Orange News: The 15th National Games are now in full swing, and while athletes compete for glory on the field, Hong Kong is also making quiet progress in another arena — energy innovation.

At the Fanling Golf Course, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has, for the first time, deployed hydrogen-powered generators to provide temporary electricity during the Games, replacing conventional diesel units. This move is more than a technical upgrade — it symbolizes a shift in mindset. It marks Hong Kong’s transition from an observer to a demonstrator, using policy to guide the market and concrete action to respond to the uncertainties of the energy transition.

Hydrogen Power and the Green Games

The hydrogen application at the National Games reflects a broader national trend: China’s accelerating push toward a green energy system.

In October, the National Energy Administration launched 41 hydrogen pilot projects and nine demonstration zones, alongside new technical standards such as the Guidelines for Feasibility Studies on Renewable Electricity Hydrogen Production Projects.

The China Society of Automotive Engineers projects that the number of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will reach 500,000 by 2030, and exceed one million by 2035.

At the strategic level, hydrogen energy has been listed in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan alongside quantum technology, biomanufacturing, and nuclear fusion as part of the next generation of high-growth industries. Together, these initiatives signify that China is entering a new phase of energy reform — one that emphasizes integration, resilience, and innovation.

Hydrogen: Promise Amid Debate

Hydrogen’s potential is undeniable, yet its path remains controversial.

Optimists see it as the ultimate solution for decarbonisation across transport, industry, and energy storage. Skeptics, meanwhile, highlight challenges such as cost, efficiency, and safety.

But such debate is a sign of progress — as one scholar puts it, “perception comes before polarization.”

Hydrogen’s greatest value lies not in home applications but as the “invisible backbone” of a clean energy system — balancing time and space, and making renewable energy controllable, storable, and transportable. It complements, rather than replaces, electricity.

Policy Landscape: From Exploration to Structured Deployment

Recent national policies reveal a dual-track approach — prudent in the short term, ambitious in the long term.

First, policy progress through pilots.

Beijing has adopted a “pilot-to-standard” strategy, prioritizing demonstration projects, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure development — embodying a “safety first, expansion second” philosophy.

Hong Kong is moving in step with this direction. In March, the EMSD hosted the first International Hydrogen Development Forum 2025, attracting over 800 delegates from government, industry, and academia across the Mainland and overseas. EMSD Director Pang Kwok-ying has since announced plans for a Hydrogen Week in May 2026, featuring the second International Hydrogen Development Forum and an APEC conference on hydrogen applications.

Together, these events will strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international platform for hydrogen technology demonstration and policy exchange.

Second, strategic confidence for the long term.

Hydrogen has been identified as a pillar of China’s next-generation manufacturing and green energy system — a potential trillion-yuan industry supporting both industrial upgrading and the country’s carbon neutrality goals.

Hong Kong’s Reality and Opportunity

While Hong Kong lacks the space and renewable resources to produce hydrogen at scale, it possesses three unique strengths that can support the Mainland’s hydrogen ambitions.

1. Regulatory and institutional leadership.

The EMSD has issued the Code of Practice for Hydrogen Installations (Version 2.0), setting international-level safety and technical standards. Hong Kong is also the first city in the world to permit hydrogen-powered vehicles to pass through tunnels — a milestone that other cities are watching closely.

2. Financial and certification strength.

As Asia’s green finance hub, Hong Kong can establish a credible green hydrogen certification system that gives Mainland-produced hydrogen an “international passport,” enabling cross-border trade and attracting global investors.

3. Regional collaboration potential.

With hydrogen production hubs in the Greater Bay Area to the north and ports and transport applications to the south, Hong Kong is ideally positioned as a hydrogen corridor connecting production with end-use.

Three Pathways Forward: From Demonstration to System Integration

1. Demonstration builds confidence.

Starting with the National Games, Hong Kong can expand hydrogen trials through a “three-step model” — pilot fleets, refuelling stations, and regulatory frameworks.

Hydrogen-powered buses, street-cleaning vehicles, and refrigerated trucks are practical next steps to validate technology, safety, and efficiency.

2. Finance accelerates adoption.

Establishing a Hydrogen Transition Fund, issuing green hydrogen bonds, and developing a taxonomy aligned with international standards can channel capital into scalable hydrogen applications.

3. Regulation builds trust.

The government should integrate hydrogen into its next Climate Action Plan, aligning energy, transport, and environmental policies, while building professional capacity in hydrogen safety, maintenance, and inspection.

From Hydrogen Production to Hydrogen Promotion

Hong Kong does not need to compete as a producer; its strength lies in becoming a promoter of hydrogen —

a demonstration hub showcasing Mainland innovation to the world,

a financial bridge connecting capital and technology,

and a regulatory model showing how safety, transparency, and trust can enable green growth.

Turning Transition into Opportunity

Hydrogen remains a developing technology, but it represents a more flexible, distributed, and resilient energy future.

The ongoing National Games give Hong Kong a stage to showcase not only sporting excellence but also its ability to innovate under uncertainty.

Hydrogen may not be the ultimate answer, but it could well be Hong Kong’s first step toward a greener and more prosperous future.

Originally published on Orange News on 12 Nov 2025. Written by Lawrence Iu.