The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Ltd. (Towngas) and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) have signed a partnership agreement to jointly develop Hong Kong’s first public electric vehicle automatic H₂ charging system. The project commenced at the Hong Kong Science Park and is expected to complete construction and begin operations in the second quarter of 2026, serving as a demonstration base for H₂ charging in Hong Kong and marking a significant milestone in the city’s journey towards green energy and sustainable development.

Hong Kong’s first public electric vehicle automatic H₂ charging system will be constructed by Towngas, with HKSTP responsible for operations and management. The system comprises H₂ extraction, power generation, energy storage, and electrical control equipment, capable of directly extracting H₂ with a purity exceeding 99.97% from the gas network to power H₂ fuel cells, which will supply electricity to electric vehicle charging stations within the Science Park.

Once operational, the system will produce 12 kilograms of H₂, sufficient H₂ to power five 7-kW electric vehicle charging stations. The entire facility operates automatically, requiring no manual intervention. As the H₂ power generation process produces only water vapor without carbon dioxide emissions, it is clean and highly efficient. Towngas is also installing energy storage equipment to maintain a stable power supply at the charging station.

Peter Wong Wai-yee, Managing Director of Towngas, hopes this collaboration will serve as a demonstration project for future H₂ fuel cell applications. ”Approximately 50% of the gas supplied by Towngas consists of H₂, and we possess over 160 years of experience in H₂ handling. Through Towngas’s mature extraction and storage technology applied to the Hong Kong Science Park, we can replicate successful outcomes to other application scenarios upon success, promoting the use of H₂ extraction facilities and H₂ fuel cell systems, providing the public with an additional energy option and supporting the urgent demand for electric vehicle charging stations.”

Albert Wong Hak-keung, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP, stated, “As the first statutory body in Hong Kong to commit to Net-Zero by 2045, HKSTP has been actively transforming innovative technology into carbon reduction solutions. This collaboration with Towngas to develop an automatic H₂ charging system demonstrates the potential application of H₂ in electric vehicle charging and drives Hong Kong’s green transport transformation. We hope this project will serve as a catalyst, encouraging more enterprises to explore H₂ applications and promote the expansion of H₂ infrastructure, contributing to Hong Kong’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”

Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology, stated, “The Government published the Strategy of H₂ Development in Hong Kong last year, outlining the strategy to create an environment conducive to local H₂ development in a prudent and orderly manner. Currently, the fuel gas in Hong Kong’s pipelines contains approximately 50% H₂. This cooperation between Towngas and HKSTP involves testing the extraction of H₂ from existing gas pipelines at the user end for power generation. This initiative can provide a technical demonstration for utilizing the local gas network to support H₂ applications and development, injecting new momentum into Hong Kong’s transformation into a sustainable, low-carbon city.”