Sustainability Report 2012 • 25
Clean Energy
Gas is a much cleaner source of energy than other
energy alternatives. Coupled with the greater use
of clean fuels such as natural gas, currently the
cleanest fossil fuel available, our business is very
much a green energy business. Building on these
positive foundations, both the development and
use of environmentally-friendly energy now form
a growing element in our overall business strategy.
With the headstart established in our landfill
gas, coalbed methane and clean coal chemical
activities, a major focus for the future is the turning
of waste and low-grade materials into valuable
sources of energy. Thus in addition to our existing
activities, coke oven gas and coal-mine methane
facilities, which are currently under construction,
our new energy portfolio is expanding yet again
with our crystallising interest in the tar oil and
biomass industries.
A Green Energy Business
As a green energy business, we comply fully
with internationally established environmental
regulatory requirements and conform to leading
world practices. Our Environmental Management
System in Hong Kong, which covers our operations
and operating systems, was thus accredited
under the internationally acclaimed ISO 14001
environmental management system standard in
1999, certifying that our gas production processes
are on par with the cleanest and most efficient
industrial systems around the world.
Natural Gas
The journey to cleaner energy began in 1967 when
coal was no longer used in the gas production
process. A further step forward was taken in 1973
when naphtha began to replace the heavy oil then
being used in Hong Kong. Because of its much
lower sulphur content, this move reduced the
emission of sulphur dioxide significantly. In 2006,
with the opening of the Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG) Receiving Terminal in Guangdong province,
we began using natural gas as a feedstock in Hong
Kong. Natural gas significantly reduces pollutant
emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO
2
), nitrogen
oxide (NOx) and sulphur oxide (SOx), which means
improved air quality for Hong Kong while the
reduced emissions mitigate against climate change
and global warming concerns.
Use of natural gas
reached around 60%
of our total feedstock.
Began the conversion
of our Ma Tau Kok
plant to also use
natural gas.
2009
Coal no longer
used as a
feedstock
1967
Began using
land ll
gas in our
operations
1999
2007
Using land ll
gas from the larger
NENT land ll
Switched
from heavy
oil to
naphtha
1973
Introduction
of natural gas
as a feedstock
2006
Developments in Feedstock and Fuel (Hong Kong)
Work continues to cool the naphtha
circulating within gas production
process. As naphtha vapourises easily
in the heat, lowering its temperature
not only reduces vapourisation, it also
lessens the emission of volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere.
