Deliberative Workshop on Solar PV Development in Hong Kong: Prospects and Policy Challenges
Workshop A: 4th November (9:30a.m.-1:00p.m., Friday) // AAB 1312
Workshop B: 5th November (2:00-5:30p.m., Saturday) // AAB 505
Venue: Academic and Administration Building (AAB), Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong
Workshop Overview and Aim
The urgency to reduce rising greenhouse gas emissions, address climate change, and transition to a global, low-carbon energy system has never been greater. Once an expensive technology, solar photovoltaic (PV) prices have dropped substantially, become technologically mature, and is recognised as key energy option in recent years. Such rapid changes had led to an upsurge of policy interest and deployment in major global cities such as New York City, London, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul, where they have introduced major solar initiatives, plans and targets. As an international financial hub and one of the world’s densest cities, Hong Kong also has an enormous role to play in addressing the aforementioned concerns, and great potential to harness solar energy to sustainably power the city. However, Hong Kong’s policy options and potential future for large-scale solar PV development remains an open question.
The aim of this deliberative workshop is threefold:
1) To provide a timely platform for meaningful stakeholder dialogue on Hong Kong’s prospects for solar PV;
2) To facilitate Hong Kongers to understand, get informed, and debate solar policies in the light of possible policy changes and the willingness to adopt solar as an energy option in Hong Kong; and
3) To understand the considered support and opposition to policy changes for solar PV in Hong Kong.
This workshop will focus on key themes that are vital to large-scale uptake of solar PV in Hong Kong:
Solar Potential
Technical Challenges
Tariff Costs and Impact
Policy and Regulations
Highlights of this Worskhop
1) This will be a rare occasion for diverse stakeholders who are keen about and to gather to discuss solar PV development in Hong Kong.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage directly with other residential, commercial and institutional stakeholders as well as various experts who are keen in discussing solar PV development in Hong Kong
2) This well-structured workshop follows the format of an event under Deliberative Polling, an innovative deliberative participation method (trademarked by Stanford University’ s Center for Deliberative Demcoracy) that empowers engaged and informed participants to take a proactive role in clarifying and debating key issues.
Participants will share their views, debate, and clarify issues upon key themes critical to solar PV deployment in small groups and expert Q&A sessions. Moreover, unlike other forms of workshops, participants are the ones who raise questions to expert panellists, rather than simply hearing what expert panellists have to present on a certain issue.
3) Participants will have the first-hand opportunity to experience the Hong Kong Solar Map.
Using this program, participants will be able to calculate the solar PV potential of their own rooftop areas and experiment with various solar PV policy options.
4) Prof. Raymond So Wai-man, the Chairman of the Energy Advisory Committee which is the advisory body of the HKSAR government on energy policy, will be the workshop moderator.
The views and concerns shared in this workshop will be heard by the Government, and can influence policy-making in constructive ways.
Programme (tentative)
Two half-day workshops will be organised, and will be identical in programme nature and length.
Workshop A
Date: 4 November, 2016 (Friday)
Time: 9:30a.m. to 1:00p.m.
Workshop B
Date: 5 November, 2016 (Saturday)
Time: 2:00p.m. to 5:30p.m.
Invited Experts (tentative)
The list of experts will be released soon.
Briefing Document
Contact/Inquiries
If you would like to inquire about this workshop, please contact Dr. Daphne Mah at 3411-7753 or at aesc@hkbu.edu.hk.
Lead Organiser
Asian Energy Studies Centre
Co-Organisers
Department of Geography
Center for Deliberative Democracy
Stanford University
School of Energy and Environment
City University of Hong Kong
Department of Geography
The University of Hong Kong
Sponsoring Organisations
Greenpeace East Asia
World Wide Fund for Nature
Hong Kong
Supporting Organisation
Civic Exchange
