41st Batch of Green Transport Technology Trials Approved, $4.84 Million Subsidy Granted

41st batch of applications approved for trials of green transport technologies under New Energy Transport Fund

​The Environment and Ecology Bureau today (August 2) announced its approval of the 41st batch of applications for the trials of green transport technologies under the New Energy Transport Fund.

The Steering Committee of the Fund has adopted a new merit-based approach to assess applications for funding with a view to making the best use of the Fund and taking into account factors including the latest technology developments. The five approved applications in this batch (see Annex) are for the trials of two electric light goods vehicles (non-van type) and four electric medium goods vehicles, involving a total subsidy of $4.84 million.

The latest approval brings the total number of trials pursued or being pursued under the Fund to 307, with a total subsidy of about $261 million. As at end-July 2024, a total of 193 approved trials under the Fund have been completed. Trial reports have been uploaded to the Fund's website.

The trial scheme on e-taxi charging facilities, the subsidy strategies for e-taxis and electric franchised buses, the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong and the subsidy scheme for trials of hydrogen fuel-cell heavy vehicles were also discussed by the Steering Committee. Members have provided valuable comments. The Secretariat of the Fund as well as other relevant government bureaux and departments will follow up on the suggestions with a view to launching the relevant schemes as early as possible.

The Government put in place the Fundin March 2011 to subsidise the testing, and encourage the wider use, of green transport technologies for a variety of commercial transport tools including goods vehicles (including special-purpose vehicles), taxis, light buses, buses, vessels, motorcycles, non-road vehicles (applicable to vehicle models approved by the Transport Department or the Airport Authority Hong Kong), or the aforesaid transport tools of charitable/non-profit making organisations providing services to their clients. The technologies to be subsidised include new energy vehicles or vessels, conversion of in-use conventional vehicles or vessels to new energy vehicles or vessels, and after-treatment emission reduction devices or fuel-saving devices applicable to vehicles and vessels. Transport operators and charitable/non-profit making organisations may apply for trying out different green technology products subject to a maximum subsidy of $10 million for each application and a total of $12 million for each applicant.

For more information on the Fund and the approved applications, please visit the website of the Fund (www.eeb.gov.hk/en/new-energy-transport-fund.html) or call the enquiry hotline on 2824 0022.

Source: AI-generated images

HKSAR Government responds to media enquiries on reporting, photo and video-taking at prohibited places specified in subsidiary legislation made under Safeguarding National Security Ordinance

​In response to media enquiries on reporting, photo and video-taking at prohibited places specified in the subsidiary legislation made under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, a spokesman for the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region today (May 16) said the following:

The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at the meeting of the Legislative Council Subcommittee on Two Items of Subsidiary Legislation Made under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and the subsequent media session yesterday (May 15), clearly said that according to section 45 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, a "specified officer" (including a police officer or a guard of the prohibited place), who has reasonable grounds to believe that exercising such power is necessary for safeguarding national security, may order any person not to do or cease to do such acts as that of approaching or inspecting (including doing so by electronic or remote means) a prohibited place, and such officer may also order persons in the neighbourhood of a prohibited place to leave. Any person who contravenes an order commits an offence.

There is no problem for members of the public to purely "check in" and take photos near a prohibited place while passing by, without any intention of endangering national security. However, if they deliberately take photos or videos of the entrances or the interior of a prohibited place so as to inspect such place, or engage in other conduct during photo or video-taking giving people reasonable grounds to believe that they may endanger national security, police officers or guards of the prohibited place have the power to ask the members of the public to leave in accordance with the above legal requirements and the judgment made at the scene at the time.