Hong Kong could boost its solar energy output by as much as 80% by adopting dual-sided solar panels—also known as bifacial modules—and incorporating new technologies like highly reflective, self-cooling paints, according to energy experts.
Vivien Lu, professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, said bifacial panels alone could lead to significant improvements in efficiency, depending on how they are installed.
“The gain is around 10% to 80% depending on the installation,” Lu told Asian Power during a virtual interview. “If we pair these panels with technologies like highly reflective, self-cooling paints, we can see an additional increase of at least 30% in energy yield.”
Bifacial panels are designed to capture sunlight from both the front and back, offering much higher efficiency compared to traditional single-sided solar modules. While their use has begun in the city, Lu noted that widespread application is still limited.
One notable project is a collaboration between City University of Hong Kong and CLPe Solutions Ltd., where bifacial panels are being deployed across the university campus to study their impact and performance in an urban setting.
Hong Kong’s solar power output has remained stagnant at 0.33 gigawatts (GW) from 2023 to 2024, far below its total estimated solar potential of 8,000 megawatts. In comparison, oil powered 180.94 terawatt-hours (TWh) of the city’s electricity last year, while total energy consumption reached 272.87 TWh. Renewables accounted for only 1.36 TWh.
Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 aims to raise the share of renewables in the energy mix to 7.5%–10% by 2035, up from just 0.9% in 2022. Solar energy is expected to provide only 1%–2% of demand by that time, but Lu believes that with full deployment of solar technologies—including rooftop and floating systems—it could meet as much as 20% of the city’s electricity needs.
“There are 29 reservoirs in Hong Kong that cover a total of 13.37 square kilometres. If we utilise these for floating solar, we could generate around 689 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually,” Lu said.
She emphasized that stronger policy support is critical for scaling up solar deployment. “We can include this in the building energy code for new buildings and even infrastructure retrofits,” Lu suggested. “Brownfield sites and car parks also hold potential for solar park development.”
With the right mix of innovation and government backing, experts say Hong Kong can significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and become a leader in urban solar energy adoption.
