half before 2035 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The 1 MW pilot solar farm project at the South East New Territories Landfill, set to be completed next year, will showcase the collaborative efforts of the public and private sectors in advancing renewable energy and achieving carbon neutrality.”