Ir Francis Cheng Cho-ying, Managing Director of HK Electric, shares his insights and experience on how HK Electric addresses the challenges posed by climate change and supports the government's decarbonisation goals.
Group photo of Ir Francis Cheng Cho-ying, Managing Director of HK Electric; and Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President; Prof. Reggie Kwan Ching-ping, HKMU Provost.
Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President, notes that climate change is an unprecedented issue requiring innovative efforts from all sectors of society.
Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) today (24 March) held its second “Talk of the Metropolis” of the year, featuring Ir Francis Cheng Cho-ying, Managing Director of The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric). Speaking at the talk titled “Navigating Climate Headwinds”, Ir Cheng shared his insights with over 100 HKMU students, staff, alumni and members of the public on how HK Electric addresses the challenges posed by climate change and supports the government's decarbonisation goals.
With over 45 years of experience at HK Electric, Ir Cheng has witnessed the sector's evolution and in recent years, the increasing impact of extreme weather events on both power supply and the city's ecological environment. “Facing the uncertainties brought by climate change, prevention is better than cure,” he stressed. “Through environmental protection, technology and innovation, HK Electric has introduced a range of initiatives in recent years to significantly enhance the resilience of its power system against extreme weather, while continuing to support the government's energy policies by transitioning from coal-fired generation to gas-fired, promoting sustainability in the energy sector and the environment.”
During the talk, Ir Cheng highlighted several recent initiatives the company has taken, including improved surveillance systems in substations, optimised rapid-response measures during emergencies, and enhanced flood-protection measures in critical facilities. Newly constructed major substations and generation facilities are designed to withstand the threat of rising sea levels in the coming decades, ensuring the stability of power supply and services to safeguard residents' daily lives and economic activities. Existing equipment is retrofitted with compensation measures to withstand similar flooding levels. He also remarked that HK Electric has increased gas-fired generation and collaborated with another local electricity company to construct the Hong Kong Offshore Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal, increasing the proportion of gas-fired generation of HK Electric to approximately 70% of total output.
Ir Cheng stressed that not only should the power industry provide reliable services but also shoulder environmental responsibility, working alongside various other sectors to build a low-carbon future. “HK Electric is committed to achieving our decarbonisation goals, exploring renewable energy applications and collaborating with the community to promote energy-saving and decarbonisation,” he said. “We fully support the government's carbon-neutrality target, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We are working closely with the government and other stakeholders to realise this shared goal, with the aim of creating value for society and a sustainable future for the next generation.”
Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President, expressed his gratitude to Ir Cheng for his insightful presentation. “Climate change is an unprecedented issue that requires innovative efforts from all sectors of society,” he said. He highlighted that HKMU, as a university dedicated to nurturing future talent, has launched programmes related to sustainable development and green management to cultivate professionals with a sustainability mindset, in line with societal needs. He commended Ir Cheng for sharing HK Electric's experience in enhancing hardware and software to tackle climate change, which he found highly inspiring.
Ir Cheng graduated from The University of Hong Kong in 1977. He has a Bachelor's degree in chemistry, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom, and is also a Fellow of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. He is the Chief Executive Officer of HK Electric Investments and an Executive Director of Power Assets Holdings Limited. In November 2024, he was among the first batch of 207 Hong Kong engineers to pass the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engineering “Professional Title” evaluation and obtained the Mainland engineering professional qualification “Professorate Senior Engineer”.
Ir Cheng has taken on various roles to promote vocational education and training (VET) in the E&M services industry. In the Honours List announced by the HKSAR Government on 1 July 2016, Ir Cheng was awarded a Medal of Honour for his contributions to the implementation of the Qualifications Framework in Hong Kong and the promotion of VET. He currently serves as an HKMU Council Member.
The “Talk of the Metropolis” series aims to provide a platform for people from all walks of life to be inspired by the views of experts and scholars, thereby having a positive impact on social development. All talks in the series are broadcast on the University’s “Knowledge for All” programme on Sunday mornings on TVB Pearl. To learn more about the public lecture series and watch past videos, please visit https://www.hkmu.edu.hk/pao/talk-of-the-metropolis/.
Ir Francis Cheng Cho-ying, Managing Director of HK Electric, shares his insights and experience on how HK Electric addresses the challenges posed by climate change and supports the government's decarbonisation goals.
Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) today (24 March) held its second “Talk of the Metropolis” of the year, featuring Ir Francis Cheng Cho-ying, Managing Director of The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric). Speaking at the talk titled “Navigating Climate Headwinds”, Ir Cheng shared his insights with over 100 HKMU students, staff, alumni and members of the public on how HK Electric addresses the challenges posed by climate change and supports the government's decarbonisation goals.
With over 45 years of experience at HK Electric, Ir Cheng has witnessed the sector's evolution and in recent years, the increasing impact of extreme weather events on both power supply and the city's ecological environment. “Facing the uncertainties brought by climate change, prevention is better than cure,” he stressed. “Through environmental protection, technology and innovation, HK Electric has introduced a range of initiatives in recent years to significantly enhance the resilience of its power system against extreme weather, while continuing to support the government's energy policies by transitioning from coal-fired generation to gas-fired, promoting sustainability in the energy sector and the environment.”
During the talk, Ir Cheng highlighted several recent initiatives the company has taken, including improved surveillance systems in substations, optimised rapid-response measures during emergencies, and enhanced flood-protection measures in critical facilities. Newly constructed major substations and generation facilities are designed to withstand the threat of rising sea levels in the coming decades, ensuring the stability of power supply and services to safeguard residents' daily lives and economic activities. Existing equipment is retrofitted with compensation measures to withstand similar flooding levels. He also remarked that HK Electric has increased gas-fired generation and collaborated with another local electricity company to construct the Hong Kong Offshore Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal, increasing the proportion of gas-fired generation of HK Electric to approximately 70% of total output.
Ir Cheng stressed that not only should the power industry provide reliable services but also shoulder environmental responsibility, working alongside various other sectors to build a low-carbon future. “HK Electric is committed to achieving our decarbonisation goals, exploring renewable energy applications and collaborating with the community to promote energy-saving and decarbonisation,” he said. “We fully support the government's carbon-neutrality target, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We are working closely with the government and other stakeholders to realise this shared goal, with the aim of creating value for society and a sustainable future for the next generation.”
Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, HKMU President, expressed his gratitude to Ir Cheng for his insightful presentation. “Climate change is an unprecedented issue that requires innovative efforts from all sectors of society,” he said. He highlighted that HKMU, as a university dedicated to nurturing future talent, has launched programmes related to sustainable development and green management to cultivate professionals with a sustainability mindset, in line with societal needs. He commended Ir Cheng for sharing HK Electric's experience in enhancing hardware and software to tackle climate change, which he found highly inspiring.
Ir Cheng graduated from The University of Hong Kong in 1977. He has a Bachelor's degree in chemistry, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom, and is also a Fellow of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. He is the Chief Executive Officer of HK Electric Investments and an Executive Director of Power Assets Holdings Limited. In November 2024, he was among the first batch of 207 Hong Kong engineers to pass the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area engineering “Professional Title” evaluation and obtained the Mainland engineering professional qualification “Professorate Senior Engineer”.
Ir Cheng has taken on various roles to promote vocational education and training (VET) in the E&M services industry. In the Honours List announced by the HKSAR Government on 1 July 2016, Ir Cheng was awarded a Medal of Honour for his contributions to the implementation of the Qualifications Framework in Hong Kong and the promotion of VET. He currently serves as an HKMU Council Member.
The “Talk of the Metropolis” series aims to provide a platform for people from all walks of life to be inspired by the views of experts and scholars, thereby having a positive impact on social development. All talks in the series are broadcast on the University’s “Knowledge for All” programme on Sunday mornings on TVB Pearl. To learn more about the public lecture series and watch past videos, please visit https://www.hkmu.edu.hk/pao/talk-of-the-metropolis/.
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