New Energy Transport Fund (previously named Pilot Green Transport Fund)
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For further information, please contact us at:
New Energy Transport Fund Secretariat
Environment and Ecology Bureau (Environment Branch)
33/F, Revenue Tower
5 Gloucester Road
Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Telephone: 2824 0022
Fax: 2838 2155
Email： netf@eeb.gov.hk
Background
In Hong Kong, the transport sector, including road and marine transport, was the largest air pollution source in 2019. It accounted for about 46% of the local fine suspended particulates and 52% of nitrogen oxides. The sector is also responsible for about 18% of local greenhouse gas emissions. The exhaust emissions of motor vehicles are also the main cause of roadside air pollution.
To help improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions, thereby helping to avert global climate change, the Government put in place a $300 million Pilot Green Transport Fund (PGTF) to subsidise the transport trade and charitable/non-profit making organisations to try out green innovative transport technologies in March 2011.
To further encourage trial and wider use of green innovative transport technologies, the Government injected additional $800 million to the fund to extend its scope as below in 2020 and renamed the PGTF as the “New Energy Transport Fund” (“NET Fund”) in September of the same year:
(i) Applications under the original scope of the PGTF are categorised as “Applications for Trial” (“AT”) and detailed conditions of subsidy are also refined;
(ii) A new section of “Applications for Use” (“AU”) is created to subsidise the transport sector and charitable/non-profit making organisations to directly procure products of the technologies that have been proved under the AT to be relatively mature and suitable for adoption locally.
In order to utilise the Fund more effectively to promote the green transformation of the entire transport sector, the Steering Committee in April 2024 supported the Secretariat to further enhance the subsidy framework of the Fund, including the adoption of a merit-based approach in vetting applications, revising the subsidy arrangement, enhancement of the management of trial projects and tightening the arrangement of the transfer of subsidised products or company shares, so as to maximise the benefits.
In addition, the technology of electric vehicles and batteries is becoming mature and has been widely used in overseas cities and the Mainland. In order to focus the Fund to subsidise green innovative transport technologies that are in urgent need of local testing in the future and effectively speed up the green transformation of Hong Kong's transport trade, the Steering Committee has agreed to cease accepting applications for trial of all electric commercial vehicles from April 1, 2025.
The Fund has also launched the Funding Scheme to Trial of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Heavy Vehicles to promote the transformation to green transport. Please refer to the webpage of the scheme for details.
For details about “Applications for Trial” (AT) and “Applications for Use” (AU), please refer the relevant webpages.
New Energy Transport Fund Steering Committee
Given the diversity and continuous evolvement of technologies, a New Energy Transport Fund Steering Committee (the Steering Committee) has been set up to assess and advise the Government on the approval of funding for each application. The Steering Committee is chaired by a non-government official with members comprising representatives elected by the transport sectors, experts and academics in green innovative transport technologies, as well as representatives of relevant government departments. Please click the following link for the membership list of the Steering Committee.
Membership List
The Steering Committee is to assess and advise the Environment and Ecology Bureau (Environment Branch) on applications of the New Energy Transport Fund (the NET Fund). The terms of reference of the Steering Committee are as follows:
- to decide on the funding rules in relation to the eligibility and funding caps in processing and vetting the applications for funding support under the Fund;
- based on the relevant guiding principles / eligibility criteria, to consider and make recommendation on -
- whether an application should be approved;
- if an application is recommended for approval, the subsidy amount; and
- the terms and conditions, if any, for approving an application;
- whether an application should be approved;
- to consider the relative priorities for funding support;
- to review the trial findings of the approved applications; and
- to receive reports from the applicants if there are changes to the continuing use of the funded products.
News and Events
References
Discussion Paper for Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs Meeting on 22 April 2024
Discussion Paper for Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs Meeting on 21 April 2023
Discussion Paper for Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs Meeting on 22 January 2020
Discussion Paper for Legislative Council Finance Committee Meeting on 28 January 2011
Discussion Paper for Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs Meeting on 20 December 2010