Dr. Sarah Liao, Mr. Otto Poon(left), Mr. Roger  Lai(right), officiate at the commissioning  ceremony of Lamma Winds, together with Mr.  Tso Kai-sum.    Dr. Liao inspects an exhibition panel on   renewable energy inside the wind power  station, accompanied by Mr. Tso (right) and  Chief Engineer of Projects, Mr. Cheung Nai-  yik (centre).  The officiating party pictures outside the wind  power station.    Primary school students on Lamma Island  join in the celebration of the launch of   Lamma Winds.                Lamma Winds, the first              commercial-scale wind power              station in Hong Kong.             Dr. Liao is briefed about             environmental initiatives             incorporated in the design of             the wind power station,             including the installation of solar             lights.

Dr. Sarah Liao, Mr. Otto Poon(left), Mr. Roger    Lai(right), officiate at the commissioning    ceremony of Lamma Winds, together with Mr.    Tso Kai-sum.        Dr. Liao inspects an exhibition panel on     renewable energy inside the wind power    station, accompanied by Mr. Tso (right) and    Chief Engineer of Projects, Mr. Cheung Nai-    yik (centre).     The officiating party pictures outside the wind   power station.     Primary school students on Lamma Island   join in the celebration of the launch of   Lamma Winds.                Lamma Winds, the first                commercial-scale wind power                 station in Hong Kong.               Dr. Liao is briefed about              environmental initiatives              incorporated in the design of              the wind power station,              including the installation of solar              lights.

Hongkong Electric celebrated the commissioning of the territory’s first wind power station today by establishing a one-million-dollar fund to support the study and development of renewable energy in the local educational sector.

The “Hongkong Electric Clean Energy Fund” will be open for application by all schools and tertiary institutes in Hong Kong. Each selected project will be entitled to a maximum sponsorship of $100,000.

The initiative was announced by the Managing Director of Hongkong Electric, Mr. Tso Kai-sum, at a ceremony marking the commissioning of Lamma Winds, Hong Kong’s first commercial scale wind turbine, built and operated by Hongkong Electric.

Mr. Tso said the Fund is the Company’s latest effort to raise awareness and promote public understanding of renewable energy in Hong Kong, following the construction and commissioning of the wind power station on Lamma Island.

He noted the significance of the pilot wind power project, which not only opened an important chapter in the history of electricity generation in Hong Kong, but also enabled Hongkong Electric to gain valuable experience in the practical application of wind energy.

“We are proud to be lighting Hong Kong’s history for the second time – more than 100 years after illuminating the first street lamps in Central,” said Mr. Tso, adding that Hongkong Electric also pioneered the use of Flue Gas Desulphurisation plants in Hong Kong by being the first power company in South East Asia to introduce such plants which remove more than 90% of sulphur dioxide in the flue gas, as early as 1993.

To promote public understanding of renewable energy, Hongkong Electric has made use of the 2,500 square metre wind power station site to house an exhibition area, introducing the most common forms of renewable energy, their benefits and limitations and applications worldwide.

An energy meter showing real-time data has been installed on site to enable visitors to appreciate the wind turbine at work. Information on wind velocity, power output, total amount of electricity generated and carbon dioxide reduced is shown. The same data will also be available on Hongkong Electric’s website.

Though relatively small in scale, the 800-kW wind turbine perched atop Tai Ling on Lamma Island is expected to generate about one million units of green electricity and supplant the need to burn 350 tonnes of coal annually.

Mr. Tso said Hongkong Electric would continue to explore appropriate ways to harness renewable energy in the territory. Considerations will be made to the unique local geographical situation, government energy policy, and customers’ preference as well as technological advancement.

Also officiating at the commissioning ceremony was the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr. Sarah Liao; Chairman of the Energy Advisory Committee, Mr. Otto Poon and the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr. Roger Lai.

Dr. Liao thanked Hongkong Electric for embarking on this pilot project which represents a milestone in Hong Kong’s pursuit of sustainable development.

“I am delighted to officiate at the commissioning of Hong Kong’s first wind power station. Harnessing wind energy for power generation is now a reality and from now on, we can engage in discussions based on our actual experience, ” she noted.

Dr. Liao said she believes that renewable energy can be further explored, and applied, and its cost-effectiveness be further enhanced as technology matures.

“The government will be stepping up public education on renewable energy and environmentally sustainable energy consumption practices. A dedicated website will be set up early next year to promote the wider use of renewable energy,” Dr. Liao said.

Lamma Winds was chosen by a panel of judges from among 3,800 submissions received in a naming competition held earlier. The winner in the Chinese category was awarded $10,000, while eight winners submitting the same entry shared the cash award for the English category.