GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Even on one of the world's most efficient railways, transporting 2.3 million people every day necessitates the consumption of large quantities of electricity. As one of MTR's most significant direct costs, electricity consumption is constantly monitored and opportunities for further efficiencies actively sought and assessed.



Scheme of Control

In Hong Kong, it is currently only possible to purchase electricity generated from oil, coal, gas or nuclear sources. This is due to the Scheme of Control, an agreement between the Hong Kong SAR Government, CLP Power and Hongkong Electric which regulates the generation and supply of electricity. Neither CLP Power nor Hongkong Electric generates electricity from renewable sources (CLP Power has the right to use capacity at the Guangzhou Pumped Storage Power Station.) and the Scheme of Control does not allow other electricity providers to enter the Hong Kong market. The situation may change on expiry of the Scheme of Control in 2008 or after the Interim Review of the Scheme of Control in 2003. As such, MTR's efforts to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions are currently restricted to the efficient use of electricity in its operations.

Case Study: Static Inverters

Electricity Consumption 2002

Over 2002, the total energy consumption for the operating railway increased by 2.4% to 726,390MWh. This increase was due to the opening of the 12.5km Tseung Kwan O extension in August 2002.

Below figure illustrates MTR's traction energy per train-kilometre (MTR uses 'traction energy per train-kilometre' rather than 'traction energy per passenger' as train frequency is specified in MTR's Operating Agreement with the Hong Kong SAR Government.) over the last ten years. Traction energy decreased in the early 1990s when regenerative braking, which converts forward motion into energy to be used later for acceleration, was introduced but has increased slightly year on year since 1995 as increased train frequency has required more demanding regulation between stations.

*Data prior to 2001 has been previously published. Due to changes in data management, data prior to 2001 has not been verified.

Figure below illustrates how carbon dioxide emissions per passenger carried vary across the different types of transport available in Hong Kong (W. Barron & Steinbrecker 1997).



* With the exception of taxi data, information extracted from W. Barron & Steinbrecker 1997